France's Porcelain Capital — white gold, the medieval Cité, Limousin beef, and cloisonné enamel traditions going back 900 years
Limoges is the capital of the Creuse region and France's porcelain capital — a city whose name became a global synonym for fine tableware after the discovery of kaolin clay deposits in the Limousin hillsides in 1768. The Bernardaud and Haviland porcelain factories still operate and offer tours. The medieval Cité quarter, built around the Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Étienne above the Vienne River, preserves centuries of architecture; the brocantes (antique markets) are among France's best for hunting pre-war Limoges porcelain. Limousin beef — the region's native cattle breed — is among the most pr…
Limoges was a major city of Roman Gaul (Augustoritum) and one of the key administrative centers of the province of Aquitaine. Its medieval fame rested on champlevé enamel work — Limoges enamel commissioned for European churches and royal courts from the 12th through 14th centuries is now held in the great museums of the world. The discovery of white kaolin clay near Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche in 1768 triggered the porcelain industry that defines the city today; within a generation, Limoges was competing directly with Sèvres and Meissen. The city was devastated in the Hundred Years' War by English…