What's new in Toulouse in 2022?
Visitors looking for an inspiring travel destination in 2022 need look no further than Toulouse. Known as the ‘Pink City’, Toulouse offers fantastic weather, an exciting calendar of cultural and music events throughout the year, and plenty of amazing exhibitions and attractions for visitors. Whether it’s indulging in the famed gastronomy scene, sipping wine at the world’s best wine bar or learning about the city’s 2,000 years of history, Toulouse offers something for every holidaymaker including solo travellers, families or couples.
News for 2022
Why you should visit Toulouse in 2022? More than ever, Toulouse invites young and old to see the "Vi(ll)e en Rose"! Vibrant city of science, its cultural life gives free rein to creativity and emerging new trends in arts, music and gastronomy. Check our latest news for your upcoming visit.
The conquest of Mars at La Cité de l'Espace
If Toulouse has the title of European Capital of Space and Aeronautics, the Cité de l'espace is one of the must-see attractions during your stay! In 2022, this unique place in Europe invites visitors to share in the scientific challenges that await the space agencies for ever more ambitious explorations and inaugurates a brand new area dedicated to the Red Planet: a 200-seat Martian arena.
The Long Ma Dragon in Toulouse
A new creature from Chinese mythology will arrive this year to join the giant Minotaur Asterion and Ariadne the Spider at the Halle de La Machine. The Long Ma Dragon Horse made its first appearance in Beijing in 2014 as part of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Franco-Chinese relations. After having walked the streets of Ottawa in Canada, Nantes and Calais, this imposing machine standing 12 metres high, 5 metres wide and weighing 45 tons will enter the Hall of La Machine and will also walk the Runway of Giants from 19th February to 8th May 2022, culminating in a great show on 16th and 17th April.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and The Little Prince Exhibition
Toulouse will be honouring the iconic French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist and pioneering aviator with a new exhibition, named 'Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Un petit Prince parmi les Hommes' (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: a ‘Little Prince’ among men) at l'Envol des pionniers. This place in Toulouse-Montaudran was not chosen randomly since it was from this very place that Antoine de Saint-Exupéry took off as a pilot and aviator for Les lignes Latécoère. The exhibition retraces his life, from his little boy's winged bicycle to his tragic death aboard the mythical P38 over the Mediterranean Sea, around an original scenography combining personal objects, sound and visual installations... The exhibition ends with a series of colourful sculptures of the Little Prince, created by the artist Arnaud Nazare-Aga.
Pastel; a plant used for dyeing…and brewing beer
The city’s other exceptional plant, although more discreet than the violet, is none other than pastel, or isatis tinctoria to give its Latin name. This colouring plant is today cultivated by local brands Graine de Pastel and Terre de Pastel for its cosmetic properties and since summer 2021 it has even been used in a beer! Terre de Pastel, at the head of the site of the same name located in Labège that combines a museum, a store and a spa, is diversifying its products and has joined forces with local brewery "La Garonnette" to market a summer beer made from pastel honey. This refreshing seasonal drink can be found at several stores across the city in the summer!
Wine-gaming at « les Petits Crus »
Wine-gaming will immerse you into a world that sits somewhere between escape games and wine appreciation! In Toulouse, this fun and convivial activity takes place in the basement of "Petits Crus", a unique venue that only has one thing on the menu...wine and cheese pairings! Rumour has it that an exceptional wine is matured here, a wine from the cellar of the last Count of Toulouse. To get the chance to sample this wine, you'll have to prove yourself worthy by solving tasting-themed puzzles. Will your nose and palate be up to the task? An innovative concept and a great experience to share, ideal for groups of 4 to 6 people!
Electric boats on the River Garonne
Waterborne activities are on the rise in Toulouse! Every summer on the Garonne, Les Caboteurs offer electric boat rentals without a license. Visitors can become the skipper of their own boat for a trip on the river in the heart of the city. For a visit with a unique view of Toulouse's monuments from the water, the simple pleasure of sailing or a romantic aperitif on the water, this experience is one of the must-do activities of the summer season!
Soclo: brand-new boutique hôtel in Toulouse
Just a stone's throw from the banks of the Garonne and the Place du Capitole, surrounded by greenery and with the sound of water lapping in a pool in this lush garden, the visitor can find a traditional art de vivre that the people of Toulouse hold dear! In October 2021, 16-room boutique hotel Maison Soclo set up home in a XVIII Century building where locals from the neighbourhood, budding globetrotters, business travellers and brunch enthusiasts can get together to chat, snack, sleep, swim, sunbathe, read…and enjoy life! An enchanting interlude that will soon become one of the unmissable establishments of the Ville Rose!
Exploring the city with urban games
Far removed from the stress of getting around a big city, a stay in Toulouse and its compact city centre is the ideal opportunity to stroll around and enjoy urban games. Treasure hunts, outdoor escape games and even a fun treasure hunt by bike that covers the streets and parks of Toulouse are offered by Granhòta Games and Agence Paulette Toulouse.
La Maison de La Violette launches its "Jardin confidentiel" cosmetic range
The two founders of La Maison de la Violette have taken on a new challenge: launching their own line of cosmetics called "Jardin Confidentiel" after years of scientific research to develop "Symbiolette®" (patented*), a precious anti-aging ingredient found in the Toulouse violet. These eco-friendly beauty products are all made in the Occitan region, created using violets hand-picked in their Toulouse garden to produce innovative anti-aging formulas with exceptional active ingredients.
We are rugby #2023
The Rugby World Cup 2023 will take place from 8th September to 21st October 2023. In addition to matches held at the municipal stadium of Toulouse (33,150 seats), this also promises to be one big party lasting 45 days that will bring different nations together around one amazing event.
Toulouse has moved to the rhythm of rugby for over a century. The Stade Toulousain rugby club, for its part, was born out of the merging of two student clubs, and adopted the colours red and black in honour of the Capitouls - responsible for administration in the city at the time of the Counts of Toulouse (from 1190) dressed with long red and black robes-. The club owns its own stadium, in the Sept-Deniers quarter. It bears the name of Ernest Wallon, professor of law and director of the club who invested 10,000 francs in order to purchase the 7ha plot that was the site of the first stadium.
Main festivals
February 2022 – Fête de la violette
Every year in February, during the flowering season of this highly-perfumed little flower, the Festival de la Violette is organised by Les Amis de la Violette.
The violet is the emblematic flower of Toulouse, and has been cultivated by the market gardeners in the north of the city since the 19th century. Nowadays, “La Violette de Toulouse” is a registered trademark, to be found on a wide variety of products (sweets, perfume, liqueur, etc.) and offers an excellent reason to celebrate as well as to explore Toulouse - the City of Violets!
toulouse.fr/
May 2022 - MAP (Photo Festival)
MAP Toulouse is the photography festival for the Ville Rose, a meeting point for young talent and major names in photography.
Over several weeks, the entire city transforms into an immense gallery of images, accessible and free for all members of the public.
map-photo.fr
June 2022 – Toulouse Rugby Festival (Rugby event)
Toulouse’s love of rugby will be celebrated when the city’s main square, the Capitole, will be turned into a rugby pitch for the final of the French Championships Top 14 rugby union match. Tournaments and training sessions - to introduce the sport to the youngest fans and for adults to learn more about the sport - will be organised across the weekend, ending with a friendly match for kids and former rugby professionals.
15-19th June 2022 – Rio Loco (Music Festival)
4 days of festivals on the banks of the Garonne to explore the music and cultures of the world, this year will be dedicated to Portugal!
rio-loco.org/
June 2022 – Siestes Électroniques (Electro music Festival)
Siestes Électroniques is a festival in Toulouse devoted to emerging cultures, a niche event with great heart that, since its creation in the Ville Rose, has been taken to Paris and other major cities across Europe. The concept?
Musical discoveries in a relaxed ambiance, stretching out across the lawns of the Compans Caffarelli public gardens.
les-siestes-electroniques.com
End of June 2022 – Tangopostale (Tango Festival)
A nod to Aéropostale, which connected Toulouse and Argentina, and a chance to celebrate singer Carlos Gardel, born in Toulouse, the « Tangopostale » international tango festival is set to make the city pulse once again! More than 80 events, concerts, shows, balls, conferences, exhibitions and films will bring dancers and spectators together in this enchanting world.
tangopostale.com/
July - August – "Open-air Cinema" at Cinémathèque de Toulouse
To experience cinema “differently”, every summer the courtyard of the Cinémathèque de Toulouse transforms into an open-air movie theatre. The Open-air Cinema festival has become one of the highlights of the season at the Cinémathèque and on the Toulouse cultural calendar. Over seven weeks, around forty great films from the history of cinema will grace the big screen on the façade of the building.
lacinemathequedetoulouse.com
July - August – Toulouse d’été (Music Festival)
The Toulouse Summer Festival turned into the unavoidable Toulouse summer musical meeting place. Combining heritage and creation, it displays a music wandering through the most typical places of interest of the city, but also through its most unusual sites, where some confirmed and ready to become famous artists are sharing the show. From classical to jazz music, with worldwide music in between, rock music or songs, over fifty special events are shown to invent or re-invent the various music.
toulousedete.org
September 2021 – Piano aux Jacobins (Piano concerts)
Piano aux Jacobins is the most important festival dedicated to the piano in France.
During the softly lit hours of the concert, Piano aux Jacobins offers a unique alchemy: the Jacobin Monastery, a place full of spirituality and history where the attention of the heart is combined with warm acoustics.
pianojacobins.com/
The brand-new Rose festival comes to Toulouse in September 2022
Rose Festival is a brand-new music festival for 2021, taking place at Le Domaine D'ariane near the centre of Toulouse. Launched by France's favourite rappers, the toulousain brothers Big Flo & Oli, the festival will bring together musicians that appeal to all ages including Fritz Kalkbrenner and Polo & Pan from 2nd - 3rd September 2022. With an exciting line-up expected to be announced over the coming months, music lovers and locals can reach the festival in just 20 minutes via public transport that will be organised specially for the event.
festicket.com/festivals/rose-festival/
October 2022 – Festival Toulouse les Orgues
Toulouse is the organ capital of Europe and there are plenty of good reasons for this. It is not by chance that this event has been brought to life by the people - and the organs - of Toulouse.
The city has a rich and varied organ heritage, including many different styles of instruments from all periods of history. The exceptional number of organs in the city (30, 9 of which are classified historical monuments) and the surrounding region (370) mean that all kinds of music can be played.
toulouse-les-orgues.org/
Further infos
For further infos:
Finn Partners: toulouse@finnparters.com
Toulouse tourist office: Marine Esch / m.esch@toulouseatout.com