Top Attractions in Toulouse

Couvent des Jacobins

This magnificent monastery and its peaceful cloister have had a stormy history. In 1234 Pope Gregory IX made one of the Dominican friars Inquisitor, and in the same year, four other brothers lit the first fire of the Inquisition. Disgusted by their behaviour, the population threw the monks out of the city in 1235. But they were back a year later. There is plenty to look at in this extraordinary Gothic edifice. The floor is black marble, and the apse, called The Palm of Jacobins is quite famous. On the head of one of the columns, a bull's head symbolises the martyr, Saint Saturnin. Tours cost EUR10.

Le Capitole

Formerly the head office of the old town magistrates, the city hall is impressive, with its white marble columns all along the front. Today it houses the Capitole Theatre and the Town Hall. As you go through the Henri-IV courtyard you can admire the work of local 19th-century artists such as Jean-Paul Laurens or Henri Martin, while the Hall of Fame contains busts of Toulouse celebrities. The Square is surrounded by red-brick buildings and the ground is marked with the Toulouse Cross, a symbol of the town's historic past.

Cathédrale St-Etienne

Compared to the Saint-Sernin church (a model of symmetry), the Saint-Etienne cathedral is a mishmash of styles. This doesn't matter; it still manages to be the most elegant building in Toulouse. The current façade, whose rose window and entrance don't match the bell tower, is a result of years of construction and renovation work (1209-1613). The choir too is out of alignment with the nave. Its height recalls the Gothic cathedrals of northern France. The inside is a bit cluttered, but there are some good murals in the chapels. In the square outside is the oldest fountain in Toulouse, Le Griffoul (1546).

Basilique St. Sernin

This is the largest remaining Romanesque church in the world. It takes its name from Saint Saturnin, a Christian martyr, who was tied to a bull and dragged to his death in 250 AD. In 402 his remains, previously kept in the du Taur church, were moved here and a small church, Saint-Exupère, was built around them. Work on the present basilica started around 1080. It is worth visiting for the exterior brickwork, the two crypts, the tympanum over the main door depicting Christ's ascension, and the 800 sculpted column heads.

Canal du Midi

It took 12,000 workers and over ten years to build the canal connecting the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Pierre-Paul Riquet designed it in 1667 to boost the local economy; it is now considered one of the masterpieces of Louis XIV's reign, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 241-kilometre canal, lined with hundred-year-old plane trees, is now used by barges, and its banks enjoyed by walkers. The paths have been made into bicycle trails. A trip along the waterway, lasting a few hours to several days is an excellent way to discover the more hidden aspects of Southern France.

Eglise St-Pierre-des-Chartreux

In the 16th century, the Chartreux friars, driven out of the city of Castres by the Protestants, purchased all the grounds north of this church to build a vast monastery (a few of the large cloister's arcades are still visible in the adjacent University Garden). The church nave is divided in two: the first half was for the congregation; only the Chartreux, who had their own separate entrance at the back, used the second. It is beautifully decorated with frescoes, bas-reliefs, series of paintings and a lavish marble altar. To the right of the choir, a tympanum depicting the Last Supper surmounts the door to the Crucifix chapel, which contains magnificent seventeenth-century woodwork.

Dôme de la Grave

Originally founded to cope with victims of the great plague epidemics in the 15th century, it was converted into a general hospital in 1647. The Saint-Joseph de la Grave hospital is still a major medical centre as well as an important feature in the landscape of Toulouse. Its striking copper dome is a happy contrast to the surrounding brick buildings. It is possible to visit the circular chapel under the dome (it was begun in 1758 and completed after the French Revolution): the façade and interior are severe whilst its height of 51 metres is impressive. Walk around the hospital buildings (dating from the 17th and 18th centuries), go through the four courtyards and look out for the Taillefer tower on the North side.

Hôtel-Dieu St-Jacques

Toulouse's first large hospital was founded in the Middle Ages on the left bank of the Garonne River. For centuries it was also used as a shelter for pilgrims on their way to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle. There is a large shell sculpture in the beautiful landscaped gardens. The medical authorities use a section of the present buildings, which date from the 17th century. The Salle Lazare, Salle des Colonnes and Salle des Pélerins, which has its original ceiling, are open to the public. On the first floor, the central staircase opens onto a balcony, which affords a magnificent view of the river.

Monument aux Combattants de la Haute-Garonne

This memorial was built in 1918 in honor of soldiers from the region, who fought during the First World War. Eight tall stone columns lead up to the pediment, on which the names of the main battlefields are engraved. A team of three sculptors created the bas-reliefs. Inscriptions celebrate the French troops' exceptional courage and the return of the Alsace-Lorraine region (occupied by Germany) to France.

Château Bellevue

Built at the top of a vast terraced park, the best-preserved château in Toulouse is now home to the Lycée Bellevue (a school for 15 to 18 year olds). Dating from the turn of the 19th century, the rectangular façade of this building contains row after row of arched windows: an impressive sight from the park entrance. The well-kept gardens have wide tree-lined avenues, and large lawns adorned with unusual concrete statues. The park crosses the Route de Narbonne; on the other side, there are a few sports' facilities belonging to the school, as well as beautiful hundred-year-old trees.