Free Tour of Toulouse: History & Highlights of the "Pink City"

Would you like to learn about the city’s history while exploring its landmarks? Join me as we discover how the Celtic city of Tolosa became the European capital of the aerospace industry—without losing any of its charm. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry used to have coffee at CAPITOLE, and long before that, a municipal assembly built a palace that still serves as city hall today. Can you imagine a medieval city where the residents filled the squares for assemblies, just like in Ancient Rome? At the Basilica of SAINT SERNIN, we’ll talk about the Camino de Santiago, the language of the troubadours—Occitan—and the traces left by Spanish exiles in the city. At the Jacobins Convent, we’ll discover who the Cathars were and how southern France experienced one of the most fascinating and dramatic episodes in medieval Europe. And finally, we’ll travel back to the Renaissance to explore Toulouse’s golden age, when the “blue gold” trade filled the city with palaces. Includes a PDF with recommendations so you can continue enjoying Toulouse like a local. By the end of the tour, you’ll see the city through new eyes and understand why Toulouse is known as the “Ville Rose.”