Limoges

The basics

Built along the River Vienna, Limoges has two distinct halves: the Cité Quartier with its half-timbered houses and the imposing Gothic Cathédral St-Etienne, which overlooks the dancing fountains and neat potages in the Jardin Botanique (Botanical Gardens) as well as countless terrace bars and restaurants on rue Haute Cité. Sprawling uphill opposite the cathedral is the sophisticated Château Quartier, a shopping paradise tucked into ancient townhouses lining winding medieval streets.

The city has several worthwhile art and war-related museums, but its landmark collection is the Musée National Adrien Dubouché, which holds the largest hoard of Limoges china worldwide. Highlights of its beautifully curated displays include elaborate porcelain dinner services inlaid with gold, delicate 17th-century glassware, and vast urns covered in Neo-classical figures.

Things to know before you go

• Limoges’ relatively compact old town is easy to explore on foot but opt for comfortable shoes since you’ll be on your feet quite a bit.

• Delightful views are around every corner in Limoges, so bring a camera and be ready to capture the old town’s charm.

• In addition to the Musée National Adrien Dubouché, Limoges is home to an excellent Museum of Fine Arts housed in a former bishop’s palace from the 18th century

• The steep cobblestone streets can make getting around Limoges with a stroller or wheelchair challenging, but the main Rue de la Boucherie is pedestrian, and its shops are easily accessible.

How to get there

Arrive by train to experience the wow factor of the city’s spectacular art deco Gare des Bénédictins station; several high-speed trains make the trip from Paris daily in just a few hours. Alternatively, fly into the city’s local airport, which connects to several French and European airports with daily flights.

When to get there

You’ll spend much of your time in Limoges exploring the city on foot, so visit during the temperate spring and fall seasons when it’s a pleasure to spend hours outside. The city fills with students come fall, but there is a vibrant dining and nightlife scene plus plenty of cultural offerings all year round.

Delving into the world of Limoges porcelain

Limoges has been turning out one of the world’s finest hard-paste porcelain for more than 200 years, and there are plenty of ways to admire the city’s famed china. In addition to a visit to the vast collection in the Musée National Adrien Dubouché, book a guided tour of Royal Limoges—one of the city’s oldest porcelain factories and home to Limoges’ only surviving 18th-century brick kiln—or Bernardaud, another landmark producer that was founded in 1863.