In my youth, I had an enormous fascination with aviation. I remained in awe of how a commercial aircraft could seemingly effortlessly defy gravity. When aircraft manufacturer Airbus began production of the world’s largest passenger aircraft, I made a decision. I simply had to visit the Airbus factories one day.

Finally, the time had come. With a small group, we set off for Toulouse. Fortunately, our visit to the factory did not disappoint in the slightest. But ultimately, the surprise of our visit to Toulouse was the city itself! This beautiful, fourth-largest city in France has much more to offer than we had dared to hope. In this blog, therefore, we will not only discuss Airbus. We’ll first take you on a city tour through the pink city on the Garonne.

History of Toulouse

Toulouse was founded around 200 BC. About 80 years later, a Roman legion was stationed there. In the centuries that followed, the city grew to about 20,000 inhabitants. Around 250 AD, Toulouse became Christian. The bishops developed Toulouse into a walled, typical Roman city. Little from this period has been preserved. The Roman brick buildings and city walls were reused for new construction in the Middle Ages.

In the early Middle Ages, Toulouse flourished as the cultural centre of Languedoc. To some extent, there was religious freedom. Many Jews and Cathars were drawn to the city. In the 12th and 13th centuries, there were so many Cathars that the Pope initiated crusades.

In the 15th century, Toulouse developed into one of the richest cities in France. This was largely due to the sale of blue dye (pastel). Wealthy merchants built houses from Roman, old pink bricks. Since then, Toulouse has also been called the pink city. There are still many hotels and mansions that remind us of that period of wealth.

In the years before World War II, Toulouse took in tens of thousands of refugees from the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish influence on the culture is still visible. Over the past 50 years, Toulouse has become a centre of aerospace. Airbus is the largest employer in the region. Despite industrialisation, Toulouse has fortunately managed to retain its charm.

Highlights of Toulouse

Although we went to Toulouse because of Airbus, we found the old city centre even more impressive. In a city like Toulouse, it’s wonderful to just walk or cycle around. For example, along the Garonne or the Canal du Midi. Enjoying the pseudo-Roman buildings with their pink bricks. But also the terraces where it’s good to be around aperitif time!

Curious about the highlights of Toulouse? Then consider taking a guided bike tour. This way you get to know your way around the city and see the main highlights. We often book our bike tour with Baja Bikes. You get an excellent guide who speaks perfect English and knows everything about the city. In Toulouse, Baja Bikes has good e-bikes available.

The bike tour with Baja Bikes takes you through the districts of Capitol, Le Busca, Saint-Etienne, Amidonniers and St. Cyprien. Below are the highlights you’ll encounter on the bike tour. We’ve also supplemented the list with some other favourites.

The Capitol

The heart of Toulouse is the Place du Capitole, the large city square. Here you’ll also find the Capitol, the imposing, palace-like town hall of the city. This building dates back to the late 12th century. It was then the government building of the magistrates of the wealthy province. The pink brick facade in neoclassical style dates from the mid-18th century. A clock tower was added in the late 19th century. In fact, only the courtyard and gate of the original medieval buildings have been preserved.

At the end of the last century, the Place du Capitole became a pedestrian area. The Capitol itself is now the town hall that also houses the opera company Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse and the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. The square and the town hall form the symbol of the city.

Religious buildings

In Toulouse, there is no shortage of beautiful, historic churches. The most important religious building in Toulouse is Saint-Étienne. Construction of the cathedral began in the 13th century. It was only completed in the 17th century. The result is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles, among others.

We also found the Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse certainly worth a visit. The basilica from the late 11th century is one of Europe’s largest churches in Romanesque style. The church is also one of the five major pilgrimage churches on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

Jacobin monastery

What you really shouldn’t miss in Toulouse, in our opinion, is the Jacobin Monastery. This monastery and church were built in the 13th century in the fight against Cathar heresy. The monastery was later expanded with a bell tower, a dining room, a chapel and a chapter house. The church contains beautiful paintings from that period. But also a unique column in the shape of a palm tree.

On the left side of the church is a hidden wooden door. Through this door, you come out onto a cloister built of pink bricks. The inner courtyard is a pleasant oasis of calm. An added advantage in summer is that it’s pleasantly cool there. So it’s the perfect place to go when you want to relax. Especially if you want to escape the tourist bustle in the city centre.

The Garonne

At nearly 650 kilometres in length, the Garonne is the longest river in Southwest France. The river originates in the Spanish Pyrenees. Only from Toulouse towards Bordeaux is the Garonne navigable. The quays and banks of the Garonne are one of the sights of Toulouse. You can walk and cycle along them wonderfully. In many places, you can also relax and enjoy the city life around you. You can even see local youth water skiing on the Garonne.

There are several small islands in the river. In addition, many bridges have been built over the Garonne. One of these is the 220-metre long ‘Pont Neuf’ from the 16th century. This is the only remaining old bridge. Incidentally, ‘neuf’ here does not stand for nine but for new. During the Middle Ages, the bridge was the newest bridge. And also the only bridge that could withstand the sometimes fierce floods. In the evening, Pont Neuf is beautifully lit!

City parks around the Grand Rond

To the east of the Garonne lies the Grand Rond city park from the mid-18th century. The park has the shape of a large roundabout 200 metres in diameter. In the past, the inhabitants of Toulouse came here to play pétanque. Nowadays, you have a fountain, a bandstand (kiosk) and colourful flower beds. A nice place to stroll or rest on a bench from your city walk.

From this park, four park lanes run in north-south and east-west directions. The Allée Jules Guesde leads to the west. Along the park lane lies the beautiful Jardin Royal of almost 2 hectares. You’ll find lawns, winding paths, statues and a pond with a duck house. In addition, several fairly rare tree species occur. Since 2013, the park has been a so-called “Jardin remarquable” (remarkable garden). This designation is given to French gardens of particular cultural, historical, aesthetic or botanical interest.

If you follow the Allée Serge Ravanel south from the Grand Rond, you’ll pass the Jardin des Plantes. This botanical garden was laid out at the end of the 18th century. It was then the place where the poorest in the city could pick medicinal plants. At that time, about 1,300 native and exotic species grew there. In addition to many plant species, the garden offers (remnants of) various old buildings. For example, the natural history museum from the late 16th century is located here. Furthermore, the entrance door is a reconstruction of one of the doors of the old Capitol.

Canal du Midi

The Canal du Midi is a 240-kilometre-long canal that is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It connects the Garonne with the Étang de Thau on the Mediterranean Sea. In the city, busy roads run along the canal. South of Port St-Sauveur, it’s quieter. Along the banks, you can enjoy wonderful walks or cycle rides. The canal is excellent for a fantastic river cruise in France.

Museums

In Toulouse, you have many interesting museums. We find some of these worth visiting even in sunny weather. In case of rain, you really shouldn’t miss the following museums.

• On the south bank of the Garonne lies the museum Les Abattoirs. It’s a museum for modern art. The museum has a beautiful garden with a lovely view of the Garonne.
• More interested in Asian art and Egyptian archaeology? Then go to the Georges Labit Museum. The building in Moorish style alone is worth a visit! The collection is not too large but of high quality. The garden with palm trees completes the picture.
• Les Augustins, which was formerly a monastery church, is now a museum of fine arts. The beautiful building dates back to the early 14th century. It has been a museum since the late 18th century, making it one of the oldest museums in all of France. The building, the garden, and the cool patio are too beautiful not to visit!
• One of the most attractive old mansions in the city is the Hôtel d’Assézat from the mid-16th century. The building is an excellent example of the architecture of Renaissance palaces in Southern France. The beautiful building houses the art collection of the Bemberg Foundation. What we found particularly beautiful is the monumental entrance gate, the patio, and the staircase.

Airbus

Aircraft manufacturer Airbus was established in 1970 as a collaboration between Aérospatiale (France) and Deutsche Aerospace. Later, the Spanish Construcciones Aeronáuticas also joined the consortium. The aim of the collaboration was to provide a counterweight to American aircraft manufacturers. Since its establishment, Airbus has grown to become the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial aircraft (as of 2019).

Our Tour at Airbus

The visit to Toulouse was all about a tour at Airbus. We were particularly curious about the final assembly of the A380*, Airbus’s superjumbo. And we were not disappointed in this. We had already booked the tour in the Netherlands. Upon showing our passports, we were admitted to the large Airbus facility. A guide then took us to a room where we were shown a promotional film.

After this, we went to another, high-level room. From behind glass, we could see the production line of the A380. There were two of those superjumbos side by side at that moment. Impressively large! The guide provided us with a lot of interesting background information. For example, we learned that the customer can determine almost everything themselves. Do you want a shower with golden taps? Fine. Do you swear by Rolls Royce engines? Also good!

After 60 minutes, we were outside again. For me as an enthusiast, it was particularly interesting and absolutely worth it. If you don’t share that fascination for aviation, a visit to the production halls might not be enjoyable enough. In that case, limit yourself to the old city centre of Toulouse.

*) Unfortunately, this type of aircraft is no longer being made. International demand shifted from volume to frequency. For airlines, it proved more lucrative to fly more often with smaller, more economical aircraft.

Aeroscopia Aviation Museum

Next to the Airbus production halls at Blagnac airport, there’s also an aviation museum. Although not as extensive as our own Aviodrome, it’s certainly worth a visit. The museum contains a unique collection of aircraft. There are two Concordes and a Caravelle. You’ll also find a replica of the Blériot VI. With this aircraft, Blériot made the first air crossing of the Channel in 1909. More information about the Aeroscopia aviation museum.

Airbus Tour: Practical Matters

• Tours are given in French, English, and Spanish from Monday to Saturday. Book online and in advance.
• Photography is strictly forbidden, and identification is required.
• The tour address is not indicated on the website. You need to go to the following address: Rue Franz Joseph Strauss Village Aeroconstellation, 31700 Blagnac.

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