Meymac Abbey

Meymac Abbey (Abbaye Saint-André de Meymac) is a former Benedictine monastery in the town of Meymac, in the Corrèze department, at the edge of the Millevaches plateau in south-central France. Nearly a thousand years of history are packed into its walls, which today house a museum and a contemporary art centre rather than a working religious community.

Where does the story of the abbey begin?

Local tradition traces the site's origin to a hermit named Mamacus, said to have built a small church dedicated to Saint Andrew here in the 6th century. That first chapel was reportedly consecrated in 546 by Rorice II, bishop of Limoges, and the town's name is popularly linked to the hermit himself.

Organised monastic life came several centuries later. On 3 February 1085, Archambaud III, Viscount of Comborn, established a priory at Meymac and brought in Benedictine monks to run it. The new house was placed under the authority of the Abbey of Saint-Pierre d'Uzerche, which retained the right to appoint the priors of Meymac. The community grew in standing until 1146, when a donation from Ebles II of Ventadour allowed the priory to be raised to the rank of abbey, making it one of the notable religious foundations of the Ventadour lands.

How did the abbey survive — or not — over the centuries?

The building's fortunes rose and fell repeatedly. The Hundred Years' War took a heavy toll on the community, and by the 16th century the monastic buildings stood largely in ruins. Reconstruction only began in the late 17th century, between 1679 and 1689, when monks of the Maurist congregation rebuilt much of what still stands today.

The French Revolution ended monastic life at Meymac for good. On 27 January 1791 the last monks left the abbey, and its property was auctioned off in separate lots to private buyers. The site then drifted into neglect for decades until 1840, when the writer and historic-monuments inspector Prosper Mérimée intervened to have it protected. Restoration work that shaped the abbey as it appears now began from 1846 onward.

What is there to see at the abbey today?

The former monastery now serves two cultural roles at once. Part of the complex houses a museum dedicated to regional heritage, while the south wing and tower are occupied by the Centre d'art contemporain de Meymac (CAC Meymac). The art centre's exhibition space covers roughly 900 square metres spread across five levels of the old monastic rooms.

The centre was founded in 1979 by two contemporary art enthusiasts, Caroline Bissière and Jean-Paul Blanchet. Rather than building a permanent collection, it focuses on temporary exhibitions of visual art, staging around three shows a year. In spring 2022 it was awarded the CACIN label (Centre d'art contemporain d'intérêt national), a recognition of its standing among France's contemporary art venues.

One distinctive feature has become a local tradition in its own right: since 2005, the abbey's facade facing Avenue Limousine has displayed a monumental Advent calendar, with a new window lighting up each evening through December.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Meymac Abbey located? In the centre of the town of Meymac, in the Corrèze department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, close to the Millevaches plateau.

Is it still a working monastery? No. Monastic life ended in 1791 during the French Revolution; the building now serves cultural and museum purposes.

What is CAC Meymac? It is the Centre d'art contemporain de Meymac, an exhibition venue operating in part of the abbey since 1979, known for temporary visual-art shows and its 2022 CACIN designation.

Can visitors go inside the abbey? Yes — the building combines a heritage museum with the contemporary art centre, and both are open to visitors as part of the site's exhibitions.

Why is it called Meymac? Local tradition connects the town's name to Mamacus, the hermit said to have founded the first chapel on the site in the 6th century.