I was wondering if anyone has visited Limoges to check out the factory were the porcelain is made? Traveling with a friend who is a real collector. It would be a very long day trip from Paris for us so I wanted to consult this group's wisdom. Thanks so much!
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1697 posts
Limoges is now a generic term for porcelian that is made in a handfull of factories in and around Limoges. You can do a search online to find one or more to visit. Run a picture gallery to get some ideas of where to go. Maybe someone on this site will have a favorite. I did go to one long ago on a tour. It didn't seem that far from Paris. If you go to the UK: the Potteries District has several outlets and a few factories you can tour. We went to the Wedgwood Factory which has a tour and a historical museum. A lot of the decoration is still done by hand.
Posted by
UK
5 posts
You can visit real porcelain workshops and see how Limoges porcelain is made, but it’s not quite like a big factory tour day trip like you might imagine in some places.
Bernardaud Factory Tour, one of the most famous Limoges porcelain makers offers guided tours of their historic workshop. You’ll see how porcelain is made from raw material to finished pieces with demonstrations and explanations of decorating techniques.
Posted by
Washington DC
29935 posts
I didn't take a factory tour, but I was impressed by the porcelain museum in Limoges, Musée National Adrien Dubouché. In addition, I enjoyed the pretty historic center of the city. For those with more time, I found Limoges an attractive base for a side trip to Oradour-sur-Glane, the site of a Nazi massacre during WWII that is now documented and memorialized in a good museum. There is bus service from Limoges, though it is not terribly frequent.