Limoges, France

     Located right in the center of France is the beautiful city of Limoges, famous for Limoges Porcelain. A city untouched and unspoiled by tourism, including all the overpriced restaurants and tourist traps, Limoges is a hub for authentic, urban French culture. You can walk the streets and settle at the Brasserie for a  cheap plat du jour, or visit the gorgeous, gothic Cathedrale Saint-Etienne and walk the luscious gardens that neighbor the eglise. Take a step back and admire the gargoyles that surround Saint-Etienne while you catch a fresh scent of the multitude of flowers that surround you in the garden. The museum adjacent to the gardens has a small Egyptian display and a large exhibit dedicated to the history of Limoges. Entrance is free of charge and well worth a visit.
     Limoges offers all of the basic pleasures of life, such as a movie theater that plays movies in French and English, plenty of restaurants and bars, and a few malls filled with great stores to browse. There is also a large opera house in the city center. It is the perfect destination to escape the crowd and see a French city without the tourist B.S. By the way, unlike most cities around the world, very few people in the city speak English, or if they can they choose not to. So prepare to really practice your French if you choose to visit Limoges.
     Gare de Limoges Benedictines, the train station, is large enough to get to many locations and has several trains daily to Paris, from where you can find a train to most cities in Europe. The average time it takes to get to Paris is about 3 hours. Neighboring towns of Limoges include the medieval La Souterainne and Poitiers.
     Beyond the city of Limoges is the beautiful country side of the region Limousin, in which Limoges is the capitol. The region is great for mountain biking, hiking, camping and many other outdoor activities.The small mountain range called the Monts D'Ambazac run through Limousin, making an excellent day trip to hike and explore the vast nature of the region Limousin.
     Jerry and I are staying in a little part of Limousin called Mallety, located just outside the town of Ambazac. Rolling hills appear just through the front door of the home where our host has so graciously allowed us to stay for the autumn. The walk to town is about 2 kilometers, which is hardly much of a sacrifice considering how beautiful the journey is. The road is lined with chestnut trees, oaks and blackberry bushes. It is not uncommon to find a local scavenging fallen chestnuts or setting off to pick wild mushrooms. Absolutely though, Limoges and its surrounding land is an incredible part of France, and if you love nature, I urge you to visit this breath-taking country.