The Ariane 5 space rocket in the City of Space 'Cite de l'espace'

Shutterstock / Sharon Wildie

Cité de l’Espace

Top choice in Toulouse

The fantastic space museum on the city's eastern outskirts brings Toulouse's illustrious aeronautical history to life through hands-on exhibits, including a moon-running simulator, a rotating pod to test your tolerance for space travel, a planetarium and an observatory, plus a vast cinema to immerse you in a space mission. The showpieces are the full-scale replicas of iconic spacecraft, including the Mir space station and a 52m-high Ariane 5 space rocket.

Since WWII, Toulouse has been the centre of France's aerospace industry, developing many important aircraft (including the Concorde and the 555-seat Airbus A380) as well as components for international space programs.

To reach the museum, catch bus 15 from allée Jean Jaurès to the last stop, from where it's a 500m walk. To avoid queuing, buy your tickets in advance online.

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