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Toulouse

Travoley
Toulouse
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Toulouse Travel Guide

  • About Toulouse
Feisty and full of history, the southwestern metropolis of Toulouse is one of the most enjoyable cities in France.It draws nothing like the attention enjoyed by Paris, Marseille and Lyon (the only three French cities which are larger), but it’s not always obvious why. Known as La Ville Rose, thanks to the pinkish bricks that dominate much of its older architecture, it’s a city with medieval heritage, a world-class aerospace industry and an indelibly proud identity.This regional pride is partly rooted in the rugby team, one of the most successful in Europe, but it’s also shaped by the local cuisine and a roaring cultural scene. It has one of the most sizeable universities in the country, which helps imbue the place with a youthful feel, but the city still clings closely to its past, with bilingual street signs (the Occitan language has its roots in the area), cobbled streets and numerous merchants’ towers dating back to the era when Toulouse was made rich by woad production.Some of the buildings and public spaces around the centre are beautiful. The large Place du Capitole has a striking old town hall and theatre complex with eight columns of marble. Close by, the Saint Sernin Basilica is a soaring example of Romanesque architecture and inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The city’s famous pink bricks, incidentally, are said to originate from the mud of the Garonne River, which flows west of the city centre. The Canal du Midi also cuts through the city.The Space Museum gives a more cutting-edge flavour to the city’s visitor attractions, as does the vast Airbus Factory. But this is still somewhere that prides itself on its traditions, and in a manner typical of the southwest, enjoying life is seen as a priority. Meals tend to be long and hearty, so be sure to sample the local cassoulet, preferably complemented by a glass or two of Cahors wine.
  • Toulouse History
Although the Romans arrived over 2,000 years ago, it was events around the 12th and 13th centuries that both defined and scarred the history of Toulouse.Back then, France as we know it today didn’t exist, and the area was divided into the north, where people said oui to mean yes, and the south, where people said oc. The southwest became known as ‘Langue d’Oc’ (the language of Oc) and Occitan simultaneously described the people, the language and the culture.Times were tolerant, until the Pope declared a crusade against the Cathars, a peaceful but non-Christian people living in the area. Langue d’Oc was torn apart, cities were burned, sieges went on for months and the Inquisition set up headquarters in Toulouse. In the end, the Cathar genocide established the might of the Catholic Church and the power of the north. Toulouse became annexed to France.The intervening centuries included plenty of skirmishes with the English over the nearby wine region of Bordeaux, as well as floods, pestilence and fire. But it wasn’t all bad.The discovery of woad, the only blue dye available in Europe, revived Toulouse’s fortunes. Violets, too, helped to make the area fashionable. The University of Toulouse, one of the oldest in Europe, flourished, and Toulouse became a pivotal point on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.The 20th century brought along the next big thing to give the city a boost: the aerospace industry. As the central hub of Airbus and the home of Concorde, Toulouse is flying right into the future, despite the frequent reminders about its past.Almost every building in the centre has a story that can be traced back through time. Look out for the Occitan cross in the centre of Place du Capitole and the Occitan language on the street signs, just beneath the French.
  • Did you know?
It is often referred to as the Pink City due to the rose-colored bricks used in the construction of most of the city’s buildings. Many of the city’s buildings and monuments are named to recall the martyrdom of a saint who died after being tied to the tail of a bull. Airbus has sold more than 15,000 aircraft and almost 9,000 jets since it was established in Toulouse.
  • Weather in Toulouse
Toulouse is a year-round destination with plenty of hot days in the summer and enough snow in the surrounding mountains to get the ski poles out from December to March. You can expect busy streets and strong sunshine during the from June to August, but the best time to visit is in spring and autumn when the temperatures can still reach 25°C (77°F) and only the savvy tourists remain.Music and art festivals set up shop throughout the summer with Les Siestes Electroniques and Le Printemps de Septembre attracting crowds from around the world.

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