Les Jardins de l'Abbaye d'Ardenne

Imec - Ardenne Abbey
An abbey for reading, writing and dreaming

Caen?s third abbey (12th century), now restored as a historic site of the Battle of Normandy, is home to the Institut Mémoires de l?édition contemporaine (Imec). The association preserves the archives of major publishing houses and magazines, as well as the manuscripts of major writers, philosophers and artists. A center for research and literary creation, the Imec also offers a year-round program of free cultural events (conferences, exhibitions, events, tours). Its splendid abbey church, converted into a research library, has become a unique workspace accessible to all, by reservation only. Take note! When the sun comes back out, Imec will open a café renowned for its choice of products and the quality of its welcome, in a majestic and inspiring setting. To discover the program of activities: www.imec-archives.com.

Open: Gardens and grounds: Tuesday to Friday, 2pm to 6pm.
Exhibitions and café: Wednesday to Sunday, 2pm to 6pm.
Library: Tuesday to Thursday, 9.30am to 6pm, and Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Admission: Free admission.

Ardenne Abbey, owned by the Regional Council and a listed historic monument, has been awarded the prestigious "Centre Culturel de Rencontre" label, which recognizes historic monuments with unique cultural projects. Imec?s missions and actions are supported by the French Ministry of Culture (Direction régionale des affaires culturelles de Normandie) and the Conseil régional de Normandie.

Temporary exhibition 2025:
Fragments du rêve, June 6 to November 30

The secret of dreams lies in archives. Archives are the world's largest repository of dreams, an inexhaustible source of stories hastily scribbled in the early hours of the morning, testimony to the strange necessity of losing nothing of our dreams.