The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Toulouse immerses visitor in food, history
Airbus hometown Toulouse immerses visitor in food, history of southwest France
Toulouse, in southwest France, makes an interesting, less-touristy destination than many better-known parts of the country. A one-hour flight from Paris, it’s perhaps best known as the city where the giant Airbus is made.
More than 80,000 people work at Airbus, so it’s clearly a major employer in the region.
I’ve been enamored of the Airbus A380 since that aircraft flew me to France from Washington’s Dulles International Airport a few years ago. It carries more than 500 passengers on two levels and is a marvel of modern technology. (See my blog at bit.ly/2mBLnGM.) I flew the A380 again for this trip and was just as fascinated.
The Musee Aeroscopia, which opened in 2015 near the giant Airbus plant on the outskirts of Toulouse, is dedicated to all things aeronautic. There, one can explore the history of aviation and walk aboard legendary airplanes, including an Airbus, the Concorde, the Caravelle and Super Guppy.
They’re displayed in a huge two-level airplane hangar-type building giving views both from above and at ground level. The wall along the building’s second story shows a history of aviation.
The Airbus A380 drew me here, but I found one of the smallest aircraft — the Concorde — to be the most fascinating of the planes on display. And walking aboard was a thrill at Aeroscopia.
A joint venture between the British and French governments, the supersonic Concorde flew from London to New York in a little more than three hours, carrying 100 passengers on the flight that traveled at more than twice the speed of sound.
The Concorde could fly up to 60,000 feet, a height of 11 miles at the edge
of space. From there it was possible for passengers to see the curvature of the earth. The Concorde flew between 1976 and 2003, carrying 2.5 million passengers during its life, including royalty and stars such as Elton John, Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor and Sean Connery. Only 14 Concordes were made, and the sonic booms it caused were the reasons for its demise.
Although Toulouse and its aeronautical advances keep it firmly in the future, its past comes alive in the city’s churches and monuments.
Its city hall, Le Capitole, is organized around Henry IV’s courtyard and adorned with the French king’s statue. Henry was baptized Catholic but raised as a Protestant, and, although he was nicknamed “Good King Henry” for his good deeds, he was the subject of many assassination attempts. He ruled Navarre, on the border of Spain and France, much of which today is considered Basque country. He was assassinated in 1610.
Paintings and sculptures created in the reception halls of the Le Capitole late in the 19th century depict major events that have marked Toulouse history. Among them are the 1209 Crusades against the Protestant Cathar sect in Toulouse, which began a 20year religious war. Be sure to look up while walking beneath its high arched ceilings, held in place by large marble columns, to see the ornate features of the gilded gold ceiling.
This city hall is said to have been constructed on the spot where the bishop Saint Sernin (also called St. Saturninus) was martyred in 257 AD. The bishop’s legs were tied to a bull that ran along the streets, crushing his head.
Gory history aside, the Basilica Saint-Sernin is considered one of the largest and best preserved Romanesque basilicas in all of Europe and is well worth a visit. It’s a key stopover for pilgrims on the Way of St. James, the ancient pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela to the tomb of the Apostle James.
Organized tours are the way to see this wondrous basilica. We watched as blindfolded visitors were led through a hedge maze in the cloister as a means to heighten their sensitivity.
Not far away is the Victor Hugo Covered Market, with 88 vendors offering cheeses, ice creams, wines, chocolate, produce, sausages, foie gras, duck, geese, fish and meats in beautiful, photoworthy displays. Upstairs are several small restaurants ideal for lunch.
It was August during my visit and too warm for my liking to order a cassoulet, the divine dish of beans, sausage and duck for which
this region is known. But it was offered in large sealed quart jars to take home — a temptation until I considered what it would do to my wardrobe if the jar broke en route.
We ate outdoors at the Michelin-starred Villa Tropezienne in front of the market, where I ordered a delightful fish dish napped with a saffron-flavored au jus. We watched as a stream of Lamborghinis, Mercedes, BMWs and other luxury cars exited the parking garage opposite, indicating clearly the wealth of the shoppers here.