La Ville Rose (The Pink City) is one of France’s most visited cities for many reasons – fun festivals liven up its culture calendar, a huge student population ensures a proliferate nightlife, and it even has its own space-themed amusement park. We’re sold!

Wander around Jardin Japonais

Jardin Japonais, much like Kyoto Garden in London’s Holland Park, was created to invoke the feeling of wandering around a finely manicured Japanese garden, but one that doesnt require a 12-hour flight to get to. It’s free to get in, and features everything you’d expect to find – giant koi carp, painted bridges and cherry blossom trees.

 

Visit A380’s assembly hall

Image copyright: David McKelvey
 
Lots of people are fascinated by aeroplanes, so, being at the forefront of Airbus manufacture, Toulouse attracts its fair share of lovers of the modern-day flying machine. At Let’s Visit Airbus, you can visit the 10-hectare assembly hall where they’re made, and learn about the history of Toulouse’s technological prowess. It costs €15.50 and the tour lasts around 90 minutes.

Discover space at La Cite de l’Espace

Frankly, we were already sold on Toulouse because of the fact it has this space theme park in it. Here, you can see real space crafts, take part in astronaut simulations and see the moon in eyewatering detail from within the observatory dome.

 

Get your dancing shoes on at the Flamenco Festival

You might think a festival centred around Spain’s most iconic musical genre is a weird thing to put on in France, but considering Toulouse is around a three-hour drive from the country’s border, it’s not so far-fetched a concept as it might seem. Taking place during May each year, this festival brings musicians dancers and singers together to create a spectacular series of performances reflective of the fiery art form. You’ll find performances taking place in various venues throughout Toulouse, and you can also learn something new at lectures and exhibitions.

 

Get immersed in the Argentine Tango International Festival

Toulouse is the birth place of Carlos Gardel, a prominent figure in Argentine Tango, and that’s why this festival is set in the Pink City.  During it, you can take part in workshops, view exhibitions and, of course, watch performances of this expressive and passionate art form. It’s an event not to be missed for any fans of Latin dance.

 

Celebrate at the Toulouse Summer Festival

Hosting more than 50 events throughout the city, this festival encompasses everything that is great about summer in Toulouse, merging jazz, rock and world music, and attracting emerging and well-known artists. Summer is a great time to visit the city, if for this reason alone.

 

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