Limoges

Limoges (Occitan: Lemòtges or Limòtges) is a city and commune, the capital (prefecture) of the Haute-Vienne department and the historical capital of the old Limousin region in west-central France. It is also the capital of the arrondissement of the same name.

Limoges
Prefecture and commune
Town hall of Limoges
Coat of arms
Location of Limoges
Limoges Show map of France Limoges Show map of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Coordinates: 45°50′07″N 1°15′45″E
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Haute-Vienne
Arrondissement	Limoges
Canton	Chief town of 9 cantons
Intercommunality	Limoges Métropole
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Émile-Roger Lombertie[1]
Area 1	77.45 km2 (29.90 sq mi)
Population  (2014)	134,577
• Density	1,700/km2 (4,500/sq mi)
Demonym	Limougeauds
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	87085 /87000
Elevation	209–431 m (686–1,414 ft) (avg. 320 m or 1,050 ft)
Website	www.ville-limoges.fr
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Limoges is known for its medieval and Renaissance enamels on copper, for its 19th-century porcelain and for its oak barrels which are used for Cognac and Bordeaux production.

Geography

The city of Limoges is near the western limits of the Massif Central, in the centre of the Haute-Vienne department. The Vienne river flows through the city.

Limoges is at about 392 km (244 mi) from Paris, 290 km (180 mi) from Toulouse, 221 km (137 mi) from Bordeaux and 692 km (430 mi) from Marseille.

The commune has an area of 78 km² (30 sq mi).^[2] Its average altitude is 320 m (1,050 ft); at the city hall, the altitude is 306 m (1,004 ft).^[3]

The commune of Limoges is surrounded by the communes:

Climate

The climate of Limoges, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.

The average amount of precipitation for the year in Limoges is 726.4 mm (28.6 in). The month with the most precipitation on average is October with 86.4 mm (3.4 in) of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is February with an average of 45.7 mm (1.8 in).^[4]

The average temperature for the year in Limoges is 11.4 °C (52.5 °F). The warmest month, on average, is July with an average temperature of 19.3 °C (66.7 °F). The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 4.2 °C (39.6 °F).

Climate data for Limoges, France
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	6.9 (44.4)	8.3 (46.9)	11.5 (52.7)	14.1 (57.4)	18.0 (64.4)	21.4 (70.5)	23.9 (75.0)	23.8 (74.8)	20.4 (68.7)	16.1 (61.0)	10.4 (50.7)	7.6 (45.7)	15.2 (59.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	4.2 (39.6)	5.0 (41.0)	7.7 (45.9)	10.0 (50.0)	13.8 (56.8)	17.0 (62.6)	19.3 (66.7)	19.2 (66.6)	16.1 (61.0)	12.6 (54.7)	7.5 (45.5)	4.9 (40.8)	11.4 (52.6)
Average low °C (°F)	1.5 (34.7)	1.7 (35.1)	3.9 (39.0)	5.9 (42.6)	9.5 (49.1)	12.6 (54.7)	14.6 (58.3)	14.5 (58.1)	11.7 (53.1)	9.0 (48.2)	4.5 (40.1)	2.2 (36.0)	7.6 (45.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	51.9 (2.04)	45.1 (1.78)	50.1 (1.97)	61.2 (2.41)	68.0 (2.68)	61.0 (2.40)	46.8 (1.84)	51.9 (2.04)	69.0 (2.72)	85.8 (3.38)	69.0 (2.72)	66.7 (2.63)	726.5 (28.61)
Source: Weatherbase.com

Population

The inhabitants of Limoges are known, in French, as Limougeauds (women: Limougeaudes).^[5]

With a population of 134,577,^[6] Limoges has a population density of 1,738 inhabitants/km².

Evolution of the population in Limoges

Limoges forms, together with other 8 communes, the urban area of Limoges with a population of 183,860 inhabitants (2013) and an area of 236.3 km² (91.2 sq mi).^[7] This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Limoges, formed by 96 communes, with a population of 283,050 inhabitants (2013) and an area of 2,309.1 km² (891.5 sq mi).^[8]

Social Housing

The S-shaped building in the Val de l'Aurence estate, built in the 1960s, will be demolished in September 2025, affecting more than 300 housing units.^[9]

Administration

Limoges is the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne department, the capital of the arrondissement of Limoges and the administrative centre (French: chef-lieu) of 9 cantons

• Limoges-1, with 18,316 inhabitants (2014)
• Limoges-2, with 15,794 inhabitants (2014)
• Limoges-3, with 16,872 inhabitants (2014)
• Limoges-4, with 17,434 inhabitants (2014)
• Limoges-5, with 18,550 inhabitants (2014)
• Limoges-6, with 18,413 inhabitants (2014)
• Limoges-7, with 14,833 inhabitants (2014)
• Limoges-8, with 16,149 inhabitants (2014)
• Limoges-9, with 16,316 inhabitants (2014)

It is part of the intercommunality Limoges Métropole (French: Communauté d'agglomération Limoges Métropole).

Twinned and partner towns

Limoges is twinned with:^[10]

• Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
• Fürth, Germany
• Grodno, Belarus
• Seto, Japan
• Icheon, South Korea
• Plzeň, Czech Republic

Gallery

• 
  Saint Étienne's Cathedral, Limoges.
• 
  Saint Martial bridge.
• 
  Limoges and the Vienne river.

Related pages

• Arrondissement of Limoges
• Communes of the Haute-Vienne department