The 'Pink City' is France's fourth with a population of 420,000. It is the capital of the French mid-Pyrenees region, the country’s largest.

The Municipal Stadium is home to Stade Toulousain, the most iconic of club rugby teams and arguably the most successful. Rugby has always been at home here, since the first international was played at the venue against Czechoslovakia in 1956. The highlights came, however, when 'Les Blues' recorded Test victories over the All Blacks in 1977 (18-13) and then in 1995 (22-15).

Though Ireland will not play here in 2007, a sizeable contingent from Munster will have painful memories of the venue where they were denied a European Cup final spot by a late Frederic Michalak try and a Jean Baptiste-Elissalde conversion.

The city is awash with students lured by the climate, the relaxed life on the banks of the Garonne and, of course, the education at three universities and 14 colleges.

Its nickname derives from the colour of the bricks used in the 15th-century architecture in the old town, but this is a progressive town and is regarded as the European capital of aeronautics, housing the headquarters of Airbus Industries.