Limoges

Visit Limoges, Limousin

Limoges is 'capital' of the Haute-Vienne department and Limousin region of France. While it does not usually feature high on the tourist trail a visit is well worth the time if you are staying in the vicinity.

The town has a long history dating from the early middle ages, with the towns early prosperity closely linked to the porcelain industry.

Explore Limoges

There are some very fine buildings to visit in Limoges, most notable being the train station, the town hall and the splendid gothic Cathedral of Saint-Etienne, constructed from the 13th century right through to the 19th century. Also the Cour du Temple has some grand half-timbered townhouses, a heritage to the rich past of Limoges.

The main sights of Limoges are centred in two main areas. Start your visit at the tourist office on Boulevard de Fleurus then explore the 'Quartier Historique du Chateau' with the Church of Saint Michel and the Village de la Boucherie sit to one side, then explore the area surrounding the Cathedrale Saint Etienne.

Quartier Historique du Chateau

The Quartier Historique du Chateau is strangely named as there is no chateau but there are various other places to visit. The most important monument here is the Church of Saint Michel des Lions. This is a distinctive church with a copper ball on the top of the bell tower and two stone lions from Gallo Roman times guarding the door. The stained glass windows inside are in gorgeous rich jewel colours.

Nearby is the Cour du Temple, a paved courtyard with fine half-timbered buildings and columned arcades. Also nearby to the Church of Saint Michel is the Place de la Motte home to Limoges' covered market. It is an attractive building with blue tiles and red-brick markings.

The market is on the edge of the Village de la Boucherie. In the 14th century this district was inhabited by families belonging to the brotherhood of the butchers. This is a charming area with half-timber buildings and interesting shops. Number 36 can be visited and has its original furniture.

In the middle of the Boucherie area is the St Aurelien's chapel, a tiny chapel built at the end of the 15th century to house relics of the patron saint of butchers. The chapel has an unusual steeple with wooden tiles.

At the opposite side of this area of Limoges is the Church of St Pierre and the Verdurier Pavilion. The Verdurier Pavilion is a wonderful building decorated with floral decorations and stoneware mosaics yet is was built as a cold-storage room for meat imported from Argentina. Today it is used for Art exhibitions.

On the eastern edge of the quarter is Place Denis Dussoubs - unusual for being round. This is a lively 'square' whose attractive ochre-coloured buildings are home to cafes and restaurants.

Quartier Historique de la Cité

On the other side of the Boulevard Lous Blanc and the Boulevard de Fleurus is the Quartier Historique de la Cité and the Cathedral of St Etienne. The cathedral was started in 1273 but took six centuries to build. It is a large Gothic cathedral which is unusual as these are usually only found to the north of the Loire.

Next to the cathedral is the bishop's gardens which are large formal gardens with lawns and ponds that lead to a viewpoint over much of Limoges. Allow some time to wander through the Limoges botanical gardens, then pass to the section of the town along the Vienne River, a pleasant area to escape from the crowds and to admire the 13th century stone bridge across the river.

If you are interested in porcelain the river path passes by the 'Ancien Four a Porcelaine des Casseaux' where you can visit the kiln dating back to 1904. If you wish to browse the porcelain shops then head for the Boulevard Louis Blanc, known locally as Porcelain Boulevard.

As well as these two historic areas Limoges is very proud of its train station. This lies to the north of the historic quarters and is an impressive building. It has a 61m high clock tower and a 31m high dome, both of with are topped with copper. It also has some fabulous Art Deco stained glass windows.

Limoges Town Hall is a fine building where Louis XIII and neo-Renaissance merge together. Designed by the architect of the Palace of Versailles and the Trianon, no wonder its a splendid building.

Limoges is a 4 star 'ville fleuri'  and has a number of attractive parks and over 400 000 flowers are planted each year. It won the 'towns in bloom' gold medal in 2001.

Limoges Museums

The importance of porcelain (enamel work and china) in the history of the town, although not now significant, is displayed in a couple of museums. The National Porcelain Museum has some very fine examples, both local and from around the world.

More important historical examples of the enamels and porcelains for which Limoges is famous can be seen in the Bishop's Palace Museum (the Musée de l'Eveché), a large 18th century building. In this museum you can also see a collection of impressionist paintings with some by Renoir, who was born in Limoges.

Other museums in Limoges include the Museum of the Resistance (perhaps to visit before or after a visit to nearby Oradour-sur-Glane), and a Museum of Butchery!

See Limousin and Haute-Vienne (the region and department for Limoges) for more travel ideas...

Tourist classifications for Limoges: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 4*; Listed town of Art and History;

Photos of Limoges

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Suggested places to visit near Limoges, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Rochechouart 34km; Bellac 36km; Chateau de Jumilhac 41km; Le-Dorat 45km; Segur-le-Chateau 45km; La Souterraine 48km;

Limoges tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Abbatial church de Saint Pierre (Solignac) - religious monument (9km) : Saint-Hilaire-les-Places - ville fleurie 4* (23km) : Jardin de Liliane - remarkable garden (25km) : Abbaye de Saint-Amand (Saint-Junien) - religious monument (29km) : Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche - recommended detour (36km) : Abbatiale de Saint Pierre (Lesterps) - religious monument (42km) : Perigord-Limousin - regional natural parc (44km) :

See more places and a map at places near Limoges