📖 About Toulouse

Toulouse, known as "La Ville Rose" (The Pink City) for its distinctive terracotta brick architecture, stands as Europe's undisputed aerospace capital and France's fifth-largest metropolitan area with 1.51 million residents. The urban area of 1.08 million (2025) continues to grow at 0.88% annually, reflecting the city's dynamic economy and exceptional quality of life. With a GDP of €30 billion and per capita GDP growth of 2.9%, Toulouse led France in job creation in 2023, establishing itself as one of Europe's most economically vibrant cities.

Toulouse's global reputation rests on its aerospace industry, where over 1,100 companies employ 97,000 workers in cutting-edge aviation and space technology. The city serves as Airbus headquarters and the primary assembly location for the A320, A330, and A350 aircraft families. In 2023 alone, Airbus delivered 735+ aircraft from Toulouse facilities, cementing the city's position at the forefront of global aerospace manufacturing. This concentration of aerospace expertise has created a powerful ecosystem of suppliers, research centers, and educational institutions focused on aviation and space technology.

Toulouse's appeal extends beyond industry—Lonely Planet named it the #1 urban destination for 2025, recognizing its perfect blend of historic charm, innovative spirit, and Mediterranean lifestyle. While 80% of tourism is business and convention-related, aerospace tourism is rapidly growing as visitors flock to see where humanity's most advanced aircraft are built. As France's fourth most visited city (2013 ranking), Toulouse offers a unique combination of medieval architecture, world-class museums, vibrant student culture, and cutting-edge technology.

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💼 Economy & Culture

Toulouse's €30 billion economy is powered by aerospace, which directly employs 97,000 people across 1,100+ companies. As Airbus headquarters and the assembly site for the A320, A330, and A350 families, Toulouse sits at the center of global commercial aviation. The 735+ aircraft delivered in 2023 represent billions of euros in economic activity, supporting a vast network of suppliers, engineers, and specialized service providers. This aerospace cluster has attracted related high-tech industries in defense, space systems, and advanced manufacturing.

Beyond aerospace, Toulouse boasts thriving technology, biotechnology, and research sectors, supported by world-class universities and research institutions. The city's 2.9% per capita GDP growth and leadership in job creation reflect this economic dynamism. Tourism, while primarily business-oriented (80%), is expanding rapidly in the aerospace sector as Airbus factory tours and the Cité de l'Espace attract growing numbers of aviation enthusiasts from around the world.

Culturally, Toulouse blends its historic identity as a center of Occitan culture with a vibrant contemporary scene fueled by its large student population. The city's distinctive pink brick architecture, dating from the Roman era through the Renaissance, creates a unique visual character. Toulouse's location in southwestern France gives it a distinct Mediterranean-influenced atmosphere, with outdoor café culture, rugby passion, and a renowned gastronomic tradition featuring cassoulet and other regional specialties. The city's combination of ancient history and cutting-edge aerospace technology creates a cultural identity unlike any other European city.

📜 History

Toulouse's history extends back over 2,000 years to its founding as a Roman settlement called Tolosa. During the Middle Ages, it became the capital of a powerful independent county and later the Kingdom of Aquitaine, serving as one of the wealthiest cities in Europe thanks to its strategic location on trade routes. The city's golden age produced magnificent Romanesque architecture, including the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, and established Toulouse as a center of learning with one of Europe's oldest universities, founded in 1229.

The modern era transformed Toulouse into an aerospace powerhouse. After World War I, pioneering aviators established aircraft manufacturing in the city, leading to the creation of Aérospatiale (later merged into Airbus). The decision to locate Airbus headquarters and primary assembly lines in Toulouse in 1970 reshaped the city's economy and identity. Today, Toulouse seamlessly combines its medieval pink brick heritage with its role as Europe's aerospace capital, where buildings from the 11th century stand alongside facilities producing humanity's most advanced aircraft. This unique fusion of history and innovation defines modern Toulouse.