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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Verdurier Pavilion is an emblematic monument to the city centre of Limoges, built in 1919 by architect Roger Gonthier, known for the Benedictine Railway Station. This octagonal reinforced concrete building, decorated with mosaics and ceramic stoneware by the house Gentil & Bourdet, was originally a refrigerated pavilion for Argentine meat storage during the First World War shortage. It embodies the utilitarian and decorative architecture of the time, combining functionality and aesthetic Art Deco.

Originally, the pavilion served as a covered market before being transferred to the city of Limoges in 1921. In 1942, he was transformed into a bus station, a function he retained for more than 30 years. The interior decorations, often wrongly attributed to the painter Léonard Chigot (died 1903), are in reality the work of the cartoonist Pierre Parot, collaborator of glassmaker Francis Chigot, son of Léonard. This confusion persists even in some official notices.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1975, the pavilion was restored in 1978 to become a municipal exhibition hall. In 2023, restoration work was undertaken to preserve its degraded elements, including damaged safety nets. The basement houses stained glass windows by Francis Chigot, installed after an exhibition dedicated to him in 1980. Today, this place combines architectural and cultural heritage, testifying to the urban evolution of Limoges.

The Verdurier district, formerly unsanitary, was partially destroyed between 1912 and 1913 before being rebuilt until the 1930s. The pavilion, located near Gay-Lussac High School, is part of this renovation process. Served by the TCL trolleybuses, it remains a central point of limugeaude life, mixing industrial, craft and artistic history.

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