LIMOGES

"In Limoges, men are witty and women innocent."

(La Fontaine, 1663)

It is not about celestial halo but earthly light, about a light that runs through Limoges and gives an amazing glamour, an other state, an other life to the city’s squares and monuments. Join in with a group under the leadership of a Tourist Office guide or walk alone along several places : from the Aine square (court) to the city hall via the central food market, Saint-Aurélien square and its beautiful fountain ; or to the prefecture building via Saint-Michel, Présidial and Fontaine-des-Barres squares, or via the Temple courtyard, Saint-Pierre, Verdurier, the Gay Lussac chapel, the regional council building, the Haute-Cité square, the cathedral and the Règle portal. It is a pure enchantment, a great pleasure for eyes and mind and a city totally different that enhances the value of its heritage. You will discover that this city offers to night owl people good restaurants, beautiful shows, tempting shops, hospitable night clubs… (You can do the way in all directions, from 10 to 12 o’clock in the evening).

After visiting the city, linger over the two typical art galleries of the Limousin’s art :

- Evêché Municipal Museum (enamel)

- Adrien Dubouché National Museum (porcelain-ceramics)

Limoges' work

Tradition shows that the origins of Limousin enamelwork goes back to the 7th century with St Eloi, goldsmith. This art, inspired by the Byzantines, owes its quality to a large craft past, but even more to technical innovation: abandonment of gold sheet for copper one, production of concave and no partitioned parts (champlevé). Its success is greatly due to the influence of abbeys such as Saint-Martial or Grandmont and to the Plantagenêts « patronage ». In the 13th century, hundreds of enamels, of profane as well as religious inspiration, were created in important workshops of whole Europe; Moyen­Orient also appreciates « Limoges' work ». Workshops were destroyed during the Hundred Years War. In the 15th century, the revival was due to a new technique, the painted enamelone in which Monvaerni and Pénicaud excelled. In the 16th century, Léonard Limosin was the undisputed master of the Limousin's enamel work, but it was also illustrated by Pierre Raymond, Noailher or Courteys; they use also grisaille and enamelling techniques for shaped parts. These masters gave rise to real dynasties of enamel workers who, until the 18th century, perpetuated techniques without acquiring always the same reputation. Laudin and Noailher are the best representatives of these periods. In the 18th century, enamel art disappeared practically. It is true that on top of Russian and Venetian enamels competition, in the 15th and 16th centuries, there was, in the 18th century, French (particularly Paris) and foreign competitors, like Geneva.

Visit porcelain factories...

Porcelain manufacturers accept visits in group with some hesitation and individual ones exceptionally. One must apply to the Tourist Office. One of the oldest (GDA, Donzelot street) accepts visits after having made an appointment, and it is the same with Fontanille and Marraud company, La Réforme street. The porcelain pavilion (southern road out, road in direction of Toulouse) sets out a beautiful display of Haviland's porcelain, a video projection of quality and a manufacture demonstration. Workshops specialised in porcelain decoration are more accessible, like Lazeyrat (Fontaury street) or DugrainDelorge (De Lattre-de­Tassigny avenue). All these companies practise direct retail sales.