Limoges

Limoges, France

Overlooking a river among green hills, Limoges has long been synonymous with the finest porcelain, while its tradition of enamelware goes back even further. Many sights and attractions are centered around this proud history. Those industries brought immense wealth to the town, which reflects in many of the town's impressive medieval buildings, built of local rose-tinted granite. The air of prosperity and style with good shops and restaurants, plenty to do and always more to discover.

Population:

Approximately 140,000

Currency:

Euro 1 € = 100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

Emergency: 112
Ambulance: 15
Police: 17
Fire Brigade: 18

Opening Hours:

Most shops are open from Monday to Saturday at 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM 2:00 PM - 7:30 PM. Food stores open earlier in the morning and some (especially pâtisseries) open on Sunday mornings. Most supermarkets open from Monday to Saturday at 8:30 AM - 7:30 PM, and have late closing on certain days. Most museums and sights keep similar hours, but are closed one day a week, usually on Monday or Tuesday. Banks open either from Monday to Friday or from Tuesday to Saturday at 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

Newspapers:

Le Populaire du Centre
L’Echo du Centre

The City

At the center of this spread-out provincial capital are two separate Medieval quarters – the picturesque area of La Cité around the Gothic cathedral, and a few hundred meters away, the more vivacious Château (or Motte) quarter are organized in charming streets and lanes around the former marketplace. Modern boulevards and squares surround the old districts. The main square is the Place de la République.

Do & See

For anyone interested in porcelain, Limoges is the place to go – with shops and museums devoted to the subject.

But Limoges cannot be reduced to this part of its history and also offers many surprises such as the palace looking 1920's railway station and the La Règle subterranean tunnels. Around the city is the Limousin, an unspoiled, rustic region of woods, green meadows and rough pasture, simple cottages, flocks of sheep and beefy Limousin cattle.

Dining

Many restaurants and brasseries serve hearty traditional meat dishes. The Limousin region is called Nouvelle-Aquitaine nowadays, people gives its name to russet-colored cattle famed for tasty lean beef, the main specialty. Around the city, there are plenty of sheep and pig farms that cultivate the tradition of butchery products. Local favorites are sausages, tripe and potée limousine (rich meat stew).

Cafes

Cafes and brasseries--which serve drinks and food--overlap, offering numerous places to relax, enjoy a drink and a bite to eat and watch the world go by during the day. Some cafes go along serving drinks and playing music in the evening.