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Toulouse is one of the largest cities in France, only overshadowed by Lyon, Marseille and of course Paris. The city is located in the Department of Haute Garonne and is also administrative center of the Midi-Pyrenees. The name Toulouse derives from the old Occitan name, Tolosa. The city is also remarkable for being traversed not only by the river Garonne, but also the Canal du Midi. The French also have a special name for the city of Toulouse, they call it "la ville rose" (the pink town). And when visiting the city the reason is obvious - most of the buildings are build with a typical local pink brick! Toulouse is situated at 141m above sea level on the banks of the river Garon, with its source in the nearby Pyrenees mountains, which on clear days are easily visible to the south. Its location centrally located in southern France means that Toulouse is subject to both Mediterranean and Oceanic influences, thus it has a temperate climate, mild in autumn and hot and dry in summer. There are three important winds which blow across the city: firstly there is the west wind, which brings with it a lot of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean. Then there is the wind known as the "Autan" which blows from the south-east. This wind is hot and dry. Finally there is the wind coming from the north, blowing much less frequently, but it is cold and dry. The Autan is often called by the locals "the maddening wind" or "the devil's wind", since it affects everything in its path, apparently affecting the normal calmness of the inhabitants, both human and animal, making them much less calm! However, Toulouse isn't just a major tourist destination, it's also a thriving hub of technology, serving any technologically advanced industries including medical, telecoms and aerospace. In fact Toulouse is known internationally as center of the European aerospace industry. But never a city to "let the grass grow under its feet", Toulouse is always at the forefront of research, and soon plans to become a world center in cancer research, with a major area to be given over to cancer research. Not surprisingly, Toulouse is also a major university town, second only to Paris. Two key features of the city are the Pont-Neuf and the Canal du Midi which were completed in 1632 and 1682 respectively. Then there is the Capitole, constructed in the eighteenth century. In the 1920s, Toulouse was the pioneering center of the aviation industry, with the key Aerospatiale company being established in 1927, with such notable names such as Antoine de Saint-Exupery and Jean Mermoz. Toulouse is also the weather capital of France and is home to the national meteorological center. It was set up in the city in 1982 and since then has been responsible for predicting the weather for the whole of the country. Toulouse and violets - the two words are almost synonymous, since Toulouse is home to the violet, with the little flower and all its sweet and fragrant derivatives being spotted throughout the city, whether in the form of flowers, confectionery or perfume. Toulouse is also home to a huge quantity of museums and cultural festivals. Indeed Toulouse is known throughout the whole of Europe as a city of many major international festivals. It is thus a major tourist destination. Visitors to the city will find it impossible to avoid coming into contact with major centers such as the Zenith, the Meditheque and the Congress Center. There are also the more recent Museum of Modern Art, known as the Abattoirs (since it was indeed the old city abattoir). Then there is the famous and impressive Cite de l'Espace (Space City). And not to be missed is the incredible Capitole Museum with its impressive Salle des Illustres - a giant room brimming with huge paintings and frescoes. As for the "Cite de l'Espace", it will uncover for you a fascinating world, by using animations such as the re-creation of a part of the Russian space station "Mir", an "Ariane" rocket, and especially through the amazing spectacle of the IMAX 3D cinema and the planetarium, a real astronomical simulator. This is really impressive stuff! Culturally, Toulouse is a European city second to none, particularly on the musical scene. The Capitole theatre is home to an internationally-renowned orchestra, opera and ballet with world-class productions held on a regular basis. Summer also sees guest appearances from musicians from around the world, making this an ideal destination for those artistically inclined. The National Theatre is also an impressive venue in its new building in the center of the city, boasting an impressive year-round programme.
Article Source: http://www.europe-property.org/articles
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