TOULOUSE
Rigour, simplicity and geometry: discover the architectural evidence of Art Deco in Toulouse during the interwar period. After Art Nouveau (the Belle Époque) and the First World War, a new wave of joy and artistic effervescence marked a Europe in full progress. The Pink City also acquired numerous Art Deco buildings to the sound of jazz orchestras…
In France, the Cornudet Law, enacted in 1919 and supplemented in 1924, sought to control the reconstruction of the country and encouraged cities to adopt a plan for development, beautification and expansion. In Toulouse, the application of the law was delayed, but the municipality embarked on major projects to provide the city with social, educational and sports facilities.
This tour takes you back to the context of the 1920s to the 1940s. Between municipal and private initiatives, dozens of monuments and buildings changed the face of Toulouse. Elegant and unusual examples of this are dotted throughout this tour of joyful visual surprises: the Théâtre des Variétés, the post office, the La Dépêche du Midi building, and even Dr Charry’s villa… The guide shows you how to admire Art Deco and its regionalist touch in the form of ocean liner buildings, mosaics, ironwork and brickwork patterns.
