Toulouse is located on the Garonne River. It is one of the largest cultural, scientific and industrial centers of France. It is the fifth largest in terms of population after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Lille. Right through the city passes the Southern Canal, which connects, since the XVII century, the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Toulouse was founded in the IV century BC by a tribe of Celts. Good climate and favorable geographical location attracted the Romans here in the II – III century. In the V century AD the city became the capital of the kingdom of the Visigoths. Throughout French history, Toulouse is a tidbit in the struggle for power in southwestern France.
The golden era of Toulouse begins in the XV century, when wealthy merchants begin to build mansions of red brick, setting the main color tone of the city’s architecture for centuries. The new heyday of the city is connected with the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, when many new buildings, boulevards and roads appeared in the city.
Until 1789 Toulouse was the capital of the province of Languedoc. Currently, Toulouse is the center of the economic region of the Southern Pyrenees, one of the largest areas in France. 110 km from the city are the famous ski resorts in the Pyrenees, which are famous both for their winter skiing and their summer scenery.
Today Toulouse is not only a city with a historical past, but also a center of high technology and aviation industry in France.
Toulouse is considered one of the most stylish cities in the south of the country. Here is how the French say about it: “Pink at dawn, red at noon and purple at dusk”. There are many gardens and squares, unexpected angles, views… The city is very diverse, combining medieval with revival and modernity, history with comfort.
The architectural pearl of Toulouse is the Basilique Saint Sernin (La Basilique Saint Sernin is the largest Romanesque church in Western Europe), in the center of the city there is the Place du Capitole with the City Hall and the theater, the church and monastery of the Jacobins (dating back to 1275), as well as many private mansions of the Renaissance.
Besides the unique, enchanting architecture, Toulouse has good museums. For example, the Musée des Augustins (Augustinian Museum), located in the church of the Augustinian monastery in the city center, is famous for its Romanesque and Gothic sculptures as well as its exhibition of 19th century French paintings.
A museum of aviation and space opened in Toulouse in 1997.
There are more than 20 organs in Toulouse – more than any other city in France, which is why the city hosts an international organ festival.
There are an extremely large number of students here and maybe it is the student population that creates such a lively and free atmosphere in Toulouse.
To get a good look at the city, it is best to walk around it. The biggest stores are located near the Place du Capitole.
Toulouse is famous for having the highest life expectancy in France and special local cuisine. Far outside the city are known for foie gras of goose or duck liver, duck fillet, ragout of beans with poultry or meat baked in a clay pot, and, of course, “Frontonnais” – the famous wine of this region.
