This was one of my favourite churches to see in Toulouse. It looks absolutely stunning inside and…read moreoutside. I just sat down nearby and looked at it to be honest. I don't know what it is about it, but I loved it. The architecture, the windows, the area, loved it all.

Saint-Etienne is along with Saint-Sernin one of the two largest churches in Toulouse. Whereas…read moreSt-Sernin is the largest example of a Romanesque church existent, the current St-Etienne is actually two buildings in one. The first is an early example of Gothic style and post dates St-Sernin by at least a couple of centuries. The other, a later addition, is a somewhat later example of the Gothic style. The two are cobbled together in a rather bizarre combination. It is as if one added a ranch style addition to ones Victorian home and botched the job. St-Etienne is the home base for the local Archbishop. To me it is far from a beautiful building but certainly worth seeing as a lesson in architectural history. See both St-Sernin and St-Etienne on the same day to emphasize the contrast. I miss them both and apologize to St-Etienne for my caustic comments.

I am an Aerospace Engineer and my work took me to Toulouse for 4 months. All of my work colleagues…read moreexcept one were French so it was total immersion. My ancestors were from France (near Lille) and even with my poor French, France felt like home. Toulouse is the aerospace capital of Europe so there are lots of foreigners who live and work there and the locals are very tolerant of poor French. The local accent is somewhat different from Paris. What a fantastic experience. I was accompanied by my wife and our teenage daughter and we had a small apartment a few blocks from St-Aubin. I must admit I never set foot in the church but the weekend farmers market nearby was our go to. Fantastic selection of cheeses, meat, vegetables, wine, and the absolute best rotisserie chickens I have ever eaten. Our Sunday ritual was to go to the market buy a chicken, bread, cheese and a bottle of wine and return to our apartment for a long lunch. The roti chickens are sold with wonderful potatoes They also sold roti rabbits and game birds but we always had chicken. I really miss the whole experience.

It's a beautiful building but there was a lot of construction when I visited so it hid most of the…read morefacade of the convent. I got to see the inside but not the gardens or the space around the building. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my brief visit a lot.

This is a place where you can indeed feel being part of history. Walking distance from Place du…read moreCapitole and the famous façade of the Pierre de Fermat school, the convent and church of les Jacobins have been waiting for you since the 13th century. Visit the main room, with its famous pillar called the 'palm tree' for free, but don't hesitate to pay the 3 EUR entrance fee for the cloister. Not only you will be able to see the tower from the patio and take beautiful pictures, but maybe also experience some middle-aged introspective flash. Although in the heart of Toulouse, let the peace and quiet fill you: take a break! http://www.jacobins.mairie-toulouse.fr/accueil/accjaco.htm

From the owner: Pour sa Vierge Noire L'église de la Daurade donne sur la Garonne et jouxte le bâtiment des…read moreBeaux-Arts. Elle ne possède pas de clocher. On en apprécie mieux l'architecture de l'autre côté du fleuve. Elle abrite la Vierge Noire. La statue présentée aujourd'hui est la seconde copie d'une vierge brune connue au Xème siècle. L'origine de son nom, Daurade, est à imputer à sa décoration et non au poisson du même nom. Elle a été en effet décorée de mosaïques aux tessels à la feuille d'or. Elle était donc Deaurata, qui signifie dorée.