The colours and accent of the South!
A southern city with Spanish accents and Italian facades, Toulouse has
always been open to outside influences and cultures. Though it carefully
cultivates its Occitan identity, its reputation for cultural treasures,
art of living and technological prowess goes far beyond the seas and
oceans. Toulouse is a happy combination of a city that is pleasant to
live in and a metropolitan area that looks to the future.
"Toulouse ville rose "
The first-time visitor to Toulouse is struck by the city’s colour. Over
the years, it was built almost exclusively using tiles and wide Roman
brick – known as ‘foraine’ in the Toulousain Midi. This ancient tradition
still persists today. It is now ten years since it was restored to its
former glory, conferring the warm characteristic colours of the most
gentle of pinks and the most flamboyant of oranges, which light the city
up throughout the day, and earn it the name of the Ville Rose.
History
Toulouse was founded over 2,000 years ago by a Celtic people, the Volques Tectosages,
who settled on the last crossing of the Garonne before the
Ocean. Later, in the 1st Century BC, the Romans occupied
the city and called it Tolosa.
In the 3rd Century, Saturnin, the first bishop of Toulouse,
founded a Christian community. He was martyred and contributed
to the beginnings of Christianity in Toulouse.
The Roman occupation ended in the 5th Century AD when the
Visigoths made Toulouse the capital of the “Kingdom of Toulouse”.
The early Middle Ages saw the birth of the Earldom of Toulouse, which lasted
until the end of the Middle Ages.
The city was then administered by the “Capitouls” from the
12th Century. They ran it for 600 years and enabled the city
to acquire a certain independence.
The 13th Century saw the rise of Catharism, which led to
several years of disorder.
Finally, the Catholics reconquered Toulouse. They built churches and
a university. In 1444, the first provincial parliament was founded and
its representatives were given the power to govern the city.
The city continued to develop as a result of the pastel trade in particular.
The French Revolution marked the end of parliamentary power. The city’s
first mayor was elected. Toulouse became a simple administrative centre
for the Haute-Garonne department.
The industrial revolution boosted the city’s growth and it soon became
the largest city in the region. It was transformed and embellished to
give it its current appearance.
The 20th Century saw the arrival of the great aeronautics companies.
Toulouse soon forged an identity based on aeronautics and space.
Monuments and UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
- the Canal du Midi
As part of the listing of the ways to Santiago de Compostela:
- the basilique Saint-Sernin
- the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques
Key figures
Population:
426,700 inhabitants in Toulouse
762,000 inhabitants in the conurbation
89,000 students: France’s 3rd largest university town
Area covered:
11 800 hectares
Climate:
2,027 hours of sunshine a year on average
Summer
Summers are hot and sunny – average temperature 28°C.
Autumn
Autumn is very mild in Toulouse, often a pleasant extension of summer
- average temperature 15°C.
Winter
Winters are quite dry - average temperature 8°C.
Spring
Spring is often mild - average temperature 12°C.
