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 Limousin
takes its name from the capital Limoges, which is known for
its exquisite enamel and porcelain. It is a pleasant prosperous
town with many parks and gardens, the Boucherie is the old quarter
with narrow mediaeval streets and houses. Renoir began his artistic
career here as a porcelain painter and you can see many of his
pieces at the museum in the Bishop's Palace.
The manufacturers today belong to the same families that have
been producing Limoges for centuries and the contemporary designs
are as stunning as the traditional.
Still relatively unknown, Limousin lies roughly in the centre
of France and has preserved much of its natural beauty. It is
a region of hills, river valleys and lakes, high plateaux and
forest, great feudal fortresses, Renaissance chateaux and mediaeval
towns and villages. The Corrèze, in the southern half of the
county, is great riding country and there are many equestrian
farms where you can hire horses by the hour or the day and which
cater for families, children, novices and experienced riders.
The National Stud and racecourse at Arnac-Pompadour are worth
a visit as are the gardens of the chateau, given as a gift by
Louis XV to his mistress, Madam de Pompadour.The beautiful Creuse
valley was a source of inspiration for many painters including
Claude Monet, who worked at Fresselines where the River Creuse
flows through wild gorges.
And of course, the most important place for Limousin breeders,
the Limousin bull testing centre at Lanaud.
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Limousin cattle were used as draught animals until the middle
of the 20th century. |
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Whitelums Limousin
Cattle  |
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