Limoges
A city on the Vienne where porcelain, enamel and leather are still made, and a practical stop on the rail line from Paris.
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Limoges is the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne department in west-central France, on the Vienne river at the first western foothills of the Massif Central. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region and is the second most populated town in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, after Bordeaux. The city is best known for porcelain: more than half of all porcelain made in France comes from here, and several factories still work in and around it. Enamel is the older craft. Limoges enamels were exported across the Christian world from the 12th century. Leather factories in Limoges and Saint-Junien still make luxury shoes, gloves and bags.
The Gothic cathedral Saint-Étienne was begun in 1273 and only finished in 1888, and the botanical garden sits beside it. The Adrien Dubouché Museum covers ceramics, glassware and Limoges porcelain, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts is housed in the 18th-century bishops' palace. Most rain falls from October to February, and winters are cold and damp, with about 41 days of frost each winter. Limoges suits travelers who want craft and museums on a slower stop between bigger cities.
Limoges in five
- Alight at Limoges-BénédictinsThe main station has a clock tower and a domed hall and is the stop for Paris Intercités and regional trains. The old center is a 15–20 minute walk or a short bus ride uphill.
- Visit the porcelain museum firstThe Adrien Dubouché national museum holds a deep collection of porcelain. Check current opening days and ticket rules on its site, since small French museums change hours by season.
- Walk the Boucherie quarterThe old butchers' lanes of half-timbered houses are small and quick to see. Pair them with the cathedral and the gardens above the river rather than treating them as a full day.
- Hire a car for the countrysideLimousin villages, lakes and the lanes toward Aubusson and the Dordogne run by few buses. A short car rental from Limoges is the practical way to reach them.France by train and car
- Treat Oradour-sur-Glane with respectThe ruined village, destroyed in 1944, lies about 25 km from Limoges and has a memorial center. Plan for a quiet, unhurried visit, and check opening times with the site first.
Things to do in Limoges
See all attractions in Limoges
Need to know
- Airport
- Limoges-Bellegarde (LIG), a few regional flights
- Getting there
- Intercités from Paris Austerlitz about 3 hrs; regional trains from Poitiers
- Getting around
- Walkable center, city buses; a car for the countryside
- Best base
- Near the old center and the cathedral
- Time needed
- 1 day; 2 with Oradour-sur-Glane
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low2°Cold, greyJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 109 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, grey
- FebruaryRain12 rainy daysHigh10°Low2°Cold, greyFebruaryRain
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 84 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, grey
- MarchRain15 rainy daysHigh12°Low3°Mild, dampMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 110 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, damp
- AprilRain13 rainy daysHigh15°Low5°Spring, greenAprilRain
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 96 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, green
- MayRain13 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Warm, greenMayRain
Good
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 110 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JuneRain14 rainy daysHigh23°Low13°Warm, long daysJuneRain
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 107 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh25°Low14°Warm, quietJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 49 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, quiet
- AugustPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh26°Low14°Warm, quietAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, quiet
- SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh22°Low12°Mild, goldenSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 87 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, golden
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh17°Low9°Cool, autumnOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 127 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, autumn
- NovemberRain15 rainy daysHigh11°Low5°Cool, dampNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 114 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, damp
- DecemberRain15 rainy daysHigh8°Low3°Cold, short daysDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 122 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, short days
Average daily high and low in Limoges, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Limoges
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
5
- Feels like
- 2°
- Humidity
- 74%
- Wind
- 13 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Limoges
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today11°2°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue9°1°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed11°-4°25%Wednesday: Rain. High 11°, Low -4°. Chance of rain 25%.
- Thu15°3°48%Thursday: Rain. High 15°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 48%.
- Fri15°3°19%Friday: Fog. High 15°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 19%.
- Sat15°1°13%Saturday: Fog. High 15°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 13%.
- Sun15°1°48%Sunday: Rain. High 15°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 48%.
Updated 09:11 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Day trips by train
- Oradour-sur-Glaneabout 30–40 min by carA preserved ruined village and a memorial center. Check opening times first.
- Poitiersabout 1.5 hours by trainA university city with a Romanesque church front and an early Christian baptistery.Read the guide
- Aubussonabout 1.5 hours by carA tapestry town to the east with a museum devoted to the craft.
Before you go to Limoges
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Rules for Limoges, checked
- France is in the Schengen area. Check your visa or travel authorisation rules on the official France-Visas site before you book.Source
- Buying Limoges porcelain or leather goods to take home? Check the customs allowances and declaration rules on the French customs site.Source
- Dial 112 for police, ambulance or fire from any phone in France.
Plan around Limoges
Regions, cities and entry rules
Read the guidePoitiers travel guideRomanesque churches, 1.5 hrs west by rail
Read the guideDordogne, Limousin and the LotVillages, rivers and caves nearby
Read the guideVolcans d'Auvergne parkExtinct volcanoes to the east
Read the guideSchengen 90/180 ruleHow long you can stay in France
Read the guideLimoges FAQ
Is Limoges worth visiting?
For a night or a day, yes, if you like porcelain, small museums and a calm city without queues. It is not a headline stop, but it breaks the long run from Paris toward the south-west well.
How many days do you need in Limoges?
One day covers the museum, the cathedral and the old quarter. A second day makes sense only if you add Oradour-sur-Glane or a drive into the Limousin.
What is Limoges famous for?
Porcelain, made here since the 18th century from local kaolin clay, and enamel work. The Limoges name on a plate still signals fine tableware, so shop with care and ask for proof of origin.
How do you get from Paris to Limoges?
By Intercités train from Paris Austerlitz in about 3 hours, or by car in around 4 hours. Check the timetable, as services are fewer than on the TGV lines.
Do you need a car around Limoges?
Not in the city, which is walkable. You need one, or a tour, for the Limousin villages, lakes and Oradour-sur-Glane, where public transport is thin.