Toulouse (original) (raw)

Toulouse is the chief city of Haute-Garonne in the Occitanie region of France. It stands north of the Pyrenees on the River Garonne, halfway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Toulouse is the fourth largest city in France (after Paris, Marseille and Lyon), with a metropolitan population of almost 1½ million in 2020. It's known for its rugby, its aerospace industry and for violets, which are used to make bonbons and liqueurs.

The part-Gothic cathedral

The city was a Roman settlement, "Tolosa", and the smaller inner streets still follow the ancient layout. After Rome fell, it became capital of a Visigoth kingdom, but the region was roiled by secular, dynastic and religious wars, such as those against the Cathar heretics. The Dominican Order was founded in the city in 1216 to win back the Cathars to orthodoxy by peaceful preaching, but when that didn't work the Pope launched a crusade and massacre. Toulouse and its realm thereby lost independence and in 1271 were annexed to the Kingdom of France.

In the fourteenth century, Toulouse was devastated by pogroms, the Black Death, famine, and war. In the fifteenth century, it became wealthy from its monopoly on "pastel," a blue pigment extracted from woad plants, only to slump again when the monopoly was broken by indigo imports from India. It suffered several fires, the worst in 1463, so it was re-built in brick rather than wood. An 18th century boom led to a spate of construction in pink terracotta brick, giving rise to its nickname La ville rose. The university flourished: founded in 1229, it's one of the oldest in the world, and now has over 100,000 students. Fermat pondered his theorems here in between his legal work. On 10 April 1814, Toulouse saw the last battle of the forces led by Wellington out of Spain against Napoleon – neither side was aware that Napoleon had already surrendered. Marshal Soult held the city for a day then fled.

The city missed out on the Industrial Revolution, but in the 20th century its distance from Germany and Britain made it a safe base for the fledgling French aviation and defence industries. These burgeoned by the end of the century so Toulouse has become a major centre of aviation and spaceflight. A tenth of the inner city population work in aerospace, and Airbus is the largest employer in the region.

Office de Tourisme, Square Charles de Gaulle (Metro: Capitole), ☏ +33 5 1742 3131. M-Sa 09:30-19:00, Su 10:00-18:00. The Visitor information Centre is in the square east side of the Capitole. (updated Aug 2023)

Map

43.6351.3677781 Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (TLS IATA). The airport is 8 km west of the city. It has flights at least hourly from Paris (Orly Airport and CDG). Other domestic destinations include Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, and Strasbourg. International flights include Algiers, Amsterdam Schiphol, Berlin, Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels, Casablanca, Frankfurt Airport, Lisbon, London (Heathrow, Gatwick & Stansted), Madrid Barajas, Manchester Airport, Munich Airport, Oran, and Venice. You may also see strange "where's that??" destinations on the departure board – these are technical and service flights by Airbus. With luck you may spot the ginormous Beluga Airbus, capable of transporting entire wings. The airport has the usual facilities including car hire, and there's a Novotel close by. Toulouse-Blagnac (Q372615) on Wikidata Toulouse–Blagnac Airport on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2023)

Onward travel options in 2023 are:

Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in France.

43.6111111.4536112 Toulouse-Matabiau Station. TGVs run from Paris Montparnasse every hour or two and take 4 hr 30 min via Bordeaux. From Lyon the quickest takes 4 hours, but you usually have to change at Montpellier. Trains from Marseille take 4 hours via Arles, Montpellier, Narbonne (for Perpignan, Girona and Barcelona) and Carcassonne. From Madrid travel via Barcelona and Narbonne. From the Spanish north coast travel via Bayonne, Pau and Tarbes. A slow winding line also crosses the Pyrenees via Latour from Barcelona: see "Go next". Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau (Q373449) on Wikidata Toulouse-Matabiau station on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2023)

18th-century building on Place Sainte-Scarbes

From Paris the quickest is usually straight south on A10, A71 and A20. You can also stay on A10 to Bordeaux then turn inland on A62.

From the Med coast including Barcelona take A9 to Narbonne then A61 west.

FlixBus runs twice a day from Paris Bercy Seine (10 hr non-stop) and once from Marseille (6 hr via Nîmes and Montpellier).

They run from Barcelona five times a day (6 hr via Perpignan) and from Madrid once (10 hr non-stop).

Andbus runs from Andorra la Vella 2–3 times per day, taking 3 hours.

The bus station is just north of the main railway station and is on the Metro. The airport shuttle bus terminates here.

Toulouse is the mid-point of the "Canal des Deux Mers" linking the Atlantic with the Mediterranean. The eastern part, the Canal du Midi, is the most interesting, as it climbs out from Toulouse over the hills then down through Carcassonne and Béziers to reach the Med at Sete. The western part parallels the River Garonne down through Agen to Bordeaux and the Gironde estuary. You'll need to hire a long-boat and set aside several weeks. Check ahead in case any canal sections are closed for repair.

The Capitole at night

Toulouse is a big city, but the historical centre is compact, between the Garonne River and Metro B Line. You can walk to most attractions.

Bus, tram, metro lines and cable car are operated by Tisseo. Tram T1 starts downtown at Palais de Justice, crosses the river west to Arènes interchange, then runs north to Beauzelle and the MEETT – get off in Blagnac for the airport bus. (Tram 2 is axed.) Metro line A runs southwest to northeast, from the University through Arènes and the railway station. Metro line B runs north–south, passing the main railway station and Palais de Justice. Two other lines are actually suburban trains: Line C west to Colomiers and Auch (can be taken with a Tisseo fare between Arènes and Colomiers), and line D south to Muret. Buses run along all the main streets but don't come into the pedestrianised core of the city, except the free city-centre shuttle (M–Sa) – no bus stops for this one, just wave at the driver.

A single ticket paid on the bus costs €2 in 2023. A ticket from a machine or kiosk for any Tisseo transport is €1.80, a book of 10 is €15.10 and a one-day pass is €6.80. Validate your ticket on boarding, and it's good for transfers within one hour (within 90 min to and from the airport.) Services become sparse late evening, but there's an extensive night network.

Taxi operators include Taxi Toulouse (+33 5 6120 9000) and Capitole (+33 5 3425 0250). Pre-book to avoid long waits for a ride.

Bike rental is organised by Town Hall. First you need to buy a ticket at velo.toulouse.fr or at a bike station. A one-day ticket is €1.20 and a 7-day pass is €5, longer hires are available. You have unlimited journeys, for no extra charge for the first 30 mins, then the meter starts ticking.

Bike lanes The city has a dense network of bike lanes and bicycle-friendly streets with little motorized traffic. A lot of people cycle and it is generally very safe and enjoyable to move in the city by bike. Along the Canal du Midi there is a pleasant bike lane connecting important locations like the center and the university campus.

Avoid going downtown with a car as parking is seriously limited and many streets are closed to motorized traffic. Try using a suburban metro or tram station as a park-and-ride.

Palm tree vault of Couvent des Jacobins

The old centre of Toulouse is east of the River Garonne: it's compact and most places of interest can easily be visited on foot. It's bounded to the east and north by Bvd Lazare Carnot / Bvd de Strasbourg, and to the south by the cathedral, Rue Metz and Pont Neuf.

Quay beneath Pont-Neuf

Jupiter, Saturn and an Ariane 5 rocket orbiting Cité de l'Espace

"Les rouges et noirs" play Rugby Union

You need eligibility to work in the EU and a good knowledge of French. The catering / hospitality sector is always hiring. Aviation is the big business here but they mostly seek technical skills for long-term jobs.

Filet of duck breast with slice of foie gras

Local specialities are:

The areas around Place du Capitole, Bvd de Strasbourg and Place St Georges are lined with cafes and restaurants.

Interior of Café Bibent

Airbus Beluga ships aircraft parts

Bear Brothers 10 km south in Auzeville make vodka, gin, and raw spirits for liqueur manufacturers.

Black Mountain 10 km west past the airport make Occitan Whisky.

Hotel Le Grand Balcon

Canal du Midi

As of Aug 2023, Toulouse and its approach roads have 5G from all French carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places, transport, cafes and so on.

The bull drags away St Sernin