Twenty-nine members of the Worshipful Company of World Traders gathered in Toulouse at the end of May for this year’s Master’s Weekend, organised and hosted by Richard and Karen Burge.
As the annual trip aims to combine business, culture and fellowship, Toulouse proved to be the perfect destination. Whilst many members arrived expecting a modern industrial city dominated by Airbus, they quickly discovered something rather different: elegant pink-hued buildings, grand squares, beautiful churches, hidden courtyards and a rich history stretching back centuries.
Our visit began with a guided tour of the city’s historic centre, introducing us to some of Toulouse’s most important landmarks, including the magnificent Place du Capitole (where the café proved to be the perfect meeting point for an aperitif each evening), the Basilica of Saint-Sernin and the Jacobins Convent. Despite temperatures climbing well into the thirties, members embraced the challenge with good humour and a determination not to let the heat interfere with either learning or lunch!
A particular highlight was our visit to Airbus, one of the world’s great engineering success stories. What could easily have become a highly technical and rather “nerdy” experience was transformed by an exceptional guide into a fascinating insight into innovation, manufacturing and global trade. The scale of the operation left a lasting impression on everyone.
The group also enjoyed a visit to Maison de la Violette, a charming floating museum housed on a barge on the Canal du Midi. Here we learned that the famous Toulouse violet is quite unlike other varieties. A highly scented winter flower, it has become an important symbol of the region. The informative presentation was followed by a wonderful shopping opportunity, featuring everything from perfumes and sweets to liqueurs and preserves.
If Airbus demonstrated engineering at its most sophisticated, the Halle de la Machine showed engineering at its most imaginative. Members joined delighted schoolchildren in watching musical instruments created from discarded household objects before being introduced to the venue’s giant mechanical Minotaur. Entering the vast hall puffing clouds of smoke and proceeding to spray spectators with water, it created equal amounts of surprise, laughter and delight. Many members happily rediscovered their inner child and agreed that if every child were introduced to engineering in this way, there would be no shortage of future engineers.
There were visits to two beautiful gardens which proved to be a cool and calm respite from the heat. The frequent ice-cream stops helped too!
No visit to Toulouse would be complete without experiencing the food for which the region is famous. Throughout the weekend members enjoyed a variety of local specialities. We started with the rich and hearty Cassoulet that is synonymous with the city in a traditional ‘no-frills’ restaurant. The next evening we experienced modern tasting dishes and plenty of wine in a restaurant that overlooked the city’s terracotta rooftops and setting sun. The third night saw us enjoying fine dining in an elegant brick-lined ‘cave’. Being France the food and wine was an integral part of the visit and provided plenty of fuel for both conversation and exploration.
The visit concluded with a gastronomic walking tour in central Toulouse and on to the bustling market. We sampled regional specialities including cheeses, foie gras and local sweet delicacies, before gathering for a final, and delicious lunch together.
As always, the true success of the Master’s Weekend lay not only in what we learned, but in the friendships strengthened and conversations shared. Toulouse surprised, educated and entertained us in equal measure and many look forward to retuning in the future. We arrived expecting Airbus and industry. We left having discovered history, culture, engineering, gastronomy and a great deal of laughter.
Karen Burge
The Master’s Consort
