To see something of the modern face of Toulouse, it's necessary to venture out into the suburbs, where you can visit a high-tech amusement park and a very specialized but surprisingly interesting aircraft assembly plant. The first of these is the Cité de l'Espace (daily: July & Aug 9.30am-7pm; rest of year 9.30am-6pm; www.cite-espace.com ; 69F/¬10.52), beside exit 17 of the A612 périphérique on the road to Castres, or take bus #19 from place Marengo. The theme is space and space exploration, including satellite communications, space probes and, best of all, the opportunity to walk inside a mock-up of the Mir space station - fascinating, but absolutely chilling. Many of the exhibits are interactive and, though it's a bit on the pricey side, you could easily spend a half-day here, especially if you've got children in tow.

In 1970 Toulouse became home to Aérospatiale , which, along with the aerospace industries of Germany, Britain and Spain, now manufactures Airbus passenger jets. The planes are assembled, painted and tested in a vast hanger, L'Usine Clément Ader, before taking their maiden flights from next-door Blagnac airport. Members of the public are allowed inside the plant on a highly informative guided tour (occasionally in English; 55F/¬8.39), but you need to apply at least two weeks before with your passport details, or a few days before for citizens of EU-member countries (July & Aug contact the tourist office; rest of year call the company direct on tel 05.61.18.06.01). After a brief bus tour round the site and a short PR film, you climb high above the eerily quiet assembly bays where just one hundred people churn out five planes a week, ably assisted by scores of computerized robots.