Toulouse, France

Toulouse's pink-brick old town along the Garonne has earned it the nickname 'La Ville Rose,' and its identity as home to Airbus and much of Europe's aerospace industry gives it a more low-key, working character than France's larger tourist capitals. The Canal du Midi, a UNESCO-listed waterway, runs right through the city.

Top attractions

• •The Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the largest surviving Romanesque church in Europe
• •Place du Capitole and the Capitole building
• •Cité de l'Espace, a hands-on space and aerospace museum
• •The Canal du Midi towpath for a walk or bike ride
• •The Musée des Augustins, housed in a former monastery

Practical tips

• •A direct shuttle bus links Toulouse–Blagnac Airport to Matabiau train station in about 25 minutes, with tram and metro connections onward across the city.
• •Many shops and some restaurants close for a couple of hours in the early afternoon, as elsewhere in France.
• •Summer afternoons can get uncomfortably hot for sightseeing — save outdoor spots like the Canal du Midi for morning or early evening.

Frequently asked questions