Toulouse City Town Guide Toulouse is a charming city known as the Ville Rose (pink town), and its meandering old streets snake their way around with all the indolence of a snail. The birthplace of Concorde and the Airbus is the home of the art de vivre of South-western France, and to this day remains a major artistic and cultural center. Toulouse is a large, fashionable city, and it exhibits its dynamism through its great pride in its past - and its future. Five ideas for discovering another side to the city -  Admire paintings by Bonnard, Cranach and Manet, displayed in the ornate finery of the Bemberg Foundation, one of France's most stunning private art collections. -  Make the most of one of the restaurants of old Toulouse to sample a true Cassoulet Toulousain - the Colombier or Chez Émile, for example. -  Embark on a voyage to uncover the secrets of the cosmos, in the shadow of an Ariane 5 rocket, when you visit the Cité de l'Espace at the edge of town. -  Indulge in some window shopping between the Capitole and the Musée des Augustins, wandering the pleasant Rue de la Pomme, Rue des Arts and Rue de la Croix-Baragnon. -  Go for a gentle stroll along the banks of the Garonne River under the warm South-western sun. Start from the Daurade church, right in the heart of town. The route is well marked and well equipped. Time difference In France, summer time is set at GMT + two hours, and runs from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October. To call Toulouse Dial the international code followed by 33 for France, then 5 for Toulouse and the 8 digits of the person you are calling. Climate Average annual temperature: 13 °C - Spring: 18° C - Summer: 21° C - Autumn: 13° C - Winter: 6° C Holidays These holidays are celebrated throughout France: - 1 January: New Year - In April: Easter Monday (date varies) - 1 May: Labour Day - 8 May: 1945 Victory Day - 24 May: Ascension - 4 June: Monday after Pentecost - 14 July: National Day - 15 August: Assumption - 1 November: All Saints Day - 11 November: Armistice Day - 25 December: Christmas The Festival held in honour of Toulouse's famous violet, the flower used to make the town's best-known liqueur, takes place in February. This is not a public holiday, but a festival which is widely celebrated in the region. Getting around On foot in the center, by metro for longer journeys. Toulouse Tourism Office Toulouse Tourist Office: Donjon du Capitole BP 0801 31080 Toulouse cedex, France Tel: (international n° +33) 5 61 11 02 22 Fax: (international n° +33) 5 61 22 03 63 Toulouse on the Web http://www.toulouse-tourisme-office.com See our Cultural calendar Back