november-2010

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FRANCE Population 64,057,792 Currency Euro GDP
TOULOUSE
† €23,510 Dialling code +33
Airport code TLS Flight frequency Three times daily Average temp (Nov) 8°C
Stately Toulouse will be
crackling in November,
with two festivals of
electronic music rocking
the town. Then it’s from
the electronic to the
antique, as the Parc des
Expositions de Toulouse
hosts one of France’s
top antiques fairs (6-14,
salon-antiquairestoulouse).
Anthea Gerrie
is our city guide
ST CYPRIEN
The alternative face of Toulouse,
this neighbourhood across the
river from the town centre has
benefited from the vibrant
conversion of old industrial
buildings into galleries, shops and
clubs. It’s the place to sample
nightlife and contemporary art.
SLEEP Hotel St Claire (29 Place Nicolas
Bachelier, tel. (0)5 3440 5888, stclaire
hotel.fr, doubles from €69) is a two-star
hotel de charme offering exceptional
value, particularly at weekends.
CULTURE Les Nuits Sonores (nuitssonores.com),
a famous Lyon-based
festival of electronic music, visits
Toulouse for the first time this month.
Performances will take place at a variety
of venues, notably the Théâtre Garonne
(1 Avenue du Château d’Eau), from
10-14 November. Not to be missed
when you’re in the area for the festival
is Les Abattoirs (76 Allées Charles-de-
Fitte), a former slaughterhouse now
converted to a superlative museum
of modern art where there’s always
something new and funky going on.
EAT Hemicycle (76 Allées Charles-de-
Fitte, tel. (0)5 6287 7306) on the site of
the old Café des Abattoirs is a salon de
thé as well as a handy place for lunch in
the courtyard of the art museum.
LATER Le Petit Diable (99 Allées
Charles-de-Fitte) offers a variety of
The vast and magnifi cent
St Pierre des Chartreux
church is a city landmark
INFO
Toulouse-Blagnac
airport is 8km
northwest of the
city centre.
Bus A shuttle bus
leaves every 20
minutes to four
stops in the city
centre, including
the station, and
costs €5.
Taxi There are
taxi stands at the
airport that you
can fi nd outside
arrivals door C.
The fare to the
city centre is
around €25.
Tourist offi ce
The main offi ce
is on Square du
Général de Gaulle
(tel. (0)5 6111
0222, toulousetourisme.com).
spontaneous entertainment alongside
its cocktails; expect anything from
torrid tango to a cabaret night.
SHOP The toy market that pops up
alongside the St Cyprien covered food
market on a Monday is a great place
to find vintage playthings for kids, as
well as prints and old comics in the
adjacent paper market.
TIP Approach St Cyprien with a wander
across the beautiful Pont Neuf, and
admire the riverscape when walking
back into town.
CAPITOLE/ESQUIROL
The Capitol square, surrounded
by colonnades, is at the very heart
of La Ville Rose – as Toulouse is
known because of its magnificent
rose-tinted sandstone architecture.
CULTURE Jardins Synthétiques, a new
festival of contemporary music and art,
will transform the usually august Musée
des Antiques Saint-Raymond (Place St
Sernin) into a hothouse of electrifying
performances for three days over the
weekend of 19 November.
SLEEP Citadines Toulouse Wilson (8
Boulevard de Strasbourg, tel. (0)5 3441
7500, citadines.com, rooms from €140)
offers self-catering in a great location.
EAT La Capoul (13 Place Wilson, tel.
(0)5 6110 7072) is a renovated 1920s
brasserie now under the direction of
a Michelin-starred chef. Next door, Le
Bon Vivre (15b Place Wilson, tel. (0)5
6123 0717) is a jolly, unpretentious
place to enjoy local Gascon specialities
like cassoulet and magret de canard.
SHOP The shoe stores of the Rue de
Rome and Rue Alsace-Lorraine are
legendary; two to look out for on the
latter, newly-pedestrianised street
are Minelli (30) and Mephisto (57).
TIP Check out the fabulous City Hall
on the Place du Capitole – it used to
contain the city jail.
LATER Le Père Louis (Rue des
Tourneurs) has been declared a national
landmark after a century as one of the
city’s most beloved watering holes.
MATABIAU
The area around the central station
is a surprising hive of activity,
thanks to hidden streets full of
alternative addresses.
EAT Yassa Fast Food (1 Boulevard
Bonrepos, tel. (0)5 6147 5756) offers
an authentic taste of West Africa as
a change from all that foie gras.
SHOP Wander the Rue de la Colombette
to check out lots of charming little
here-today, gone-tomorrow boutiques,
especially strong on accessories and
jewellery. Vintage fans will enjoy the
retro décor at Entre Hier et Aujourd’hui
(5 Rue de la Colombette).
LATER All Bar (4 Rue Gabriel Péri) is the
hot new reincarnation of the much-loved
Maximo Café, which is now all cool
sounds and edgy design.
TIP Check out the canal opposite the
station to find boutiques and bars
afloat on riverboats.
€119 *
FROM JUST
RETURN ALL-IN
Fly to Toulouse from
just €119* return all-in.
brusselsairlines.com
Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine November 2010 123