10 must-sees in Toulouse: what to see in the Pink City and the City of Space

Something that has always caught my attention in most of the cities I have visited in Franceexcept the wonderful Paris and some other cities, especially with a university atmosphere, is the lack of atmosphere in the streets as soon as evening begins to fall, even in summer.

A good example of this would be the city of Poitiers, which is well worth visiting for its great Romanesque art heritage.

That's why in my first sightseeing visit to Toulouse, South of France, In province of Haute Garonne belonging to the new Occitania region, I was surprised by the great atmosphere that was in the streets of its historic center.

This is largely easy to understand since it is the third university city of the Gallic country.

In fact other university cities such as Rennes o Tours, its historic centers also show a great atmosphere.

Added to this is the more open character that characterizes the people of the south of France, so that it is easy to find squares with very lively café or restaurant terraces, as well as a lot of people on the city's streets of medieval origin.

Toulouse, the Pink City in the south of France

In your walk through the historic center of Toulouse you will discover why they call her the pink city.

This is due to the characteristic color of the facades of the houses, for whose construction bricks were used instead of stones.

In this way, in Toulouse you will find numerous palaces built at the time of the production boom of the plant known as pie.

These mansions combine with the half-timbered houses with brick facades that still remain in the city as an exponent of the medieval period.

If in a tourism trip you consider visit the historic center of Toulouse, an option that is always recommended is sign up for a guided tour.

With various itineraries, you will visit the most notable corners of this city that lives on the banks of the Garonne river, thus discovering their heritage.

What to see and do in Toulouse in one day (our experience)

In my short stay in Toulouse We participated in one of these guided tours with a duration of just over two hours, in which we toured the most important corners of the city and discovered its most outstanding monuments.

Here you have the information with the best places to see and things to do in Toulouse in one day, With the experience of visiting the city on three occasions.

Assézat's mansion in Toulouse

Thus, one of the samples of cultural heritage of Toulouse is the Assézat mansion.

Built in 1557, it is considered a masterpiece of Renacimiento in Toulouse.

Its owner was the merchant Pierre de Assézat who had prospered from the pastel grass trade (paste).

When you visit you will see that the highlight of the building is its patio, with its galleries and balconies.

Our Lady of La Dorada Church in Toulouse

On the banks of Garonne river Find it church of Our Lady of La Dorada.

It is a building whose origins date back to the 6th century, although the current façade, which will remind you of a classic temple, is much more recent, from the 19th century.

To highlight at the bottom is the image of the Black Virgin, which is dressed in luxurious clothing.

And also comment that the interior walls of the church in its day were covered in gold, hence its name.

Place de la Dorada in Toulouse

Next to this church is located the Golden Square, very popular among Toulouse people.

Every July the Tangopostal Festival in which popular tango dances take center stage in this French city.

These dances commemorate the fact that the famous tango singer Gardel was actually born in this French city, which is something little known, and which I discovered when I arrived in Toulouse.

In this area you can see some houses that date back to the Middle Ages, with its typical half-timbered facades (half-timbered).

On the other bank of the river is a popular neighborhood that has its origins in the 13th century, and which concentrated many republicans exiled from Spain after the Civil War.

Basilica of Saint Sernin in Toulouse

Nearby you find the st peter's square, very popular among university students, with its garden area that, in reality, is the remains of the cloister of an old convent.

Now, the main axis of the historic center of Toulouse is the one who since Basilica of San Sernín (Saturnine) takes you to the Capitol Square, Where is the town hall.

The aforementioned basilica is, possibly, the most important historical monument of this French city.

No wonder it is the second oldest in France and the largest Romanesque temple still standing in Europe.

But Basilica of Saint Sernin (Saint Saturninus) is linked to the pilgrimages of the Camino de Santiago French, being one of the main stages of the area, along with the Conques Abbey.

The basilica of Toulouse Construction began at the end of the 250th century to house the relics of the aforementioned saint, who legend says died a martyrdom after being dragged by a bull, around the year XNUMX.

From the architectural point of view, there is no doubt that you will be surprised by its dimensions, which will draw your attention even more when placed in the center of a square.

Built mainly of brick, with decorative stone elements, its tall octagonal tower, 64 meters high and five levels, stands out externally.

Another notable element is the chancel, with its five chapels distributed around the apse.

Of greater artistic interest than the front door is the side door, called Miegeville Gate, which you access after crossing a stone portico, and where you should pay attention to the sculptural richness of the tympanum built in 1110.

The interior of the Basilica of Saint Sernin It is arranged in five naves.

Los Visiting hours of the Basilica of Saint Sernin in Toulouse They are, on weekdays, from 10:18 a.m. to 13 p.m., and on Sundays, from 17,30 a.m. to XNUMX p.m.

To visit certain rooms, such as the crypt or the sacristy, there are special hours that vary depending on the time of year, so for your visit, we advise you check the schedules.

And if you want to see the grounds of the tomb of Saint Saturninus, you must go on November 29, the saint's day, the only one in which it is open to the public.

Bull Street in Toulouse

The San Sernin square, where the basilica is located, part of the bull street which ends in the large esplanade of the aforementioned Capitol Square.

La bull street, like the church of the same name that is in it, remembers the martyrdom of Saint Saturninus, who died dragged by a bull.

Capitol, Toulouse town hall

The great monument in the square is The capitol, that is, the town hall, a building with an 18th century façade neoclassical that alternates stone and bricks of striking red color.

I will tell you that in the paintings and gala rooms of the Capitol Paintings and sculptures from the late 19th century are shown that present notable figures and events of the history of the city of Toulouse.

Convent of the Jacobins

Finally, from this walk through the historic center, I will highlight the nearby Convent of the Jacobins, from the 13th century, a huge brick building with the characteristic southern Gothic style.

The paintings and stained glass windows stand out, although what distinguishes its interior is the enormous ribbed vault known as The palm.

This is the Cité du Spatial, a science theme park in Toulouse.

Ya outside the historic center, and especially if you are doing a travel with children, you can visit the theme park Toulouse Space City.

Apart from the cultural heritage of its historic center, or for the great atmosphere as the third university city in France, Toulouse is also known as the Science City.

If its history has been linked to the development of the aeronautical industry since the end of the 19th century, it is currently known throughout the world for being the headquarters of the European company Airbus.

In fact, it is in Toulouse where said aeronautical company manufactures commercial models such as its current banner, the impressive A380.

As a reflection of this aeronautical tradition, it should not surprise you that one of the attractions that you have the possibility of visiting in your visit of Toulouse Be the Space city, Theme Park located on the outskirts of the city.

Inaugurated in 1985, the Toulouse Space City It receives about 275.000 visitors a year.

During your visit of Space City You will see various exhibition areas, both in pavilions and in the open-air gardens, where authentic spaceships.

and you also have audiovisual shows that take place in spaces known as Planetario y Stellar.

Without a doubt, the first attraction of your visit of Space City is, not only to see imposing spaceships such as rocket Ariane 5, but also to be able to enter them.

On this visit you will be able to learn about the most curious aspects of the daily life of astronauts who have inhabited them.

That is the case of the tour that you can take inside soviet station Mir.

Or even the possibility of sitting like another crew member in the incredibly narrow interior of the capsule Soyuz first generation, used by the Russians in the space adventure developed since 1967.

One of the characteristics of this park is the great interactivity and didactic sense of the exhibitions in its different thematic areas, which undoubtedly makes it a very suitable visit for families.

For example, in the area dedicated to the moon You can make a simulation of the low gravity that you find when moving around its surface.

Or for his part in Mars You can feel the force of the wind that is usual on that planet, compared to how we feel it on the earth.

Other thematic zones are those dedicated to the stars or astronomy.

During my visit to this theme park I coincided temporary exhibition on Mars with information related to the exploration of this planet.

It also included various mockups, highlighting the actual size of the Curiosity, vehicle rover that was moving across its surface.

During your visit of Space City you can also see up to three movies IMAX 45 minutes each.

And it is also worth noting that in this park you will find all the information panels and posters translated into Spanish.

Visiting hours at the City of Space

Los Toulouse Space City visiting hours They depend on the time of year and the days of the week.

Thus, during the summer, the opening hours are from 9,30:19 a.m. to 23:XNUMX p.m., with evening sessions in July and August when the park closes at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

Here you can consult the City of Space schedules in detail.

Space City ticket prices in Toulouse

Here you can consult the Space City ticket prices with various discount options and different prices depending on the season.

Places to see around Toulouse

If you have more time for your stay in the city of Toulouse, you can complete your visit by making a route around its surroundings, and in this way discover other attractive places in the province of Upper Garonne.

In this regard you have the opportunity to learn about the interesting Fronton Vineyard Wine Route.

Just 30 kilometers from Toulouse, this wine-growing area whose center is the aforementioned town of Fronton It allows you to enjoy beautiful vineyard landscapes, visit wineries with history and taste their wines.

Another alternative is to make a route with the Midi Canaldeclared Heritage awarded by the Unesco.

This navigable canal is the result of a pharaonic work carried out at the end of the 17th century, which allowed the development of river transport in the south of France.

On a car route through this area you can visit interesting places such as Bonrepos-Riquet, Revel, Saint-Felix-Lauragais, Port Lauragais and natural areas such as Lake Saint-Ferréol.

Here you can check the attractive places and activities that you can do in a Haute-Garonne route.

Map: where Toulouse is and how to get there

Toulouse It is located an hour and a half by car west of the city of Narbonne, and just over 4 hours north of Barcelona.