Toulouse might just be France's most overlooked city. Known as 'La Ville Rose' (the Pink City) thanks to the dusky-pink bricks used in many of its buildings, it's the country's fourth-biggest metropolis and has one of the largest universities outside Paris – and yet Toulouse receives a fraction of the visitors compared to better-known cities such as Nice, Bordeaux and Lyon.

But this vibrant southern city has so much going for it: a crackling cultural scene, a beautiful old quarter packed with hôtels particuliers (private mansions) and a glorious location at the confluence of the Canal du Midi and the River Garonne. Further afield you'll discover a fantastic space museum and the main Airbus factory – both reminders of the important role Toulouse has played in France's aerospace industry.