Limoges
The capital of the Limousin region of France, Limoges, sits on the banks of the river Vienne. The city is famed for its ceramics – this is where the upper classes come to pick up their tableware – and its locally-reared beef. Make sure to sample the regional cuisine at one of the city’s many restaurants. Limoges was also historically a city of art, the birthplace of the Impressionist painter Auguste Renoir, and home to the writers Balzac and Moliere.
Limoges is compact enough to explore on foot – and the traditional Cite quarter, which was once enclosed by fortified walls, is full of historic buildings and museums. Even if you’ve flown into the city, it’s worth taking a trip to the Benedictins train station to admire its shimmering copper dome and bell tower, art deco stained glass windows and neoclassical sculptures.
Top 5 cultural sights
- Limoges cathedral - There is plenty of artwork to admire in this Gothic church, which took more than 600 years to complete
- Chapelle Saint-Aurélien - A tiny, intricate chapel with medieval statues and Baroque works of art
- Jardin de L’Eveche - This botanical garden contains more than 1,200 plants and occupies several terraces overlooking the river
- Musée des Beaux Arts - Housed in the 18th-century bishops' palace, this huge collection of decorative artwork includes some lesser-known paintings by Renoir
- Adrien Dubouche National Porcelain Museum - An impressive art deco building housing 12,000 pieces of metalwork, glasswork and ceramics. The collection of Limoges porcelain is the world’s largest
Top 5 activities
- Aux délices de Mathilde - This food store has everything, from liqueurs and aperitifs from the distillery (which you can visit), to pork terrines made with meat from local black-bottomed pigs, artisan jams, mustard, pâtés and more
- Halles Centrales - A covered market of stalls selling local produce, from cheese to Limousin beef
- Paroles de Chef - This gourmet grocery store and restaurant also runs cookery and wine-tasting courses
- Aquarium du Limousin - This former underground reservoir is now home to 2,500 fish
- Rue de la Boucherie - A pedestrianized road containing many of the city’s medieval half-timbered houses. The name comes from the butcher’s shops that lined the street centuries ago