Université de Limoges

The French city of Limoges is located towards the center of the country, in the former Limousin region. As well as being known for its university, the city is also famous for its oak barrels (used in wine production around the world) and its 19th-century porcelain. 

The University of Limoges is home to over 16,000 students and offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees. Teaching at the university is split across five main departments: Law and Economics; Literature and Humanities; Medicine; Pharmacy; and Sciences and Technology.

Although the university was only established in the late 1960s, it can trace its tradition of teaching and research back to the Middle Ages, when the Abbaye Saint-Martial de Limoges - a Benedictine abbey - was located in the city. Unfortunately, the abbey’s teaching was suppressed by the French Revolution in 1891. 

While the university has a strong research focus, arguably its most famous graduate is the former footballer and World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane, who studied here before going to work for Spanish football club Real Madrid.