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Origin and history

The House of the People of Limoges is a building built in 1936 to accommodate union activities, replacing an old labour exchange deemed too small. The project, carried out by the socialist municipality of Léon Betoulle in the 1930s, is entrusted to the city's chief architect, Léon Faure. The Art Deco-style building is built on the site of an old vocational school on Charles-Michels Street in the city centre. It includes offices, a concert hall for public meetings and meetings, as well as remarkable decorative elements: stained glass by Francis Chigot (after drawings by Pierre Parot) and a fresco by the latter. The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) has occupied most of the premises since their inauguration, its acronym being visible in stained glass and mosaics.

The architecture of the building is distinguished by its three-span structure, with cut-out openings typical of Art Deco. Interior decorations, such as glass windows, frescoes and mosaics, are of recognised artistic quality. Part of the building, including the main body and its annexes, has been listed as historical monuments since 2014. Owned by the commune, the People's House symbolizes Limoges' social and cultural commitment to the inter-war period, marking local history by its role in trade union and public life.

The context of its creation is part of a period of rise of labour and social movements in France. In Limoges, an industrial city known for its porcelain and dynamic trade union activities, the People's House becomes a central place for gatherings and demands. Its inauguration in 1936, the year of major social movements such as the strikes of the Popular Front, reinforces its historical importance. The building thus embodies both a major architectural achievement and a legacy of the social struggles of the twentieth century.

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