Things to see in Toulouse

Combining fun and education, this Toulouse theme park dedicated to the exploration of space features an array of interactive exhibits and experiments. Here you can climb aboard a Soyuz spacecraft, see a replica of the MIR space station, or even one of the Ariane 5 launch rockets. The latest addition to the park, Astralia, includes an IMAX cinema, a huge planetarium and a stellarium. Perhaps the most fun, though, is the space gym, where even adults can have a go at defying gravity. It’s best to leave a full day to make the most of the place.

If there’s one building in Toulouse that doesn’t understand understatement, this is it. With eight marble columns and a sprawling pink facade that stretches across the entire length of the central square, the Capitole isn’t subtle. With all that grandeur, it’s disappointing to learn that it’s only the Town Hall, but its role as the Théâtre du Capitole’s home adds a suitable amount of glamour. The Capitole has a grisly history (the Duc de Montmorency was executed here in 1632), as well as several flights of fantasy (visit the Salle des Illustres for a Toulousain take on the Galleria Farnese in Rome).

As you may have guessed from the name, these used to be Toulouse’s abattoirs (slaughterhouses). They closed in 1989, and today you’ll find a large, airy and decidedly quirky museum of modern art. The exhibitions inside vary throughout the year but look out for the permanent feature outside: a giant pink squiggle that resembles intestines. Take a break in the café or else wander around the grounds trying to guess which object is a piece of art and which is simply a piece of functional furniture.