The secret of the enormous wealth of Toulouse lay in one small plant called woad, or pastel, which came from the plant Isatis tinctoria. Although its flowers were yellow, its leaves produced a deep blue dye, highly valued across Europe for colouring textiles during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This trade began to grow in southern France because the climate around Toulouse, especially the Lauragais region, was perfect for cultivating woad. Farmers harvested the leaves, crushed and fermented them, and shaped them into small balls called cocagnes. These were then traded across Europe, where demand for blue dye was booming, particularly in textile centres in Flanders and Italy. By the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, Toulouse became one of the richest cities in Europe due to this rising demand, which helped the trade expand even faster. Wealthy merchants like Jean de Bernuy and Pierre d'Assézat built grand Renaissance mansions, many of which still stand today, such as the Hôtel d'Assézat, which you will visit later on this tour. This period is often called Toulouse’s golden age. However, the success was short-lived. From the mid-sixteenth century, a cheaper and more intense blue dye from India, called indigo, began to replace woad. At the same time, wars and changing trade routes weakened the market, leading to the collapse of the pastel trade. Yet its legacy remains. The elegant buildings, the wealth, and even the identity of Toulouse as the “Pink City” are deeply tied to this brief but brilliant era of blue gold. Now, follow the map to reach the next stop that lies just behind the Capitole. You can reach it through a passageway in the Capitole if it is open.