The Église Saint-Michel-des-Lions is a Gothic church in the heart of the old Château quarter of Limoges, built between the 14th and 15th centuries with a 15th-century spire that is one of the most distinctive landmarks on the city skyline. The interior holds the reliquary of Saint Martial, the first bishop of Limoges, who is the patron saint of the city — his gold-plated casket is brought out for veneration on his feast day and draws pilgrims from across Limousin.
The church sits on a lively square with a café terrace and a weekly market, and forms the social heart of the old town in a way that the more imposing cathedral slightly lacks. The combination of Gothic stonework, local religious attachment, and the animated street life around the square is characteristic of the Limoges that residents actually inhabit.