Toulouse

Toulouse, is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. It lies on the banks of the River Garonne, half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and 590 km (366 mi) away from Paris. With 1,202,889 inhabitants as of 1 January 2008, the Toulouse metropolitan area is the fourth-largest in France, after Paris (12.1 million), Lyon (2.1 million), and Marseille (1.7 million).
Toulouse is the centre of the European aerospace industry, with the headquarters of Airbus, Galileo positioning system, the SPOT satellite system, and CNES's Toulouse Space Centre (CST), the largest space centre in Europe. Thales Alenia Space, and Astrium Satellites, EADS's satellite system subsidiary, also have a significant presence in Toulouse. Its world renowned university is one of the oldest in Europe (founded in 1229) and, with more than 97,000 students, is with Lille the third-largest university campus of France after Paris and Lyon.
Toulouse was the capital of the former province of Languedoc (provinces were abolished during the French Revolution). It is now the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées region, the largest region in metropolitan France. It is also the capital of the Haute-Garonne department.


Colleges and universities


The University of Toulouse (Université de Toulouse), established in 1229, is located here (now split into three separate universities). Like the universities in Oxford and Paris, the University of Toulouse was established at a time when Europeans were starting to translate the writings of Arabs of Andalus and Greek philosophers. These writings challenged European ideology—inspiring scientific discoveries and advances in the arts—as society began seeing itself in a new way. These colleges were supported by the Church, in hopes of reconciling Greek philosophy and Christian theology.In 2012, a group of students decided to move on with this idea and created a major event “Live your dreams”. For the first year, they invited to the event the French Neil Armstrong, Philippe PERRIN, to create a new era of inspiration.
Université Toulouse I, Toulouse School of Economics and Institut d'études politiques de Toulouse
University of Toulouse II – Le Mirail
Université Paul Sabatier (Toulouse III)
Toulouse is also the home of Toulouse Business School (ESC Toulouse), the Institut supérieur européen de gestion group (ISEG Group) and several engineering schools:
ICAM Toulouse (Institut catholique d'arts et métiers)
INSA Toulouse
ISAE SUPAERO (École Nationale Supérieure de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace)
ISAE ENSICA (École nationale supérieure d'ingénieurs de constructions aéronautiques)
ENAC (École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile)
INP ENSEEIHT (École Nationale Supérieure d'Électronique, d'Électrotechnique, d'Informatique, d'Hydraulique et des Télécommunications)
INP ENSIACET (École nationale supérieure d'ingénieurs en art chimique et technologique)
INP ENSAT ('École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Toulouse)
EPITECH (École pour l'informatique et les nouvelles technologies or European Institute of Information Technology)
IPSA (Institut Polytechnique des Sciences Avancées)
EIPurpan (École d'ingénieurs de Purpan)
The most well known high schools in Toulouse are Lycée Pierre de Fermat, Lycée Saint-Joseph and Lycée Saint-Sernin. In 2012 a Jewish school was struck by an attack in which a rabbi, his two sons and the daughter of the school's director were murdered by Mohammed Merah.


Sport


Most notably, Toulouse is represented by Stade Toulousain, a rugby union club competing in the Top 14 competition. Stade Toulousain is considered one of the finest rugby union clubs in all of Europe, having been crowned the Heineken Cup champions four times since 1996.
Toulouse Olympique represents the city in Rugby League, they play in the Co-operative Championship.




Toulouse players in a Championship match against Gateshead (June 2009).
The city also has a professional football team Toulouse FC who play in ligue 1, the top level of football in France.
Fenix Toulouse Handball who play in division 1, the top level of Handball in France.
Spacers Toulouse volleyball who play in division 1, the top level of volleyball in France.
The city also hosted games during the 1998 FIFA World Cup, 2007 rugby world cup and the EuroBasket 1999.


Sights


Capitole de Toulouse (mainly 18th century), housing the Hôtel de Ville, the Théâtre du Capitole (opera house), and the Donjon du Capitole (16th century), located on the Place du Capitole.
Banks of the Garonne (mainly 18th century)
Bazacle
Jardin des Plantes, Grand-Rond, Jardin Royal
Pont Neuf (16th century)
Hôpital de la Grave, featuring a copper dome of the 18th century
Hôpital Saint-Raymond, 16th century hospital
Hôtel-Dieu Saint Jacques, former 16th and 17th century hospital on the banks of the Garonne
Galerie du Château d'eau (19th century)
Canal du Midi
Many Hôtels particuliers (palaces), notably of the 16th century like the Hôtel d'Assézat, the Hôtel du Vieux-Raisin, the Hôtel de Bernuy and the Hôtel de Bagis.
Saint-Pierre bridge, 19th century iron bridge
Wilson Square
Halle aux Grains (19th century)
Gare de Toulouse Matabiau, railroad station
Médiathèque José Cabanis


Museums


Fondation Bemberg, art museum housed in the 16th century Hôtel d'Assézat.
Musée Saint-Raymond, a museum devoted to Antiquity housed in the former 16th century Saint-Raymond hospital.
Musée Paul-Dupuy, houses a collection of decorative and graphic arts
Le Château d'Eau, a gallery dedicated to contemporary photography.
Musée Georges Labit, displaying Asiatic and far-eastern art.
Musée du Vieux Toulouse, a museum presenting the history of the city.
Cité de l'espace (City of Space), a theme park of space exploration.
Muséum de Toulouse (Museum of Toulouse), a natural history museum.