Toulouse

Toulouse is built of distinctive pink brick that glows magnificently at sunset, earning it the nickname 'La Ville Rose.' France's fourth-largest city is the home of Airbus, but its soul belongs to its markets, its cassoulet, its Canal du Midi, and the warm Occitan spirit that makes it one of the most welcoming cities in France. Place du Capitole, the grand central square flanked by the neoclassical Capitole building, is the heart of Toulouse life — its cafe terraces fill daily with students, families, and business people enjoying the southern light. The Basilique Saint-Sernin, the largest Romanesque church in Europe, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a masterpiece of 11th-century architecture with its soaring octagonal bell tower visible from across the city. The Jacobins Convent, where the bones of Saint Thomas Aquinas rest beneath a spectacular palm-tree-like vaulted ceiling, is one of the most beautiful Gothic interiors in southern France. Toulouse's gastronomic identity centers on cassoulet — the rich, slow-cooked stew of white beans, Toulouse sausage, duck confit, and pork — and the rivalry between Toulouse, Castelnaudary, and Carcassonne over the 'authentic' recipe is one of France's most entertaining culinary feuds. The Marche Victor Hugo, the city's covered market, is a must-visit: the ground floor offers the finest produce in the southwest, while the first-floor restaurants serve market-fresh lunches of extraordinary quality. The Cite de l'Espace, one of Europe's finest space museums, celebrates Toulouse's role as the capital of European aerospace with full-scale models of Ariane rockets and the Mir space station. The Canal du Midi, which begins its journey to the Mediterranean from central Toulouse, offers shaded towpath walks beneath centuries-old plane trees. The Hotel de la Cour des Consuls, a converted 18th-century mansion, offers the most characterful luxury accommodation in the city, while Michel Sarran's two-Michelin-star restaurant represents the pinnacle of Toulouse dining. From Toulouse, Albi (the episcopal city with its fortress-cathedral and Toulouse-Lautrec Museum), Carcassonne, and the Cathar castles of the Pyrenean foothills are all within easy reach.

Highlights