Tourist information on Toulouse, France

Situated on the River Garonne, near the Pyrénées in south-west France, Toulouse is the fourth largest city in France, a major centre of industry and tourism. Originating as a Roman settlement, it became one of France's most prosperous cities in the Middle Ages through the production and sale of woad dye. Today, it is one of the hubs of Europe's thriving aeronautic and aerospace industries. Airbus has its headquarters here, and the city is host to CNES's Toulouse Space Centre, the largest space centre in Europe. Other high-tech industries, such as electronics, biotechnology and information technology, are also significant employers in the area. The city is also an important centre for education and is home to one of the oldest and most highly regarded universities in Europe. Toulouse is the unofficial capital of Occitan culture.

Toulouse is known as the Ville Rose (the Pink City), a name it derives from its distinctive red-coloured buildings. The city's diverse architecture is just one of its attractions and this ranges from a 1st century Roman amphitheatre to its Cathédrale Saint-Etienne, built in a piecemeal fashion between the 12th and 16th centuries. St Sernin's Basilica is a stunning example of 11th century Romanesque architecture and was once an important stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Situated on Toulouse's central square, the Capitole is the city's most imposing building, with its 135 metre-long Neo-classical façade and impressive bell tower. Today, the Capitole houses the city hall, an opera company and symphony orchestra.

The city also boasts several impressive art galleries and museums. Les Augustins is a 14th century monastery which contains a large collection of fine art that includes works by the French masters Delacroix, Monet and Toulouse-Lautre; Les Abattoirs used to be a slaughterhouse but is now a vast museum of modern art, whose best-known exhibit is Picasso's Theatre Curtain. The Water Tower is one of Europe's leading photographic art galleries whilst the Musée Départemental de la Résistance et de la Déportation commemorates Toulouse's liberation from the Nazis in the Second World War. Located on the eastern outskirts of the city, la Cité de l'Espace (Space City) is Toulouse's biggest attraction, with full-size models of spacecraft, including the Ariane 5 rocket and the Mir Space Station. It also offers a 360-degree Planetarium and 3-D IMAX cinema.

Although Toulouse is a large city, its historical centre is comparatively small, so it is possible to explore the interesting parts of the city on foot. It is best to avoid driving into the city centre as car parking space is very restricted. The nearest commercial airport is Blagnac Airport, which is about 20 minutes from the city centre by bus. Toulouse's centrally located train station provides convenient connections to other major cities in France, including Bordeaux and Marseille. Paris is just five hours away by TGV.