Toulouse

In Toulouse, the facades glow pink in the evening light – the city is built almost entirely of brick, which is how it got its nickname, "La Ville Rose." The capital of Occitanie is also home to Airbus and the center of European space exploration, a youthful university city with a laid-back southern feel. A city break in Toulouse combines Romanesque churches, riverbanks, and high tech.

From the Visigoths to aviation

The Romans already called the place Tolosa, and in the 5th century Toulouse was the capital of the Visigothic kingdom. In the Middle Ages the powerful Counts of Toulouse ruled here, until the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars brought the region under the French crown in the 13th century. In the 16th century the city grew wealthy from the trade in woad, a plant used for blue dye; merchants built magnificent mansions such as the Hôtel d'Assézat. Aviation arrived in the 20th century: the Aéropostale launched its mail flights to Africa and South America from here, with pilots such as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and today Airbus aircraft are assembled in Toulouse.

Sights in Toulouse

The Place du Capitole, in the Capitole, Arnaud Bernard, and Carmes neighborhoods, is the heart of the city: the city hall, with its 128-meter-long facade, also houses the opera house, and an Occitan cross adorns the pavement. The Basilica of Saint-Sernin is the largest surviving Romanesque church in Europe and an important stop on the Way of St. James. The Couvent des Jacobins, with its Gothic "palm," a pillar that rises into the vaulting like a palm trunk, holds the remains of Thomas Aquinas. The Musée des Augustins displays sculpture and painting in a former monastery, and the Fondation Bemberg in the Hôtel d'Assézat shows works from Bonnard to Canaletto. On the banks of the Garonne, the Pont Neuf links the old town with the Saint-Cyprien district, and the Prairie des Filtres becomes a huge picnic spot on summer evenings.

Space exploration and neighborhoods

The Cité de l'Espace in the east of the city is a space-themed park with a full-size Ariane 5 rocket and a model of the Mir space station. In the west, around Saint-Martin du Touch and Blagnac, visitors can see Airbus's assembly halls on guided tours, and the Aeroscopia museum displays a Concorde. The Halle de La Machine in the Montaudran district exhibits giant mechanical creatures such as the Minotaur. In Saint-Michel and Saint-Agne you'll find the Toulouse of the locals, with markets and bistros, while Les Chalets, with its brick villas, is quiet and green. Minimes and Ponts-Jumeaux lie on the Canal du Midi, whose plane-tree-lined banks invite you to cycle.

Eating in Toulouse: cassoulet and violets

The region's most famous dish is cassoulet, a stew of white beans, duck confit, sausage, and pork that bakes in the oven for hours. Saucisse de Toulouse, a coarse pork sausage, is part of it, as are foie gras and magret de canard from the southwest. The violet is the symbol of the city and is made into candies, liqueur, and perfume. The Marché Victor Hugo, a market hall with restaurants on the upper floor, is the best place to sample regional specialties. In the evening, students gather at the Place Saint-Pierre on the banks of the Garonne.

Going out, rugby, and festivals

Toulouse is a rugby city: Stade Toulousain is one of the most successful clubs in Europe, and on match days half the streets are dressed in red and black. Thanks to around 100,000 students, the nightlife is lively, especially around Carmes, the Rue des Filatiers, and the riverside quays. In summer, concerts and the Rio Loco festival draw crowds to the Garonne, and in February there's the Violet Festival.

Getting around and the best time to visit

Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) is about ten kilometers northwest of the city, and a tram and a shuttle bus run to the center. Two metro lines (a third is under construction), trams, and the Téléo cable car, the longest urban cable car in France, round out the network. Paris is just over four hours away by train. The best times to visit are spring and fall; summer can get hot. Day trips lead to Carcassonne, Albi with its brick cathedral, or the Pyrenees.