Toulouse's Renaissance Unveiled by “la Belle Paule”

What you can expect:

• Explore the Capitole district guided by the character of La Belle Paule, who is linked to this great era of prosperity and urban development in the city, as evidenced by the magnificent private mansions of the district.
• Discover the historical and legendary character of Paule de Viguier, also known as Belle Paule, a privileged witness of the 16th century in Toulouse, marked by the pastel trade, religious troubles, and economic changes.
• Be accompanied by a certified tour guide who embodies the character in a historical outfit.

Program

Immerse yourself in the heart of 16th-century Toulouse with Paule de Viguier, a wealthy and cultured bourgeois woman enveloped in legend. Portrayed by a certified tour guide, Belle Paule will lead you from private mansions to places of power, discussing trade, culture, and religious decadence.

Get to Know Your Guide/Character:

We are in the 1570s, and Paule de Viguier comes from a merchant family that made a fortune from the pastel trade, a plant used to obtain the color blue. Born at the beginning of the century and already of advanced age, Belle Paule, as she will be nicknamed, becomes an important figure in the city's cultural and artistic life. She will recount her transition from the glory days of the pastel trade and architectural splendor in her youth to the economic and religious troubles of the second half of the century.