About me:Hi, I'm in my 30's, love writing although I don't seem to get any time to do any these days! Seems L...
Member since:07.03.2001
Reviews:30
Members who trust:22
Review rated by 7 Ciao members on average: very helpful
A few years ago my mother-in-law bought a plot of land in the south of France with the intention of building a house to live in. That was the summer of 1998. That Christmas, my husband and I went to visit and we crammed as many wonderful places into our week holiday as possible. One place in particular was fascinating. This place was le city de l’espace, Toulouse. (Space City for anyone not up on the French lingo!) It was a relatively new attraction when we visited – less than a year since first opening. It was a huge place with outdoor and indoor attractions.
As it was the middle of winter (and even the south of France has a winter!) we decided to get the outdoor bit over and done with first as it was very cold and windy although the sky was clear and blue and the sun was shining. There was plenty to see and do but the most impressive outdoor attraction was the replica of the Russian space station MIR. It had walkways built round and through it which when followed took you on a fascinating journey through an actual space station. It had a space wash-basin which many people wouldn’t have thought about. But obviously without gravity, water cannot flow the way we know it! You had to put your head in a bowl and also your hands through side openings. Then you turned the water on inside. I can imagine that the first time you tried to wash without gravity would be a most peculiar experience, as the water would be floating aimlessly around! There were information boards placed everywhere and they included a number of different languages thankfully. It’s all very well seeing things but you really need to be able to read the write-ups to appreciate it fully.
Indoors was even better. There were so many different space related sections to visit. It is most definitely a place to spend a whole day. And even then you have to move quite quickly. (Maybe on the sections, which interest you less so that you can spend more time on the parts that you find more interesting.) It’s more than just a read, look and learn kind of place. It’s very touchy-feely. A haven for kids too. As I went during the school holidays, it was packed with kids. But they tended to stay with the very interactive displays such as the gravity board, which helped you jump like an astronaut on the moon. There was also a planetarium, which is a bit like a theatre the way the seats are arranged, but the whole dome shaped ceiling becomes the screen. A commentary is broadcast alongside these images and they have a number of showings throughout the day. It is totally amazing to see and hear. Yes it was in French! But they have a way of solving the language barrier for international visitors. For a small fee you can hire a translator box and headphones, which can be used all around the centre. It’s particularly useful in the planetarium though. One point though – if you go, make sure you visit the planetarium earlier in the day as the battery lifespan wasn’t particularly good and my unit packed in about ten minutes into the show. But maybe they have solved this problem by now as I made this comment in their comments box.
The only other disadvantage I found was that the restaurant at the centre was rather expensive, as were the snack type item like sandwiches. But be prepared and you can take your own to cut out this expense. And hey, let’s face it, food is always expensive at events like these whatever country you’re in! All in all it was a brilliant day out. If you have kids, there is bound to be something that will amuse them even if they are the most difficult kids on earth! But more than that, all the time they think they’re having fun, they’re actually learning! Excellent. I would most definitely recommend a visit if you are going anywhere near Toulouse. But do make a day of it for the best satisfaction!!!
29.03.2001 19:27
Great opinion - Thanks Donna.