TOULOUSE AREA cluster ofsleepy regional cuisines. Devote atleastaday,luxuriouslylazylunchobligatory,toexploringthe examples ofmedievalandRenaissancearchitecture –nottomentiononeofFrance’srichest Armagnac liqueur,slow-pacedGasconyisidealforexperiencingsome ofFrance’sfinest tic. Famous foritslushcountryside,fineGaillacwine,foiegras(fattened liver), ducks,and a 1st-floor abedforthenight. window–asure seeking signofawarmwelcomeforwalkers Delve intothequietlanesandnarrowalleysofthistownspotoddrucksackstrungfrom St-Jacques enroute hikers toSpainandSantiagodeCompostela continuetopicnicpilgrim-style. withitsmagnificentAbbayeSt-PierreMoissac, 70kmtothenorth, andcloister where Cheminde with itselegant18th-centurymansions Condom,110kmtothenorthwest, century HuguenotstrongholdofMontauban,53kmnorth; the16th- red-brickhistoric andstunninglyscenictowns:Toulouse-Lautrec’s Albi,75kmnortheast; bars,cafésandclubs,knowthatSpainisjustaroundthecorner.until dawninitspacked thiscityisdynamic,confidentandbagsoffun.Party withstudents consortium), manufacturing hi-tech industries(notablyaerospace;thisistheepicentre EADSaircraft ofthehugeEurope-wide is alandrichinhistoricalsights,andfascinatingtoexplore. regional boundarieswere redrawn almosthalfacenturyago. Geographicallimboaside,this Once Languedoc’straditionalcentre, Toulouse,not quite thePyrenees, washived offwhen Area Toulouse 734 © LonelyPlanetPublications West ofToulousecity,theregion ofGascony(Gascogne)rollsallthewaytoAtlan- In thesouthPyrenees strideout,spikyandsnowcappedonthe horizoninfive small, Toulouse itselfisoneofFrance’sliveliest andfastest-growing cities. Bolstered byitsbooming
HIGHLIGHTS
POPULATION: 2,560,000 Fatten up on fattened gooseandduckliver inthegastronomicvillageof InvadeCondom’sarmyofsurrounding Delve master intothelife, at workandmind ofanartistic Grab a PlayastronautsatToulouse’sinteractive Sip an Spa missing itsseasonal Fat Market Canal duMidi ( p740) ( p744) untildawnwithToulouse’sstudent-busy and party Albi’s (p740) Musée Toulouse-Lautrec apéro bike ( p746 ) andgoforaspinalongthepea-green on bastides , taking timeoutafloatatthe , taking place St-Pierre (fortified medieval villages) northwest ofToulouse. medievalvillages)northwest (fortified ( p744 ), catchalocalband (p748)
and cheekymuseum;RomanAuch, 77kmwest;and bastides Cité del’Espace Buddha Boat (fortified medievalvillages; (fortified p756 ) AREA : 45,350 SQ KM nightlife
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Canal du Midi Villefranche l'Ariège de Lauragais Vallée de Vallée (100km) To Andorra To (35km) To Cahors To Ariège Foix During WWI, Toulouse became an arms French crooner Claude Nougaro (1929– French N20 Ramonville St-Agne turies later, during the Wars of Religion, the of during the Wars turies later, n Pamiers r Toulouse Auterive The heart of Toulouse is bounded by the River Toulouse River is bounded by the The heart of 2004), born and bred here, sang Toulouse about here, 2004), born and bred tribute in the bittersweet Orientation and its Garonne (west) and bd de Strasbourg merchants grew rich in the 16th and 17th cen- rich grew merchants turies from the woad (blue dye) trade, until the Portuguese began importing indigo from India. The Toulouse parliament ruled Languedoc 1789 Revolution. from 1420 until the In the and aircraft manufacturing centre. Antoine de St-Exupéry, author of 1920s, Prince Petit mail flights to northwest ing pilots pioneered staying in the Africa and South America, often city between WWII, Toulouse sorties. After the country’s aerospace became the nucleus of in- have planes built here industry. Passenger as well as and Concorde cluded the Caravelle the 555-seat Airbus A380, and local factories space rocket. also produce the Ariane a city sided with the Catholic League. Toulouse T L'Union ARIÈGE Montauban
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Château du Busca Maniban GARONNE Two waterways slice through the city: the Two waterways From its narrow medieval and al- streets Baise TOULOUSE AREA TOULOUSE GASCONY Trie-sur- Arreau To Fourcès To (3km)
TOULOUSE TOULOUSE History History supported the Cathars (see p799 ). Three cen- ). Three p799 the Cathars (seesupported Visigoth capital from AD 419–507. In the 12th Toulouse and 13th centuries the counts of Toulouse, Tolosa Romans, was the to the romantic any time of day. of romantic any time pea-green Canal du Midi and the mucky pea-green both peaceful and Garonne, brown River tious energy into its riverside bars, live-music live-music bars, riverside into its tious energy clubbing alternatives. and late-night venues Its sizeable student population of 115,000 gives 115,000 gives Its sizeable student population of the place a youthful kick and injects an infec- Toulouse and tumultuous history. oozes a rich (the pink city) is France’s fourth-largest city. fourth-largest (the pink city) is France’s thanks to its mirage of rose-red brick buildings – rose-red of thanks to its mirage given is dazzling: no surprise really art in its sleek a tour; see metro (take two-line ) to its dynamic dining and café scene, p741 this friendly city – pink by day, bright by night, pop 437,100 lonelyplanet.com leys to the many churches and cathedrals, and cathedrals, leys to the many churches From the fun ’n’ funky works of contemporary From the fun ’n’ funky works of