Giant mechanical creatures delight spectators as they roam central Toulouse

French papers are also talking about Catalonia, a new tax for businesses, and a sperm shortage.

The southern city of Toulouse's long romance with the aviation industry began back in 1918, when France's famed airborne postal service airlines, Aéropostal, set up its headquarters in the area.

A giant mechanical spider and minotaur thrilled crowds in central Toulouse on Friday (November 2), as French street theatre group "La Machine" introduced its latest feat. The machines are controlled by dozens of operators who meticulously move every part of its body to make it look as alive as possible.

Thomas Tuchel hailed PSG's 'difficult' 1-0 win at Toulouse after the international break.

Airbus Summit unveils the 'flying taxi', also known as a giant drone, which can carry up to four passengers and travel up to eighty kilometres at a speed of one hundred and twenty kilometres per hour. The aim is to create an environmentally friendly means of transport. The first flight of the latest model is expected to take place in 2023.

The southern French city of Toulouse is famed for its rugby club, its pink brick buildings, its sunny climate, its nightlife and its storied history. Since the 20th century, it's also become home to one of the largest Spanish communities in France. The biggest wave arrived in the wake of the Spanish Civil War, with half a million people crossing the Pyrenees to flee Franco's victorious forces. It was from Toulouse that the exiled Spanish political class was able to prepare a return to democracy in the post-Franco era. Toulouse retains a special place in modern Spanish history, as our team reports.

In March 2012, French jihadist Mohammed Merah went on a murderous spree around the southwestern city of Toulouse. After shooting dead three soldiers, the terrorist set his sights on the Jewish high school Ohr Torah, killing a rabbi and three young children. The attack deeply shook the local Jewish community, with many choosing to leave France altogether. FRANCE 24's Ellen Gainsford and Olivier Faissolle spoke to some of those who remember the horror of that day.

Since 2018, a strange creature has been stalking the streets of the south-western French city of Toulouse. Standing 13 metres tall and weighing in at 46 tonnes, Asterion the Minotaur is a giant wood and steel puppet who has become one of the city's emblems. This unusual artistic language is made possible thanks to extraordinary mechanics: a French-made exoskeleton controlled by five operators who move the minotaur's arms, torso and head. The hard work put in behind the scenes by the designers, technicians and operators turns this giant puppet into a genuine work of art.

A secondary school in southern France embrace of social diversity programming a few years ago is now bearing fruit. Launched five years ago, the initiative aims to welcome students living in the the disadvantaged neighbourhoods of the city. It allows them to grow academically and socially, making a positive impact in the classroom. Noemie Roche and Aurore-Cloe Dupuis report.