Toulouse, University city in Occitania, France
This southern French city sits where the Canal du Midi meets the Garonne River and spreads across multiple neighborhoods on both banks. Pink brick facades dominate the appearance of the old center, where narrow lanes wind between historic buildings and wider avenues run through districts built in later centuries.
Romans founded a settlement here, which later became the center of a Visigothic kingdom in the fifth century. During the Middle Ages trade in woad dye brought wealth, and the town gradually passed under the control of the French crown in the 16th century.
People gather in open squares throughout the old center, where market stalls appear several times a week and cafés stay open late into the evening. Student life fills the neighborhoods around Place du Capitole, where bookshops and casual eateries create a lively atmosphere that lasts well past midnight.
Two metro lines connect the main neighborhoods, and the airport sits roughly twenty minutes outside the center. Several train stations offer direct connections to Paris and other European cities, with most long distance trains arriving at Matabiau station.
A science museum near the edge of town displays a full scale replica of the Mir space station and an Ariane rocket, recalling the aerospace industry here. Locals often call their home La Ville Rose because the brick buildings glow pink at sunset, especially after rain.
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