The first building on the riverside site of Notre-Dame de la Daurade was a temple dedicated to Apollo, the sun god in Greek mythology. It was converted to a church in the year 410 AD, when the Roman emperor Honorius allowed pagan sites to be converted to Christianity. The current building dates from the 19th century and was constructed in the neoclassical style.
The church hosts regular orchestral concerts, with performances on the basilica’s grand organ often taking center stage. When taking a stroll around the structure, seek out the chapel, housing the rare Black Madonna of Toulouse, also known as Notre-Dame la Noire, protector of the city and its mothers-to-be.
The basilica is set on the bank of the River Garonne in the Old Quarter of Toulouse. From the city's central train station (Gare Toulouse), it's about 10 minutes by taxi or 25 minutes on foot.
The basilica is open daily year-round. Toulouse and the surrounding region have a temperate climate with plenty of sunny weather. In spring or early autumn, the temperatures are agreeably warm, summer months are mostly hot with a humid climate, while winters are mostly mild and wet.
It’s almost impossible to spend time in Toulouse without seeing Place du Capitole, the main square In the heart of the city, flanked by the imposing façade of the Capitole building—home to the city hall and a famed opera house. Stroll the square, stop for coffee at one of the sidewalk cafés, and soak up the southern French atmosphere.
