“Imagerie d’Epinal”, Discover the real Images of Epinal

© L’Imagerie d’Épinal

The historic wokshops  of the “Imagerie d’Epinal”

Epinal is the city of images and it owes its reputation to its two-century old imagerie. Located in beautiful listed buildings on the banks of the Moselle,the Imagerie is one of key attractions in the city and in the Vosges, welcoming thousands of visitors every year.

Before the advent of modern media,the Imagerie was a pioneer in the wide dissemination of popular knowledge through various supports – moral tales, songs, saints, caricarures, topical subjects, lessons, games , albums,paper cut-outs …-distributed throughout  France and beyond.When it was at its zenith , the Imagerie printed more than 12 million images in the world , in different languages.

Since September 2014, a new team has been giving renewed momentum  by resuming the creation of images with new artistic talents and with major names .

The guided visit of those historic worshops enables visitors to get a better understanding of the manufactiring process of the image of Epinal: carved wood, lithography, typography , stencil-colours.The opportunity to discover the still in use  old machines (Lynotypes, Heidelberg, the Gutenberg press) such as the Aquatype, an incredible colour printer using 9 colours , with the world’s last two remaining models. Children become aware that there used to be various entertainment focused on the image long before the advent  of the screen !

The boutique is worth visiting: it displays a retail space of 300 square metres ,with ancient and modern pictures as well as many related items (stationery, games , books, tableware, decorative objects…) The visit, both fun and instructive may be coupled with the visit of the nearby Musée de l’Image.

Opening hours of the boutique :

Every day 10h00-12h00/14h00-18h30(18h00 on Sundays)

Closed on Monday morning

Visit of the worshops :

Every day 10h30-12h/15h-16h30

Closed on Monday

www.imagerie-epinal.com

© L’Imagerie d’Épinal