Since 23 centuries, Toulouse has been developing on the border of the "Garonne", between the Mediterranean sea and the Atlantic ocean, near the Pyrenees chain and Spain. At the dawn of the 3rd millenial, the "Pink City" has become the strategic crossroads of the south of Europe.
4th Town of France, it is also the 2nd university town after Paris as well as the largest European place for aeronautics and spatial technologies. Rich by its history, its youth, its benevolent climate, Toulouse is a city where it is good to live and study.

TOULOUSE IN SOME FIGURES
4th town of France
Capital of the region "Midi-Pyrénées"
380.000 inhabitants
An agglomeration of 761.000 inhabitants

3rd university town of France
140.000 students
10.000 research workers

1st european center for aeronautics
1st european spatial center (2nd in the world after Los Angeles)
2nd french pole of technical software
Leading pole of production for electronic constituents

TOULOUSE : UNIVERSITY TOWN
The University of Toulouse was founded in the year 1233. Today 4 universities, 16 institutes and more than 360 connected laboratories issue all the traditional national formations as well as 35 diplomas not included in the national curriculum. 14 "Grandes Ecoles" (prestigious higher education institutes with competitive entrance examination) reinforce the formative potential of the city.
You will find a complete description of the fields of education given in Toulouse, on the web site "Pôle Universitaire Européen" of Toulouse

TOULOUSE : DAUGHTER IN THE SKY

It is in the "Pink City", in 1919 that Latécoère founded "l'Aéropostale". Saint Exupéry, Mermoz, Dewoitine or Guillaumet had their take off there. Since then, the town has developed in the same way along the civil aviation. On March 2nd 1969, it is from the airport of Toulouse-Blagnac that the Concorde 001, piloted by André Turcat, did its first trial flight. Since 1970, the Group of Economic Interest, Airbus, is located in Toulouse. The european consortium has become today one of the two most important civil planes manufacturers. 8.000 Persons work each day in the plane division of Aérospatiale in order to supply planes signed Airbus and ATR to worldwide airline companies.
Other aeronautic firms located in Toulouse : Latécoère, Microturbo, Rockwell, Rohr and ABG-SEMCA.

 

TOULOUSE : THE HEAD IN THE STARS

Space industry represents 40 % of the whole french potential and 20 % of the total strength in Europe. Toulouse is also the first european site of satellites' integration with Matra Marconi Space and Alcatel Espace.
The CNES and the Space Center of Toulouse made a "high tech" zone out of the "Pink City". The science of microgravity which saw its birth in Toulouse within the Group of Biological Spatial research, in the field of human physiology and biotechnologies, is being more and more developed.
Other laboratories are turning towards new research linked to space :
The CERT (optical), IAAS, SPOT (satellite to observe the earth), the observatory of the Pic du Midi and of Toulouse (astronomy) and the institution for the study and research of meteorology.

TOULOUSE : THE UNDERGROUND VAL
The development by the firm « Matra Transports », of the VAL, (« light automatic vehicle ») started in 1970, thanks to the studies of Professor Gabillard and thanks to the Public Planning Institution of East Lille.
In France, Toulouse then Orly and Rennes chose it.
This system which has been succesful in Toulouse, has proved to be efficient in Paris (Meteor) and in Lyon (Maggaly).

TOULOUSE : CULTURE AND SPORT
- Toulouse is an athletic town. Capital of rugby, the Stade Toulousain is the club with the most titles in France. The football and basketball teams of Toulouse perform at the highest national level.
- Renovated for the 1998 football worldcup, the stadium is today a modern one of large capacity which can even welcome the big national and international events.
- Sport fans have access to a large choice of sports activities in the town and the region.
- Concerning its culture, Toulouse holds the rank of the capital and compares favorably with the other european metropolis. Music is in particular represented by the National Orchestra of the "Capitole" conducted by Michel PLASSON and the National Chamber Orchestra of Toulouse.
Equipped with an opera (Le Capitole), a concert hall with exceptional acoustic qualities (the "Halle au Grains"), a sports stadium and a "Zenith", the city proposes a selection of rich and varied spectacles. The scene of Toulouse is particularly vivacious, from Rap to Flamenco, from Rock to Argentinian Tango. There exist about 10 theaters, cinema complexes, experimental art spaces as well as the second French Film Library.

TOULOUSE : RENSEIGNEMENTS PRATIQUES

 Mairie de Toulouse : 05 61 22 29 22
 SNCF (trains) : 08 36 35 35 35
 TISSEO (métro et autobus) : 05 61 41 70 70
 Aéroport de Toulouse-Blagnac : 05 61 42 44 00
 Centre régional olympique et sportif de Midi -Pyrénées : 05 61 48 08 93
 Prévisions météorologiques : 05 61 07 84 13
 Pour obtenir les coordonnées des consulats : 05 61 11 02 22
 Conseil général (département) : 05 61 33 40 00
 Conseil régional (région) : 05 61 33 50 50
 Cité administrative : 05 61 58 58 58
 Préfecture de la Haute Garonne : 05 61 33 40 00
 Office des migrations internationales : 05 61 48 73 53
 Office de tourisme : 05 61 11 02 22
 Toulouse AVF accueil : 05 61 55 39 81
 Chambre de commerce et d'industrie : 05 61 33 65 00

Depuis l'étranger : 00 33 5. .. .. ..

 Plan de situation de toulouse.

 Voir le plan de Toulouse.