Toulouse Entertainment

The entertainment options in Toulouse are often considered on a par with those found in Paris. The Pink City, as it’s also called, has a rich heritage of art and culture which continues to thrive today, thanks to the growth of new art centres, festivals and international exhibitions.

With its proximity to Spain and its location in the south of France, Toulouse has a pleasant combination of a relaxed lifestyle and dynamic nightlife. The city has also embarked on an ambitious project to illuminate its major bridges, monuments and districts at night. The result is a beautiful and impressive nightscape, with the city taking on a whole new perspective and coming alive at night with light.

Nightlife

A large percentage of Toulouse’s population is made up of university students, who help to keep this city’s nightlife buzzing. There is a lively and diverse bar scene, offering everything from discos to British pubs, and with the city’s new nighttime lighting plan, it all comes to life after dark. Most of the action happens around Place du Capitole, Place Wilson and along the main boulevards. Place St Georges and Place St Pierre are also good areas to wander around in search of fun.

Le Purple is considered to be the town’s trendiest disco for the younger set, along with Disco Le Maximo and Cockpit. Students can be seen gravitating around the Saint Pierre district, where there are dozens of bars. Pubs have a strong following in Toulouse, as do gay bars such as Le New Shanghai and Le Ritmo. During the weekdays, most bars close at 02:00, but on Saturday nights, the party usually lasts until the early hours. Nightclubs around Toulouse typically stay open much later every night of the week. Pick up a free copy of the monthly magazine Toulouse Culture to find out what’s going on.             

Theatre and music

The many theatres of Toulouse offer a wide variety of performances in an array of different settings. The city’s most famous theatre is the Theatre du Capitole, which tends to attract the biggest names passing through Toulouse. This grand old building specialises in classic French operas and operettas, but it also hosts a range of other performance styles. For ballet and local theatre, check out the Theatre de la Digue. If you like classical music, go to the Halle aux Graines, home of the Orchestre du Capitole. The Theatre Zenith and Theatre Garonne are also important venues for dramas and live music from around Europe.

The city’s bars also provide a healthy dose of live music year-round. Jazz and blues seem to be a favourite of Toulouse locals and can be seen frequently at Mandala and Erich Coffee. Several medium-sized auditoriums around the city also host live music. Check out the schedules for Bikini, Bijou, Altigone and Mazades. Several of the festivals in Toulouse focus on music, so you’re sure to find something of interest no matter when you visit.

Festivals

Toulouse has a number of internationally renowned festivals, with a particular emphasis on music. Most of them happen during the summer and early autumn.

• Rio Loco is one of the city’s most popular cultural festivals, offering everything from live music to film and storytelling. Performers come from all over the world, but one specific region is emphasised each year. It is hosted along the banks of the Garonne River, which adds to the festive atmosphere (June).
• The Toulouse International Dance Festival brings together choreographers and dancers from all styles and cultures to celebrate contemporary dance (July).
• Toulouse d’Ete is one the city’s newer music festivals, which strives to give a very diverse and well-rounded schedule of performances. Everything from chamber music to jazz fusion are on offer (July).
• The Toulouse International Organ Festival is a special feature of Toulouse, as it highlights the city’s unique heritage of pipe organs. The festival’s innovative programming blends organ music with other artistic disciplines (September).
• The Festival Occitania is another fantastic cultural event which runs throughout September and October. Cinema, dance, theatre and music are just some of the arts on display by performers from all around the globe.