The art of living à la Française

You don't get to be the capital of porcelain without having the necessary natural resources i.e. water, granite-derived minerals, kaolin and wood, which was used to fuel the kilns in the past. Famed for its whiteness, the china clay of Limousin was responsible for making Limoges the porcelain capital of France. The first porcelain factory in Limousin was founded by the Frères Grellet et Massié-Fournérat in 1771. From 1784, it remained an annex of the Sèvres factory until 1794 when it was granted the official title of 'Manufacture Royale'. The golden age of Limoges porcelain was at its pinnacle in the nineteenth century thanks to the efforts of the main, and largely family-run, factories. Haviland, Guérin, Pouyat, Bernardaud, Tharaud, Alluaud, etc. produced dinner services for heads of state, kings, princes and ambassadors and Limoges porcelain remains a symbol of the French fine art of living and can be found on tables throughout the world Over time it has become more affordable thanks to streamlined production methods and more accessible designs. But none of its unique heritage has been lost and many of the great manufacturers are still in business (Bernardaud, Raynaud, Haviland, J.L. Coquet, Medard de Noblat, etc.) - all helping to preserve this wonderful heritage while introducing new and inspired designs. This heritage is kept alive by a multitude of skilled men and women - artisan porcelain makers, skilled craftsmen, design houses, brands/distributors, etc. (Esprit Porcelaine, Feeling’s, Sylvie Coquet, non sans raison, Habitat, Yann Fayaud, etc.) who all contribute to ensuring excellence in modernity.