Coat of arms of Limousin

Limousin (Occitan: Lemosin) is a former province of France around the city of Limoges in central France. The province of Limousin lies in the foothills of the Massif Central, with cold weather in the winter. Occitan, or langue doc is a Romance language characterized by its richness, variability, and by the intelligibility of its dialects. ... The kingdom of France was organized into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. ... Location within France Limoges (Limòtges in Occitan) is a city and commune in France, the préfecture of the Haute-Vienne département, and the administrative capital of the Limousin région. ... France, viewed from the NASA Shuttle Topography Radar Mission. ...

The limousine car is named after the region because the inhabitants wore a hood with a profile perceived to be similar to that of the car. A limousine (or limo) is a long luxury car, traditionally black in color. ...

Culture

The Limousin language, which used to be spoken in the region, was a dialect of Occitan. The Limousin dialect is a Romance language akin to Provençal spoken or understood by about 400 000 people in the part of southern France known as Limousin. ... OC redirects here. ...

Perhaps due to its rural character, Limousin has (like the Appalachian region of the United States) maintained a strong tradition of traditional music, with ancient instruments such as the bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy remaining popular. The most well-known musician from the French region of Limousin is probably the piper Eric Montbel, a former member of such legendary bands as Lo Jai, Le Grand Rouge, and Ulysse; he plays the chabreta, or Limousin bagpipe. ... A bagpipe performer in Amsterdam. ... Drawing of a hurdy gurdy A hurdy gurdy (alternately, hurdy-gurdy) is a stringed musical instrument. ...