[I wrote this post in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]
Rue de la Boucherie, or the Street of the Butchers, has become one of the tourist destinations of Limoges because of the attractive nature of the properties which are on it. The Shambles in York has become a similar tourist destination for the same reason, although the properties couldn’t be much more different.
The street has been the home to butchers and their shops since the Middle Ages, with some of the properties still owned by the families who have traded here for many years. There are 52 homes along the street, which date from as early as the thirteenth century.
Also on the street, although unfortunately there’s a van in front of it in my above photo, is La Chapelle Saint-Aurélien, a small chapel in the street (I visited inside later in the week, when there wasn’t a van in front of it). This is owned by the Guild of Butchers and dates to the fifteenth century.
Below are some other photos of the street. There was some construction work at the end of the street with scaffolding up, because there was a relatively large fire which badly damaged some of the properties in February 2018.
[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]
This Gothic style church is in the centre of Limoges and was mostly primarily constructed between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. There is though some interior work, primarily the exterior walls, which dates to the twelfth century.
From the eastern end of the church, the ball on top of the spire is rather unusual. It dates from 1810 and was added when the previous spire fell down after being hit with lightning. The military commander who was in charge of replacing it thought that it would look better with a ball, so it was duly added. It has since caused some controversy, some like it, some don’t….
The exterior is guarded by two stone lions, hence the name of the church.
These aren’t perhaps the fiercest lions that I’ve ever seen. I fear that weathering has rather taken its toll over the years.
Inside the church the nave is relatively plain in terms of decoration and the columns are thin and slender. Indeed, there is a problem here…. The columns are so thin and slender that the pillars are actually bending, as is particularly visible by the ones at the rear. Although they supported the roof for many centuries, work has now taken place to ensure that they are no longer load bearing. Just in case….
A wider view of the nave.
Two photos of the interior of the church. I had a slightly limited amount of time in the church as I had visited just after mass had finished, and I got the impression that they were looking to close up. However, it’s a glorious church and there are numerous side chapels located in the aisles.
[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]
I forgot to eat anything yesterday, so today I thought that I’d do the reverse, and eat a lot. Which meant a trip to the O’Panda Chinese buffet, which is part of a small national chain. That would certainly help recover the lost calories that I didn’t eat yesterday.
Although, to be honest, technically I didn’t forget to eat yesterday. I never forget to eat. But it was so hot that I just managed to survive on cold Yop yoghurt drinks for the entire day….
O’Panda is a large restaurant, which can seat over 250 people, and when I got there just before opening time there was already a small queue. This is clearly where the locals eat, and I can’t criticise them for that. It’s a shame that it isn’t a little more central though, since it took me over thirty minutes to walk there from the centre of Limoges.
There were lots of food counters visible, although looking neat and tidy. And very appetising, but I sat patiently and waited for my drink order to be taken before rushing off to the buffet table. On which point, and bearing in mind I was so hot, I was delighted to discover that they give you a litre bottle of ice cold tap water for free. Given that water is often charged for, this was a most useful bonus to my fruit based Fanta I’d ordered.
Sometimes you just wish Dylan and Leon were around. They’d have liked this.
Cold meat selection, now Cosmo need to do better in this regard in Norwich….
I was delighted to find that there was a large salad section. Well, not particularly delighted at that, but more specifically delighted that they had sun-dried tomatoes.
The desserts selection was simply marvellous as there were doughnuts, profiteroles, cakes and more importantly than all, an ice cream freezer. This could well be a favourite location of Dylan and Leon should they ever get the chance to visit…
Given the ridiculously hot temperatures outside this ice cream freezer was a real delight, and I had to be careful on my many trips to top up that the staff didn’t think I was being ridiculously greedy. So I walked different ways, meaning I’m sure that they didn’t notice.
Overall, I thought that the whole meal was perfectly acceptable. The environment was clean, the staff were engaging and friendly (and I managed the whole transaction in French, which was a bonus) and the food was neatly labelled.
OK, the quality of some items such as the onion rings and calamari wasn’t top notch, but it was acceptable. But, I’m giving them a recommendation because of the ice cream, it’s just what was needed on a hot day. The total cost was around £15 including a drink.
[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]
A visit here is part of my on-going plan to dine at the best rated burger restaurant in every city that I go to. Jean Burger is very slightly away from the main tourist areas of Limoges, but only a short walk to get here. It’s easy to find as the signage is clear and it faces a main road.
I liked this, located just outside of the main door. It’s easy to understand, it’s clear and it’s not too gaudy. Restaurants with complex prix frie arrangements perhaps just make themselves look unwelcoming to visitors.
And this is beautiful in its implementation. Being British, I’m often not entirely sure what to do when entering a restaurant or cafe. Is there table service? Do I order at the counter? Do I take a seat myself? Is the food brought over or do I collect? The arrangements here are easy to understand and the menu is visible again for those who need a reminder.
The server was full of energy and he was more than willing to explain the menu and the options available. It was a true friendly welcome, and there was a pride in the different burgers, hot dogs and sides that customers could choose from. I went for the Basque burger, which the server then said was his favourite, which had cheese, chorizo and rocket.
The server said that the burgers were served rare, which is to be expected in France. I usually think I’m being brave when ordering burgers to be medium, and that is my usual preference, but I went with the flow of having a burger that was only partly cooked. It’s important to get the full experience…. Oh, and they had Dr. Pepper, my preferred drink in the United States, so that was a bonus.
So, the food. The curly fries were excellent, there weren’t greasy, they had a pleasant seasoning on and they were firm on the exterior and fluffy on the interior. The burger bun was particularly good and was one of the best I’ve had, with a crispy texture and a real depth of flavour. The burger itself was rare, and that is a texture I’m not entirely used to, but the quality was excellent. It had a pleasant flavour and the other ingredients in the burger added extra taste and crunch.
Overall, I thought that this was a well run location, with customer service really under-pinning all that they did. I got there at 11:50, deliberately just before lunch as I had read that it got busy. And busy it definitely got, but with an interesting range of clientele. There were school children, older customers, staff seemingly on a lunch break and the atmosphere was laid back and comfortable. I didn’t see any other tourists to the city, or not that were obvious to me, but it’s clear from reviews that they do get a lot of them. Definitely recommended.
[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]
There’s one problem with mainland Europe. There’s no Greggs. However, France does have the La Mie Câline chain, which is broadly similar in principle. It also today had the substantial advantage of being nearly the only place open in the centre of Limoges on a Sunday.
The cakes were beautifully presented and looked appetising. It was also possible to buy the entire cake, which I must admit I was quite tempted to do. But, that seemed just a little greedy. The shop also sold ice creams, filled baguettes and fresh bread. The team member in the shop was also particularly friendly, so the purchasing process was made much easier.
A latte, an orange juice and a meringue lemon tart came to the grand total of around £3.50, which seemed very reasonable to me. There was also a small outside seating area which was rather pleasant, especially as it was in the shade and away from the city’s blazing heat.
Was it all as good as Greggs? Well, that would be unfair on the French to expect any location to reach the excellence that is Greggs. However, it was perfectly sufficient, and I’d go again.
[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image link]
I thought that this would be an excellent opportunity to comment on Limoges’s city pass, which gives entrance to 20 different locations, as well free access to public transport and discounts on other services.
It’s offered in three forms, (i) a 24-hour card, (ii) a 48-hour card and (iii) a 72-hour card which cost €15, €20 and €30 respectively. The 48-hour card seems to offer the best value for those wanting to visit the sites in Limoges itself, as it will take a couple of days to get around all of them.
Some of the locations which are offered, such as the city zoo, are beyond the easy reach of public transport. Those with access to a car will get much better benefit from the pass, as there are numerous different attractions which can then be accessed.
Some of the attractions, such as the Reynou Zoo, are relatively expensive and a standard admission costs €16. This is more expensive than the 24-hour card, so it does offer value for money for those wanting to visit these attractions. Also included are the majority of the city museums, which are relatively affordable to enter anyway, but this adds to the value.
In addition, it’s possible to use the local buses for free, as well as a ride on the city’s mini-train. Bikes and scooters can also be hired for free on one occasion when using the city pass, and there are discounts for numerous hotels and restaurants in Limoges.
Anyway, this is all of a bit irrelevant in my case. I went to the tourist information to purchase the card and they got the 48-hour card ready for me. The procedure to buy the card was easy and the staff member at the tourist information was helpful and engaging. It was at this moment the staff member mentioned something rather important, it was the first Sunday of the month…..
I had forgotten that it was the first Sunday of the month, as July has come round rather quicker than I anticipated. And that meant one thing, all of the museums in the city were free today anyway. Which then negated the entire value for the card, so I didn’t buy it. I did though appreciate the honesty of the staff member, as I’d have felt hard done by if I’d bought it and then the museums told me it was free entrance anyway.
[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]
It’s Sunday morning and it’s too hot. Again. The excitement for the locals of seeing their national football team win yesterday evening in the World Cup thing must have also caused a few headaches this morning.
Like most parts of France, it’s very quiet on Sunday mornings, primarily because nearly everything is shut. It does though have the advantage of meaning the streets aren’t busy and there are few cars on the road.
[I originally posted this in June 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]
The city’s Cathedral is Saint-Etienne (or St. Stephens in English) which was constructed between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries. The building is Gothic in design and the only other section of the Cathedral built outside this period is the Romanesque crypt, although this isn’t accessible to visitors.
The bell tower of the cathedral was separated from the main part of the building until the late nineteenth century.
There was an event taking place, so the external view was partly blocked by seating. The part of the building is from the late thirteenth century, the section in the middle is from the sixteenth century and the section on the right (excluding the bell tower which is late fourteenth century) is from the nineteenth century. It’s a complex building, but at least, and unlike Narbonne Cathedral, they completed it.
The glorious nave of the cathedral.
The choir section of the cathedral dates from the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century, although this is where the earlier eleventh century construction started.
The Chapel of Sainte-Germaine, which also has some original wall paintings from the thirteenth century.
The cathedral’s main organ and the impressive sculpted rood screen, which has been moved from its usual place in the building.
Statues missing from the rood screen.
Both the detailed stonework and the missing sculptures and general damage can be seen on the rood screen.
So colourful….
The east transept, which is a little narrower than the west.
The Chapel of Sainte Philomene.
The Chapel of Saint Martial.
More stained glass.
There’s evidence above this arch, visible by the change in the stonework, of how initially it was going to have a squarer design.
The tomb of Jean de Langeac, an important sixteenth century diplomat and church official. He was the individual who commissioned the rood screen and he also spent a little time in England in the court of King Henry VIII.
The tomb of Bernard Brun, a former bishop of Limoges.
After an interesting hour in the cathedral, which was nearly empty, I ventured back out into the hot, bright sun. It was a particularly non-touristy cathedral with no shop, no parts were chargeable and that made it feel just that bit more authentic. There was plenty of signage around the building, although it was all in French, with the exception of a useful and information leaflet in English.
[I originally posted this in June 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]
Limoges is the first airport that I can remember visiting that has managed to provide no bus, rail or tram link for its passengers. There is a bus link, but there are only three a day and they’re not at all timed to the movement of the aircraft. The taxi drivers at the airport must be very pleased indeed at the local bus company, as that’s the only option to get around for those who aren’t hiring cars.
Well, other than for those people who walk. I’m getting the impression that there aren’t many who do that, as no-one from my flight seemed to feel the need to walk the six miles into the city centre. Anyway, what’s the point of being a member of the LDWA (long distance walkers) if I don’t walk from time to time?
So, I walked.
Although there isn’t much pavement for the first two miles, there also isn’t really much traffic. The first part of the walk is alongside a busy road, but they’ve carefully added an area to walk on the grass, so it’s safe.
There were lots of cows in the fields.
The view on the walk was certainly rather pleasant, lots of countryside and some lakes.
And some streams, all very lovely. Just under half-way through the walk is a town where there are numerous small shops. There was also a church which I would have visited, but there was a funeral going on when I was there, so it didn’t feel entirely appropriate.
When reaching the city, one of the first sites that it’s necessary to cross is one of the city parks.
And after going through a park there’s a woodland walk, which given the hot temperature, was very welcome indeed. As can be seen from the photo, it was sunny.
A look back at the woodland area, which is surprisingly dense for such a relatively central area in a city.
This is the last photo before I arrived at the hotel, a view of the main railway line which goes into Limoges. The entire walk takes around two hours, although I took a little longer as I decided to sit down every now and then to cool down from the heat. It’s not the most sheltered of walks from the sun in places….
For those not in a rush, it’s a very walkable route into Limoges, especially for those who don’t want to pay the €24 taxi fare.
I haven’t stayed at an Adagio before, but this one was showing as the cheapest Accor option in the area. The Adagio Aparthotels brand is offered in three distinct tiers, Adagio as the standard option, Adagio Access for budget-friendly stays and Adagio Premium for a more upscale experience. No surprise I was visiting an Adagio Access, I know where I stand in the hotel hierarchy….
After the faff of getting here, I was pleased to see the welcome gift of crisps and water, a nice little gesture. The check-in had been a little convoluted as the person in front decided to ask far more questions than I felt necessary about the hotel, but as patience is one of my middle names, I just stood and tried not to look too passive aggressive whilst standing there waiting. The team member at reception was helpful and engaging, with everything feeling well managed here. Unusually, I was given an actual key to get into the room rather than a card, it felt like something of a throw-back…
The bedroom area of the room, with everything being clean and organised.
The kitchen area, with the desk and bathroom at the rear of the photo. I didn’t need to use the kitchen area at all, as I decided to eat my crisps from the packet rather than from a plate, but I noticed from signage that they would be charging if the washing up wasn’t done.
The view from the window over semi-rural France. It’s located in the French village of Saint-Louis and is literally a one minute walk from the Swiss border and it’s easy to meander into Basel from the hotel.
As I rather like doing this, since I don’t get out much, I thought I’d have a little look at the reviews to see if there was anything exciting.
“I was going to take a shower and didn’t have hot water, tried to call the reception and they wouldn’t answer the telephone. Had to go there in a towel.”
No, there is no logical requirement here to walk to reception in a towel.
“Catastrophic. Having to leave the hotel at 7:00 a.m., I asked if it would be possible to have a simple breakfast made for me, namely a small coffee and a glass of orange juice. I was told that breakfast opened at 7:30 a.m., period.”
I’m not sure that being a refused a breakfast before they were open is “catastrophic” especially when each room has a little kitchen, but each to their own….
“Well situated, but disastrous bedding. Definitively NOT recommended for side sleepers as the beds are as hard as a rock.”
Disastrous?
“We reserved 2 rooms at this Aparthotel when flying from Denmark to Basel. Unfortunately, our flight was cancelled at the last minute after we already traveled to Copenhagen Airport and got our boarding passes. We had no options at that point but to cancel our trip to Switzerland, France, and Germany, because we had to return to the USA soon. On top of this great disappointment, the hotel would not cancel the room and refund our money. We called as soon as the flight was cancelled, which was late, but they were unwilling to make any adjustment. I understand that was their policy, but in a situation like this, I would expect better customer service, rather than hiding behind their policy.”
I liked that the hotel reminded them that they had booked non-refundable rooms and that their policy was common in the industry, adding “the cancellation of your flight was not our doing” and they’re not wrong there….
As they’re designed as apartments for slightly longer visits, I doubt that many guests usually stay for just one day at these hotels, but I suspect they are sometimes quite cheap as they have gaps between bookings that they can’t easily fill. Anyway, it’s not really a brand within the Accor chain that I’d prioritise in terms of staying as I don’t need kitchens and the like, but if it looks like an affordable option I suspect that I’ll be there again…..
