Toulouse - The Violet Capital
Toulouse is one of the largest cities in France, only overshadowed by Lyon, Marseille and of course Paris. The city is located in the Department of Haute Garonne and is also administrative center of the Midi-Pyrenees. The name Toulouse derives from the old Occitan name, Tolosa. The city is also remarkable for being traversed not only by the river Garonne, but also the Canal du Midi.
The French also have a special name for the city of Toulouse, they call it "la ville rose" (the pink town). And when visiting the city the reason is obvious - most of the buildings are build with a typical local pink brick!
Being centrally located in south-west France means that Toulouse is subject to both Mediterranean and Oceanic climates, thus giving it a temperate climate, hot and dry in summer and relatively mild in autumn and winter.
There are three important winds which blow across the city: firstly there is the west wind, which brings with it a lot of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean. Then there is the wind known as the "Autan" which blows from the south-east. This wind is hot and dry. Finally there is the wind coming from the north, blowing much less frequently, but it is cold and dry. The Autan is often called by the locals "the maddening wind" or "the devil's wind", since it affects everything in its path, apparently affecting the normal calmness of the inhabitants, both human and animal, making them much less calm!
More than a metropolis, Toulouse is a major technology center specializing in aeronautics, aerospace, telecommunications and medicine. The city is also the European capital of the aerospace industry. Yet she continues to diversify, particularly in the domain of medical research, with the planned "Canceropole". Toulouse is also the next largest university town after Paris.
Toulouse is also the proud owner of several major historical and architectural features, the oldest being the Pont-Neuf bridge, and then of course there is the world-famous Canal du Midi, both dating from the seventeenth century. Next, and perhaps most impressive, is the huge Capitole building, built in the eighteenth century. For those interested in industrial history, Toulouse was a major pioneer in aviation, with links to names such as Jean Mermoz and Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The renowned Aerospatiale company set up there in 1927.
Toulouse is also home of the French national center for weather prediction. This meteorological center was set up in Toulouse in 1982 and is now responsible for the prediction of weather patterns for the entire country.
Toulouse is also known for violets, which are cultivated there both for the flowers and for their perfume.
Toulouse is also home to a huge quantity of museums and cultural festivals. Indeed Toulouse is known throughout the whole of Europe as a city of many major international festivals. It is thus a major tourist destination. Visitors to the city will find it impossible to avoid coming into contact with major centers such as the Zenith, the Meditheque and the Congress Center. There are also the more recent Museum of Modern Art, known as the Abattoirs (since it was indeed the old city abattoir). Then there is the famous and impressive Cite de l'Espace (Space City). And not to be missed is the incredible Capitole Museum with its impressive Salle des Illustres - a giant room brimming with huge paintings and frescoes.
As for the "Cite de l'Espace", it will uncover for you a fascinating world, by using animations such as the re-creation of a part of the Russian space station "Mir", an "Ariane" rocket, and especially through the amazing spectacle of the IMAX 3D cinema and the planetarium, a real astronomical simulator. This is really impressive stuff!
As for high culture, there's lots to be found in Toulouse. Perhaps most impressively, the Capitole Theatre provides a memorable encounter not only with the world-famous Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, but also the impressive Toulouse Opera and ballet companies. The orchestra itself became renowned under the leadership of Michel Plasson, it's chief conductor for many years, with a wide-ranging repertoire ranging from the Baroque to contemporary performances. Today it is in the capable hands of the young Ossetian conductor Tugan Sokhiev, trained in St Petersburg.
For further information on France, the French lifestyle and Reunion in French, please visit Rencontres Reunion at Antonio Bonito's QuePourToi.com rencontres chaudes web site.
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