Le jardin de l’abbatiale - aurillac

Located in the very centre of Aurillac, the Abbey Garden is a place for reading the long span of time. It brings together the different periods of the abbey through a sequence of thematic gardens, revealing the site’s deep historical layers. Archaeological excavations have uncovered remains of a cloister and a chapel dating from the 4th to the 20th century. These strata, now protected by layers of sand, create a constrained, poor and highly draining ground that forms the basis of the project’s reflections.

The landscape design builds upon these conditions to stage the act of excavation and the superimposition of time. The garden is conceived as a space in motion, intended to evolve gradually. Emerging archaeological elements are accompanied by pathways and discreet signage, allowing visitors to understand and move through the different historical periods of the site without fixing them in a static display.

The plant palette extends this narrative. It combines plants from wastelands and rock gardens, adapted to nutrient-poor soils, with old varieties reminiscent of abbey gardens. This composition expresses both the capacity of living systems to colonise constrained environments and the memory embedded in the place. Flowering and textures change with the seasons, reinforcing the sense of a garden inhabited by time.

The layout enhances the abbey building and its relationship to the ground. Careful grading ensures continuous accessibility throughout the garden, reconciling heritage interpretation, comfort of movement and contemporary uses at the heart of the city.

Antoine Dufour Architectes (mandataire), Wagon Landscaping, BETEM (VRD), Ville d’Aurillac