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Voykit pocket guide · France
Oradour-sur-Glane
Half a day: the memorial village and museum take 2–3 hours. Combine with a stop in Limoges or Poitiers on a longer trip.
Oradour-sur-Glane is a preserved ghost town and memorial to a Nazi massacre in 1944. The ruins, the underground museum and the new village are the only reasons to visit. Most travellers spend 2–3 hours here on a day trip from Limoges (25 min) or Poitiers (1 h).
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, short daylight)
- Stay
- 0 (day trip) nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–50 excl. bed · Mid €50–80 excl. bed · High €80+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · European emergency number 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–2.50 |
| Lunch menu (café in new village) | €12–18 |
| Museum entry | €9 (check) |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | €15–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LIG · Limoges – Bellegarde
- About 25 km (16 mi); taxi or rental car neededAbout 16 mi (25 km); taxi or rental car needed
Typical fares
- Limoges → Oradour-sur-Glane by car
- about 25 min, no tolls
- Poitiers → Oradour-sur-Glane by car
- about 1 h, no tolls
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The memorial site is compact and walkable. A car is needed to reach the village from Limoges or Poitiers; there is no direct train.
See and do
Known for
- Preserved ruins of the original village
- Memorial museum (Centre de la Mémoire)
- Massacre of 642 inhabitants on 10 June 1944
- New village built after the war
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Limoges | Car, about 25 min | 30 min |
| Poitiers | Car, about 1 h | 1 h 15 min |
| Angoulême | Car, about 1 h 15 min | 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- New village (Oradour-sur-Glane)
- Small hotels and B&Bs; very quiet, limited dining.
- Limoges
- More choice of hotels and restaurants; 25 min drive.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| Where is the museum? | Où est le musée ?oo ay luh myoo-zay |
| How much? | Combien ?kom-byen |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- The memorial is a place of respect: no loud behaviour, no drones, no picnicking inside the ruins.
- The museum is closed on some public holidays: check the official site.
- No food or drink inside the ruins; cafés are in the new village.
Very safe; the main risk is emotional impact. The site is well-maintained and patrolled.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Oradour-sur-Glane yet. Suggested stay: 0 (day trip) nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Preserved ruins of the original village
- Memorial museum (Centre de la Mémoire)
- Massacre of 642 inhabitants on 10 June 1944
- New village built after the war
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Oradour-sur-Glane official site: oradour-sur-glane.fr
- Wikivoyage: Oradour-sur-Glane, revision 3481263 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3481263
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/oradour-sur-glane). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.