Issue No. 25

Wander around the city
You can’t go to Toulouse and not visit the
Place du Capitole. The stunning 17th
century neoclassical style façade of the
Capitole building is the equivalent of the
Eiffel Tower in this city. Around this central
area are a series of districts each quite
different from the other and all easy to reach
on foot. Saint-Cyprien on the left bank of the
River Garonne is a bit bohemian, while In the
Tounis district the river Garonette, a branch
of the might Garonne River, has long gone
but its old bridge remains. There’s also Saint-
Georges, Saint-Aubin, Saint-Étienne and the
Carmes districts. Pick up a map from the
tourist office and go walkabout to discover
the many charms of Toulouse.
Above top left: arcade at the Place du
Capitole with painted ceiling; bottom left,
je t'aime tree along the river Garonne;
above street in St Etienne district
Museums, marvels and minotaurs
If it’s culture you’re after, Toulouse will
definitely float your boat. With more than 20
museums there’s no lack of choice from the
Airbus Museum to the Space Museum –
brilliant for tech fans, the Museum of Natural
History which is great for families and any
number of art museums for lovers of
paintings and sculptures and artefacts from
antiquity to modern.