Places to visit in Toulouse

Toulouse is situated on the banks of the River Garonne and is in the Midi-Pyrenees area of France. Visitors can enjoy a relaxing cruise along the Canal du Midi and the River Garonne, or experience the charm of the city’s historical buildings within the Vieax Quarter (Old Quarter). Toulouse is also an important university city with one of the largest student populations in France. It is often referred to as the ‘City of Light’ (Ville de Lumière), or even the ‘pink city’, because of the colorful hue of the red brick buildings.

One of the city’s major tourist attractions is Space City or La Cité de l’Espace. The exhibitions include interactive displays of technical and scientific innovations, and lifesize spaceships. There is a 360-degree planetarium and an IMAX cinema. Younger children can enjoy the Stellarium, which is a planetarium designed to interest junior astronomers. Space City is open every day during July and August, and from Tuesdays to Sundays during September to June.

The Théâtre Garonne is on the left bank of the River Garonne, and offers a variety of performances throughout the year. During the evening there is a restaurant and bar open for dining. The theatre has recently been refurbished, and plays an important role in the city’s cultural activities.

For those who are interested in aviation, there is the Clément Ader Site, an aircraft factory. Visitors can enjoy a tour of it’s many attractions, including the area where the first ever Concorde was produced. Bookings must be made at least two days in advance.

Popular church sites in Toulouse include the Cathédrale St. Etienne with it’s magnificent rose window and decorative belfry, and the Basilique St. Sernin, featuring an octagonal tower and spire.

The city of Toulouse offers a wonderful variety of museums that have splendid buildings and interesting collections. Visitors can gain more insight into the rich history of Toulouse and it’s extremely vibrant past. Three of the most popular museums are the Musée Labit, the Musée St. Raymond and the Paul Depuy Museum.

The Musée Labit was named after Georges Labit, who was a local 19th century collector of exotic artifacts. The museum displays art and artifacts from Asia and Africa, including Egyptian mummies, Samurai masks and wood carvings.

A remarkably fine collection of Roman sculptures can be admired at the Musée St. Raymond. This museum is near to the St. Sernin Basilica, and is free to visit on the first Sunday of every month. On other days there is an admission charge.

The Paul Depuy Museum displays gold pieces, pottery, glass, textiles and ironworks from many centuries ago. This museum is also free to visit on the first Sunday of every month.

Locals and tourists can relax at any of Toulouse’s many parks and gardens. Le Jardin des Plantes features a play area, model train, fairground and pony rides. The Jardin Royal was the first public park built for Toulouse, and has beautiful gardens with exotic plants and flowers. Other parks include the Jardin Compans Caffarelli, the La Prairie des Filtres and Parc du Ramier, with a large outdoor pool and tropical palm trees.

Visitors looking for shopping opportunities will find many high-street shops and department stores centered around the Place du Capitale. There is also an open air organic market and a bric-a-brac market on Wednesdays, in this area. Toulouse has an antiques quarter centered around the Rue Croix Baragnon and the Rue des Arts.

Toulouse offers attractions and sights of interest that will appeal to every visitor. Information about all the other popular activities in Toulouse can be found at the Toulouse Tourist Office, located on the Square Charles de Gaulle.