Toulon (Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm) is a city in southern France and a large military harbour on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur région, Toulon is the préfecture (capital) of the Var département, in the former province of Provence.
Population of the city (commune) at the 1999 census was 160,639 inhabitants (168,200 inhabitants as of February 2004 estimates). Population of the whole metropolitan area (in French: aire urbaine) at the 1999 census was 564,823 inhabitants.
Military roleToulon was used as an Ottoman naval base under admiral Barbarossa during the winter of 1543-1544. To facilitate the Turkish crews, the Christian population had been evacuated.
The military harbour was fortified by Vauban. It witnessed the naval Battle of Toulon (1707) and Battle of Toulon (1744)
Napoleon Bonaparte rose to fame after his decisive role at the Siege of Toulon in 1793.
After the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) the German Army occupied southern France (Case Anton), leading to the scuttling of the French Fleet at Toulon 27 November 1942.
Today, Toulon is the major naval centre on France's Mediterranean coast home of the French Navy airplane carrier Charles De Gaulle and her battle group. The French Mediterranean Fleet is based in Toulon.
Ecclesiastical historyThe legend which states that a certain Cleon, who accompanied St. Lazarus to Gaul, was the founder of the Church of Toulon, is based on an apocryphal document composed in the fourteenth century and ascribed to a sixth-century bishop named Didier.
Honoratus and Gratianus, according to the 'Gallia Christiana', were the first bishops of Toulon whose names are known to history, but Duchesne gives Augustalis as the first historical bishop. He assisted at councils in 441 and 442 and signed in 449 and 450 the letters addressed to Pope Leo I from the province of Arles.
A Saint Cyprian, disciple and biographer of St. Cæsarius of Arles, is also mentioned as a Bishop of Toulon. His episcopate, begun in 524, had not come to an end in 541; he converted to Catholicism two Visigoth chiefs, Mandrier and Flavian, who became anchorites and martyrs on the peninsula of Mandrier.
[Toulon Cathedral:[1]
CultureToulon figures prominently in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. It is the location of the infamous prison in which the protagonist Jean Valjean spends 19 years in hard labour. Toulon is also the birthplace of the novel's antagonist, Javert, and the place where Valjean and Javert first meet.
SportThe region is home to rugby union club RC Toulon, currently playing in Rugby Pro D2 at the Stade Mayol, in the heart of the city. The New-Zealand player Tana Umaga played for the RCT for a brief period between October 2006 and January 2007.
The region is famous for being the host of the finals of the annual Toulon Tournament - a football tournament of under 20 national players from around the whole world. The city's top football club is Sporting Toulon Var, currently playing in the third level of French Football (Championnat National). Famous players such as David Ginola, Delio Onis, Jean Tigana, Christian Dalger or more recently Sebastien Squillacci formerly played for the Sporting.
The region is home to Hyères-Toulon Var Basket, playing at the top of the Pro A (best championship in France).
MiscellaneousToulon was the birthplace of:
