Once the capital of the Province of Languedoc, Toulouse is the fourth ‘metropolis’ of France and home of the country's aircraft and aerospace research industries. The University of Toulouse dates back in the first part of the 13th Century and now specialises in science studies.
Many road signs here are in two languages, French and the local 'Occitan'. The Occitan language is thought to have originated in Occitania, loosely patterned on the old Aquitania (Aquitaine) region. Although French is the official and cultural language of Provence and the Languedoc, Occitan is still used in everyday speech.
The old city (Vieux Quartier) is situated on the right bank of the Garonne River, to the front of the impressive ‘Canal de Midi’. In the centre of the old city stands the ‘Place du Capitole’, a huge square where the residents of Toulouse come in their masses to celebrate major events and festivals.
The town hall, with its 130 metre façade was finished in 1759. With its columns and soft red brickwork, it is one of the most beautiful town halls in France.
Toulouse is a city of churches, having been a ‘Bishopric’ from the 4th Century and becoming an Archbishopric around 1317. The Basilica Saint-Sernin, one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in southern France, was built to shelter the many pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella in Spain.
Other churches include Notre-Dame-de-la-Daurade, with its enigmatic ‘Black Virgin' and the Notre-Dame-du-Taur with an unusual wall bell tower. The church of Saint-Etienne has a strange mix of styles attributed to its being started in the 11th Century but not completed until the 17th.
Another church that stands out is the white church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Dalbade, with its astonishing 19th Century enamelled Tympanum.
The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is the latest addition to the Museums of Toulouse and is housed in a former slaughterhouse. A prized exhibit is a Picasso from 1936, ‘The Mortal Remains of the Minotaur in Harlequin’s Costume’. This huge piece fills one end wall.
The ‘Cité de l’Espace’ is worth a visit with its full-scale mock-up of the Mir Space Station and a full-sized replica of the Ariane 5 rocket. For a more leisurely approach, there is the ‘Bateau-Mouche’ (River Boat) cruise.
For more tourist information and history, see Premier Pages (Wine Regions, Places of Interest)