Toulouse is also known in France as "la ville rose" (the pink town), due to the color of the principal material of construction, 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.

Typical of this part of south-west France, Toulouse is crossed by three major winds: a north wind, a west wind and a south-easterly wind. The west wind blows from the Atlantic and brings with it moist air and rainfall. The northerly wind, much less frequent than the other two, is cold but very dry. But perhaps the most well-known and prevalent wind is that from the south-east, regularly known by its name the "Autan". This wind is dry and hot, but it also possesses some interesting side effects. The locals often refer to it as the "devil's wind" or the "crazed wind", since its effect on the minds of many whose paths it crosses, both humans and animals. So tourists beware!

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.

From a historical perspective, Toulouse also possesses several major features, perhaps the oldest being the bridge known as the "Pont-Neuf" (actually "New Bridge" in English), and also of course the renowned Canal du Midi which passes right through the center of the town. Both were constructed during the seventeenth century. Then there is the incredible Capitole edifice, constructed in the eighteenth century. There is also a huge amount of more contemporary history, such as the impressive Aerospatiale works, created in 1927, for which guided tours are available.

The national center for weather prediction in France was established in Toulouse in 1982, which is responsible for forecasting the weather for the whole of the country.

Toulouse and violets - the two words are almost synonymous, since Toulouse is home to the violet, with the little flower and all its sweet and fragrant derivatives being spotted throughout the city, whether in the form of flowers, confectionery or perfume.

A city boasting a rich heritage, a major French center of culture with many museums and festivals, known throughout France and indeed the whole of Europe, Toulouse is today a major tourist destination. In Toulouse, it's impossible to avoid contact with cultural centers, such as the Congress Center, the Mediatheque Jose Cabanis, the Zenith, The Abattoirs museum of modern art, the "Cite de l'Espace" and the National Theatre. The Capitole museum with its superb "Salle des Illustres" is a necessary visit!

A particular mention is worth making of the Cite de l'Espace - a huge area just on the periphery of the city which opens up quite literally a whole universe of space, stars and space travel, by means of some creative animations and reconstructions. Take a look inside the Russian space station, Mir, or an Arianne rocket. Then go and view space in the impressive IMAX 3D cinema, not forgetting of course the planetarium, an incredible simulation of the universe.

The "Theatre du Capitole" provides an unforgettable encounter with the "Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse", which has an international reputation in the domain of classical music, and has become one of the foremost orchestras in the world under the direction of the conductor Michel Plasson. It is now under the artistic direction of Tugan Sokhiev.