Limogesa

Limousin

A dynamic regional capital with a long history, and a great tradition of high-quality enamel, ceramics and porcelain, Limoges is a lively university town with a notable heritage, and a place synonymous with affluence and prosperity.

= Population: 142 425

T Michelin Map: 325 E 5-6

i Info: 12 bd Fleurus. t05 55 34 46 87. www.limoges-tourisme.com.

Ñ Location: On the north bank of the River Vienne, Limoges is 125km/78.5mi SE of Poitiers, and 171km/107mi W of Clermont-Ferrand.

w Don’t Miss: The Adrien-Dubouchée porcelain museum.

> Timing: A basic circuit of its principal sights will not consume more than half a day, but with attendant visits to its parks and ancient buildings, you need at least a whole day.

A BIT OF HISTORY

Limoges originated as a ford over the River Vienne at a meeting point of Roman highways, but remained a small provincial centre, specialising in ceramics, until the early 19C, when the manufacture of porcelain moved here from St-Yrieix where there were kaolin deposits but no workforce.

It became a prestigious industry, the town’s name synonymous with the highest quality porcelain. The town was the birthplace of the Impressionist painter Auguste Renoir (1841–1919).

SIGHTS

Musée Municipal de l’Évêché – Musée de l’Émaila

pl. de la Cathédrale. >Open daily except Tue 10am–noon, 2–5pm (Jun, 6pm; Jul–Aug, every day, 6pm). >Closed public holidays. |No charge. t05 55 45 98 10.

The museum is housed in the former Bishops’ Palace and features a stunning collection of some 300 champlevé or cloisonné enamels (ground floor) by Limoges masters. The palace gardens, Jardins de l’Évêchéa, include a themed and a “wild” garden.

Musée Adrien-Dubouchéaa

8 bis, pl. Winston Churchill. >Open daily except Tue: 10am–12.25pm, 2–5.40pm. >Closed 1 Jan, Dec 25. |P4.50.t05 55 33 08 50. www.musee-adriendubouche.fr.

This remarkable collection of international importance features items illustrating the evolution of pottery from ancient times to today, with many examples of the finest Limoges ware.

Ville and Cité

Early in its history, Limoges developed two rival centres, known as Cité and Ville (or Château). Overlooking the Vienne, La Cité is the historic core of Limoges. It spreads out around the Cathédrale St-Étiennea, which has a fine portal (portail St-Jeana) and which has kept its rood screena of 1533, now located at the west end of the nave. In the chancel are a number of tombsa.

Limoges Enamel

In the 12C Limoges became an important centre of production, partly due to the variety of minerals found in the area. The technique consists of crushing leadglass, coloured with metal oxides, applying it to a metal surface, then heating it to a temperature of up to 800˚C/1 472˚F, resulting in a crystalline effect. In the 12C Limoges specialised in champlevé enamels, in which the enamel is poured into grooves let into a copper surface, then polished level with the metal. In the 14C painted enamels made their appearance. In the reign of François I, Léonard Limosin was made Director, and enamels of great brilliance and colour were produced.

The Château quarter, or Ville, serves as the modern centre of Limoges, with busy shopping streets. St-Michel-des-Lionsa is an old hall-church that has retained its original rectangular plan.

EXCURSIONS

Le Dorataa

Ñ Le Dorat is in a rural location 58km/36mi N of Limoges. i17 pl. de la Collégiale. t05 55 60 76 81.

Le Dorat lies in the gently rolling countryside of the old province of Marche, whose patchwork of pastureland feeds the yellowish-fawn Limousin cattle bought and sold in the great market at St-Yrieix-la-Perche. The little town has a collegiate church of impressive size and harmonious proportions.

Collégiale St-Pierreaa

>Open year-round daily. z Guided tours Mon–Sat except public holidays 10am–noon, 2.30–6pm. t05 55 60 72 20. |No charge.

The great edifice was rebuilt in Romanesque style over a period of 50 years beginning in 1112. It is firmly rooted in its region by virtue of its siting, the coarse granite from which it is built, and by a number of characteristic Limousin features. These include the massive square west tower flanked by bell turrets, the portal with its scalloped archivolts, the openwork lantern (inspired by the one built 50 years earlier at St-Junien, but vastly more original), and the mouldings used in the arches and arcades through out the building.

Oradour-sur-Glaneaa

Ñ The site is located 24km/15mi NW of Limoges.

Access to the ruins of the martyred village is via the Centre de la Memoire. The centre offers a permanent exhibit dedicated to the rise of Nazism and the massacre of the villagers.

>Open daily: Feb and Nov–mid-Dec 9am–5pm; Mar–mid-May and mid-Sept–Oct 9am–6pm; mid-May–mid-Sept 9am–7pm. |P8. t05 55 43 04 30 www.oradour.org.

wDon’t miss the Centre de la Mémoire, at the entrance to the ruined village.

Scene of a horrific massacre, Oradour was chosen by the Germans for its very innocence and insignificance in order to terrorise ordinary French people.

This small country town where the 642 inhabitants were massacred in a revenge attack by retreating Germans on 10 June 1944 is preserved unchanged as a fascinating and deeply moving memorial. The stark walls of the burnt-out village have been kept as a sombre reminder. Harassed by the Resistance, the troops made a characteristically brutal example of this entirely innocent place, massacring its inhabitants (men, women and children), and laying waste the village itself. The victims are buried in the village cemetery; a memorial commemorates the terrible deed. Only six escaped.

Solignacaa

Ñ Solignac is 10km/6.2mi S of Limoges. i pl. Georges Dubreuil. t05 55 00 42 31.

The 12C abbey church, robust and harmonious, has multiple domes. As well as being among the last of their kind to be built in Aquitaine, these are some of the finest examples to be seen in the region. There is an extraordinarily deformed dome over the choir and one of ovoid shape covering the north transept.

Eglise Abbatialeaa

Founded in 632 by St Eligius and rebuilt around 1175, the abbey church shows Limoges influence in its use of granite, but its domes are based on the ones at Souillac in Quercy.

From the steps of the porch, there is a view of the interior, beautifully proportioned. Among the last of their kind, the pointed arches and pendentives are some of the finest examples in the region.

ADDRESSES

„ STAY

. Hôtel de la Paix – 25 pl. Jourdan. t05 55 34 36 00. 31rms. This Napoleon III -style hotel in the heart of the city features an entertaining phonographic collection. Bright and airy bedrooms, some with wicker furnishings.

^ Hôtel Jeanne-d’Arc – 17 ave du Gén.-de-Gaulle. t05 55 77 67 77. www.hoteljeannedarc-limoges.fr. Closed 21 Dec–8 Jan. 50rms. : P8. This pleasant, well-located hotel is close to the city’s famous train station. The well-mantained bedrooms and pleasant breakfast room have managed to retain their old French charm.

ƒ EAT

q Le Bœuf à la Mode – 60 r. François-Chenieux. t05 55 77 73 95. www.leboeuf-alamode.com. Closed Sat lunch, Sun and public holidays. If you love meat, then this is definitely the place for you! Excellent cuisine served in a friendly and traditional ambience.

q Chez Alphonse – 5 pl. de la Motte. t05 55 34 34 14. Closed Mon eve, Sun and public holidays. Tucked away behind the halles, this bistro is a popular local haunt. Tables are decorated with chequered tablecloths and a menu is written up on the blackboard.

q L’Escapade du Gourmet – 5 r. des 71ème-Mobiles.t05 55 32 40 26. Closed Sat lunch, Sun and Mon. A Belle-Époque décor of wood, frescoes, moulded ceilings and coloured glass is the backdrop to this popular traditional restaurant located between the château and the Cité Episcopale. Classical French cuisine. Good value for money.

q Le Pont St-Étienne – 8 pl. de Compostelle. t05 55 30 52 54. Reservations required at weekends. Attractive bay windows with views of the old stone bridge and the river. The à la carte menu features a number of imaginatively named dishes. Summer terrace.

q Les Petits Ventres – 20 r. de la Boucherie. t05 55 34 22 90. Closed Sun and Mon. Classic, high-quality French cuisine is to the fore in these two typical 15C houses, run by two enthusiastic owners. Traditional dishes based on liver, tongue, pig’s trotters, tripe, etc.

g BARS / ƒCAFÉS

Brasserie Artisanale St Martial – 8 pl. Denis-Dussoubs. t05 55 79 37 98. This brewery (in the true sense of the term) perpetuates an old local tradition. Beer has been brewed in the region since the 18C; in the 19C there were no fewer than 50 brewers in the Limoges area.

Café des Anciennes Majorettes de la Baule – 27 r. Haute-Vienne. t05 55 34 34 16. Closed Mon, and mid-Jul–mid-Aug. This renowned local bar is the venue for regular concerts and plays.

L’Irlandais – 2 r. Haute-Cité. t05 55 32 46 47. This lively Irish pub is jointly run by a fisherman from Brittany who has travelled the world and established a bakery and a pub in Ireland, and by a concert violinist who has played in royal circles. Over recent years they’ve hosted jazz, Celtic music and other concerts here.

΋ SHOPPING

Most of the city’s shops are located in the area around the castle. The main boutiques selling porcelain are along boulevard Louis-Blanc and along the streets heading west from the city centre.

Le Pavillon de la Porcelaine – Av. du Prés.-John-Kennedy – t05 55 30 21 86. www.haviland-limoges.com. Factory outlet of Haviland, makers of prestigious porcelain sets. A wide choice of tableware on sale.

Buissières – 27 r. Jean-Jaurès. t05 55 34 10 44. At this chic confectioner’s, the Art Deco décor is almost worth a visit on its own. Chocolates, pastries and desserts, including the house speciality black chocolate with chestnut cream.

Périgueuxaa

Dordogne

Périgueux is an ancient town built in the fertile valley of the River Isle. Its long history can be traced in its urban architecture and two distinctive districts, each of which is marked by the domes of its sanctuary: the Cité district, overlooked by St Stephen’s tiled roof, and the Puy St-Front district, with the Byzantine silhouette of the present cathedral bristling with pinnacles. There is a good overall view of the town from the bridge beyond Cours Fénelon to the southeast. Périgueux’s gastronomic specialities, with truffle and foie gras occupying prize position, have become famous around the world and attract many visitors.

= Population: 30 458

T Michelin Map: 329 F 4

i Info: 26 pl. Francheville, Tour Mataguerre. t05 53 53 10 63. www.tourisme-perigueux.fr.

Ñ Location: Périgueux is 93km/60mi SW of Limoges.

õ Parking: Underground car parks at pl. Montaigne, pl. Francheville and espl. du Théâtre.

A BIT OF HISTORY

Five distinct historical periods have contributed to the formation of this ancient town.

First was the Gaulish settlement which prospered in Roman times under the name of Vesunna; its site, the “Cité”, is marked by the amphitheatre gardens and St Stephen’s Church (St-Étienne).

In the Middle Ages, the quarter known as “Puy St-Front” became established on a rise to the north; the cathedral was built here and the area became the heart of Périgueux, eventually, in 1251, absorbing the older Cité.

In the 18C, the provincial governors, the Intendants, were responsible for a planned northward extension of the city, which linked the two districts by means of broad streets lined with public buildings. At the end of the 19C, the station area was developed, and more recently vast modern suburbs have grown up on the outskirts.

SIGHTS

St-Étienne-de-la-Citéa

Two of the domes of the original sanctuary have survived. The earlier is thought to have been built in 1117.

The second dome, half a century later, is altogether lighter.

Cathédrale St-Fronta

Of the original early Romanesque church there remain only two small octagonal domes at the eastern end of the nave. The church was an important stopping-place for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela since it was here that the remains of St Front, the apostle of Périgord, could be seen. His tomb dates from 1077.

The cathedral was virtually rebuilt from 1852 onwards by Abadie, the architect who designed the Sacré-Cœur in Paris.

St-Front Districtaaa

The old artisans’ and merchants’ district has been given a face-lift. A conservation programme for safeguarding this historic area was set up, and the area has been undergoing major restoration.

Its Renaissance façades, medieval houses, courtyards, staircases and shops are gradually being brought back to life; the pedestrian streets have rediscovered their role as commercial thoroughfares.

Place du Coderc and place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville are colourful and animated every morning with their fruit and vegetable market, whereas place de la Clautre is where the larger Wednesday and Saturday markets are held.

During the winter, the prestigious truffle and foie gras markets held in place St-Louis attract hordes of connoisseurs.

Domes and turrets of Cathédrale St-Front and view towards St-Front District

© Christophe Boisvieux/age fotostock

Vesunna – Musée Gallo-Romain de Périgueux

>Open daily Jul–Aug, 10am–7pm; Apr–Jun and Sept, Tue–Fri 9.30am–5.30pm, Sat–Sun and public holidays, 10am–12.30pm, 2.30–6pm; Oct–Mar, Tue–Fri 9.30am–12.30pm, 1.30–5pm, Sat–Sun, 10am–12.30pm, 2.30–6pm. >Closed 2 wks in Jan. |P6. t05 53 53 00 92. www.vesunna.fr.

Designed by Jean Nouvel, this museum houses the remains of an opulent Gallo-Roman residence covering 4 000sq m/ 4 784sq yd. Built in the centre of a garden, it is like a large glassed-in inner courtyard reflecting the surroundings and blending perfectly with them. On one side, a mezzanine on two storeys overlooks the ancient domus. This section of the museum is devoted to the ancient town of Vesunna: a scale model of the town in the 2C shows how extensive it was in Roman times – the residence can easily be located near the sanctuary and the forum.

Wooden footbridges enable visitors to wander through the house. Digs have revealed the presence of a 1C building, considerably extended in the 2C. Elaborate murals can be seen on the base of the walls of the primitive house. The frieze surrounding the central pond, on the other hand, was painted when the house was extended. Along the way, the daily life of the inhabitants is illustrated: hypocaust heating system, decoration, water distribution (oak water pump) and various handicrafts.

EXCURSIONS

Brantômeaa

Ñ 27km/17mi N of Périgueux on D 939. i Abbaye de Brantôme. t05 53 05 80 52. www.ville-brantome.fr.

Brantôme lies in the midst of lush countryside, in the charming Vallée de la Dronne, north of the town of Périgueux. Its old abbey and picturesque setting make it one of the most delightful little places in Périgord.

This riverside village has old dwellings with slate roofs built like manor houses, a crooked bridge seen across the tranquil surface of the water, and great trees growing on the lawns of its lovely gardens. The 18C abbey has a fine west front and a Romanesque bell toweraa.

Château de Hautefortaa

Ñ The castle is 41km/25.4mi E of Périgueux. j> Open Sat–Sun and public holidays: Mar and Oct–mid-Nov 2–6pm; Apr–May 10am–12.30pm, 2–6.30pm; Jun–Aug 9.30am–7pm; Sept 10am–6pm. >Closed mid-Nov–Feb. |P8.50. t05 53 50 51 23.

www.chateau-hautefort.com.

The elegant château rises up proudly on its hilltop site, overlooking its extensive and well-kept grounds. In the 16C, an ancient fortress was strengthened, and, a century later, reconstructed in Renaissance and Classical style. It has been further restored since a fire in 1968. The interior has fine Flemish tapestries saved from the flames, a 17C Felletin landscape, good pieces of furniture and unusual paved floors. The tower has magnificent chestnut timberworkaa.

Château de Hautefort

© javarman/Bigstockphoto.com

ADDRESSES

„ STAY

q Comfort Hôtel Régina – 14 r. Denis-Papin (opposite the railway station). t05 53 08 40 44. 41rms. It is easy to spot this hotel, thanks to its yellow façade. The rooms are small, functional and colourful.

q Hôtel-Restaurant L’Écluse – at Antonne-et-Trigonant, 10km/6.2mi NE of Périgueux. t05 53 06 00 04. 43 rooms. The River Isle flows gently past the hotel’s small waterfront. Rooms on the main façade have balconies which overlook the river.

ƒ EAT

. Au Bien Bon – 15 r. des Places. t05 53 09 69 91. Closed Sat lunch, Sun, Mon and public holidays. The menu here is firmly influenced by seasonal local products.

. Au Temps de Vivre – 10 r. St-Silain. t05 53 09 87 18. Closed eves (except summer 7–9.30pm), Sun and Mon. Reservations recommended. Tucked away in a pleasant street in the old town, this restaurant serves daily specials, plus savoury and sweet pies.

q Le Clos Saint-Front – 5 r. de la Vertu. t05 53 46 78 58. This old house, with its exposed beams, fireplace and Louis XVI furniture, is now home to an elegant restaurant which is resolutely devoted to Périgourdine cuisine with an inventive twist.

^ Hercule Poireau – 2 r. de la Nation. t05 53 08 90 76. Closed Sat–Sun. In a vaulted 16C cellar, this place is popular with locals, who come here for the varied menu, which includes several healthy options.

΋ SHOPPING

Le Relais des Caves – 44 r. du Prés.-Wilson. t05 53 09 75 00. The friendly proprietor sells a wide selection of wines from across France, including a few very special vintages.

Stéphane Malard – 8 r. de la Sagesse. t05 53 08 75 10. Behind the window arcades of his shop, Stéphane sells the region’s finest delicacies, including confits, foies gras, duck magret and wines.

Markets – pl. de Clautre: Wed and Sat morning; pl. de la Clautre (food), pl. Bugeaud and pl. Franche-Ville (clothing); pl. du Coderc (food); duck and goose products from Dec–Feb.