Limoges, France: The Town Behind Limoges Porcelain

Limoges is a city on the Vienne River in west-central France, and its name has become shorthand for fine French porcelain. When people talk about Limoges china, they mean porcelain made in and around this one town – not a single brand, but a whole tradition of porcelain houses that has grown there since the 18th century. Here is the story of the town, how Limoges porcelain is made, and the Limoges houses we carry.

Paris Tableware & Gifts, a store in Ridgewood, New Jersey, is an authorized dealer for Bernardaud and Haviland, the two Limoges porcelain houses we carry, and ships across the continental US with free shipping on orders over $150.

How a Town Became Famous for Porcelain

Porcelain needs a very white clay called kaolin. In 1768, deposits of kaolin and petuntse-like stone were discovered at Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche, a village south of Limoges – the largest source of clay and china stone in France. Faience, a simpler glazed earthenware, had been made in Limoges since 1736, but in 1771 the first true hard-paste porcelain was produced there, under the direction of Turgot, the local intendant. In 1784 the Limoges factory was acquired as an adjunct of the royal porcelain factory at Sèvres.

Several large porcelain firms were founded in Limoges during the 19th century. One of them was started by an American: in 1842 David Haviland, a porcelain importer, founded Haviland & Co. in Limoges to make designs for the United States market – the china many Americans know as Haviland Limoges. Bernardaud followed in 1863 and is still a family business today.

What "Limoges" on a Piece Means

"Limoges" does not refer to a single company. Porcelaine de Limoges is a protected geographical indication: the whole process has to take place in the Limoges region, and only pieces made entirely there may carry the "Limoges" or "Porcelaine de Limoges" stamp. France recognized the indication in 2017, and in 2026 it became the first craft product to receive a European geographical indication. So when you read the Limoges porcelain marks on the back of a plate, they tell you where it was made; the maker's own mark – Bernardaud or Haviland, for example – tells you which house made it.

How Limoges Porcelain Is Made

Limoges porcelain is hard-paste, or "true," porcelain: a mix of kaolin, feldspar and quartz, shaped and then fired at a very high temperature, usually around 1400 °C (about 2550 °F). The result is a bright white, translucent porcelain – the reason a fine Limoges plate glows when you hold it up to the light. To see how it compares with bone china, faience and other porcelain, read our dinnerware materials guide. To choose a Bernardaud pattern, see our guide to Bernardaud dinnerware.

The Musée national Adrien Dubouché in Limoges holds the largest public collection of Limoges porcelain in the world – some 18,000 works – and is the place to see how the craft developed over three centuries.

Inside Bernardaud's Limoges Factory

Bernardaud was founded in 1863 and, still a family business, carries out all of its production in Limoges. Its manufacture on avenue Albert Thomas welcomes visitors on a guided tour through part of its original workshops, following each stage of making – from raw material to finished piece – with a demonstration of decorating techniques. Booking is required.

Bernardaud: Limoges Porcelain We Carry

Bernardaud makes everything from everyday white dinnerware to artist editions. A few pieces from the Bernardaud collection:

Bernardaud Louvre Dinner Plate 10.5"

A 10.5" dinner plate in Limoges porcelain, sold individually – see the full Louvre pattern.

Bernardaud Constance Dinner Plate 10.5"

Constance in Limoges porcelain, for the main course. Shop Constance.

Bernardaud Marie-Antoinette Dinner Plate 10.5"

A 10.5" Limoges porcelain dinner plate from the Marie-Antoinette pattern.

Bernardaud Palmyre Dinner Plate 10.5"

A 10.5" Limoges porcelain dinner plate from Palmyre.

Bernardaud Twist Service Plate 11.4"

An 11.4" service plate that highlights the dinner plate placed on top. See Twist.

Bernardaud Lithophanies JP Orchids Votivelight

A Votivelight in bisque porcelain with an engraved orchid motif. More in Bernardaud votivelights.

Bernardaud Jeff Koons Split-Rocker Vase

A limited edition of 3,500: Jeff Koons's floral sculpture Split-Rocker translated into bisque porcelain with Bernardaud. See the Jeff Koons collection.

Haviland: Limoges Porcelain Since 1842

Every Haviland piece is produced in Limoges from the region's kaolin porcelain and finished by hand, with gilded accents on many patterns. A few to explore from the Haviland collection:

Haviland Infini White Dinner Plate

All-white Limoges porcelain that fits any table. See Infini White.

Haviland Matignon Pool Blue Gold Dinner Plate

Matignon in pool blue with gold – one of many color and metal combinations in Matignon.

Haviland Vieux Paris Vert Dinner Plate

A green Limoges dinner plate from Vieux Paris Vert.

Haviland Impératrice Eugénie Dinner Plate

A Limoges porcelain dinner plate from Impératrice Eugénie.

Haviland Marthe – Ritz Paris Dinner Plate

A dinner plate from Marthe – Ritz Paris.

Haviland Rêves du Nil Green Gold Teapot

A Limoges porcelain teapot from Rêves du Nil.

Haviland Fleurs d'Auteuil Vase 11"

A slender vase inspired by the classical forms of 18th- and 19th-century European porcelain. See Fleurs d'Auteuil.

See every piece in our Limoges porcelain dinnerware collection.

Caring for Limoges Porcelain

Hard-paste porcelain is strong, but gold and platinum decoration is delicate: pieces with precious-metal trim should stay out of the microwave, and hand-washing helps the gilding last. Each piece's own page lists its care instructions. Bernardaud pieces that are made to order take 3–4 weeks.

Save your favorites: open any piece and tap the ♡ to add it to your Wishlist, then share it with family so you can choose a Limoges pattern together.

Cover photo (cropped): Pont Saint-Étienne over the Vienne, Limoges – Traumrune, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.