Toul
Subprefecture and commune in Grand Est, France
title: "Toul" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1552-disestablishments-in-europe", "communes-of-meurthe-et-moselle", "leuci", "subprefectures-in-france", "former-republics", "free-imperial-cities", "vauban-fortifications-in-france", "three-bishoprics"] description: "Subprefecture and commune in Grand Est, France" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toul" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Subprefecture and commune in Grand Est, France ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox French commune"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Toul |
| commune status | Subprefecture and commune |
| image | Toul-cathedrale-2005.jpg |
| caption | Toul Cathedral |
| image coat of arms | Blason Toul 54.svg |
| arrondissement | Toul |
| canton | Toul |
| INSEE | 54528 |
| postal code | 54200 |
| mayor | Alde Harmand |
| term | 2020–2026 |
| intercommunality | Terres Touloises |
| coordinates | |
| elevation min m | 200 |
| elevation max m | 400 |
| area km2 | 30.59 |
| population | |
| population date | |
| population footnotes | |
| image flag | Toul Flag.svg |
| :: |
|name = Toul |commune status = Subprefecture and commune |image = Toul-cathedrale-2005.jpg |caption = Toul Cathedral |image coat of arms = Blason Toul 54.svg |arrondissement = Toul |canton = Toul |INSEE = 54528 |postal code = 54200 |mayor = Alde Harmand |term = 2020–2026 |intercommunality = Terres Touloises |coordinates = |elevation m = |elevation min m = 200 |elevation max m = 400 |area km2 = 30.59 |population = |population date = |population footnotes = |image flag=Toul Flag.svg}}
Toul () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.
It is a sub-prefecture of the department.
Geography
Toul is between Commercy and Nancy, and the river Moselle and Canal de la Marne au Rhin.
Climate
Toul has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Toul is 9.8 C. The average annual rainfall is 761.1 mm with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 18.6 C, and lowest in January, at around 1.3 C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Toul was 37.9 C on 11 August 1998; the coldest temperature ever recorded was -17.8 C on 9 January 1985.
|width = auto |collapsed = true |location = Toul (1981−2010 normals, extremes 1968−1998) |single line = Y |metric first = Y |Jan record high C = 15.2 |Feb record high C = 20.2 |Mar record high C = 24.3 |Apr record high C = 27.2 |May record high C = 29.4 |Jun record high C = 33.4 |Jul record high C = 36.8 |Aug record high C = 37.9 |Sep record high C = 30.9 |Oct record high C = 26.5 |Nov record high C = 19.4 |Dec record high C = 17.2 |Jan record low C = -17.8 |Feb record low C = -16.3 |Mar record low C = -14.6 |Apr record low C = -5.6 |May record low C = -2.1 |Jun record low C = 0.2 |Jul record low C = 4.3 |Aug record low C = 3.8 |Sep record low C = 0.3 |Oct record low C = -4.9 |Nov record low C = -10.9 |Dec record low C = -17.6 |Jan high C = 3.8 |Feb high C = 5.4 |Mar high C = 10.2 |Apr high C = 13.6 |May high C = 18.2 |Jun high C = 21.1 |Jul high C = 24.4 |Aug high C = 24.2 |Sep high C = 19.5 |Oct high C = 14.2 |Nov high C = 7.9 |Dec high C = 4.9 |year high C = 14.0 |Jan mean C = 1.3 |Feb mean C = 2.0 |Mar mean C = 6.1 |Apr mean C = 8.8 |May mean C = 13.1 |Jun mean C = 16.1 |Jul mean C = 18.8 |Aug mean C = 18.6 |Sep mean C = 14.7 |Oct mean C = 10.4 |Nov mean C = 5.1 |Dec mean C = 2.6 |year mean C = 9.8 |Jan low C = -1.2 |Feb low C = -1.3 |Mar low C = 1.9 |Apr low C = 3.9 |May low C = 8.0 |Jun low C = 11.1 |Jul low C = 13.2 |Aug low C = 12.9 |Sep low C = 9.8 |Oct low C = 6.6 |Nov low C = 2.3 |Dec low C = 0.2 |year low C = 5.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 63.2 |Feb precipitation mm = 51.2 |Mar precipitation mm = 55.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 52.1 |May precipitation mm = 73.2 |Jun precipitation mm = 77.2 |Jul precipitation mm = 58.9 |Aug precipitation mm = 54.4 |Sep precipitation mm = 65.2 |Oct precipitation mm = 73.7 |Nov precipitation mm = 62.7 |Dec precipitation mm = 73.8 |year precipitation mm = 761.1 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 12.1 |Feb precipitation days = 10.2 |Mar precipitation days = 11.6 |Apr precipitation days = 10.1 |May precipitation days = 11.7 |Jun precipitation days = 11.5 |Jul precipitation days = 8.6 |Aug precipitation days = 7.7 |Sep precipitation days = 8.8 |Oct precipitation days = 11.7 |Nov precipitation days = 10.7 |Dec precipitation days = 11.5 |year precipitation days = 126.2 |Jan snow days = 7.4 |Feb snow days = 7.3 |Mar snow days = 4.6 |Apr snow days = 1.6 |May snow days = 0.1 |Jun snow days = 0 |Jul snow days = 0 |Aug snow days = 0 |Sep snow days = 0 |Oct snow days = 0 |Nov snow days = 2.4 |Dec snow days = 4.4 |year snow days = 27.7 |source 1 = Météo-France{{cite web | url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_54463001.pdf |title=Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1981-2010 et records | publisher = Météo-France | access-date = August 23, 2022}}}}
History
Toul was known to the Romans as Tullum Leucorum, and was the capital of the Gaulish tribe of the Leuci.
In 550, King Theudebald convoked a synod at Toul. In 612, King Theudebert II of Austrasia was defeated by King Theuderic II of Burgundy near Toul. By the Treaty of Meerssen of 870, Toul became part of East Francia, the later Holy Roman Empire. During the High Middle Ages, it became a Free Imperial City. Toul was annexed to France by King Henry II in 1552; this was recognized by the Holy Roman Empire in the Peace of Westphalia of 1648. It then was a part of the French province of the Three Bishoprics.
Toul was the seat of the bishops of Toul; the diocese was founded around 365 and existed until 1807.
During the siege of 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War, the last time that Toul's defenses were used as a classic fortress, 64 guns opened fire at 6:00 a.m. on 23 September, and the fortress surrendered at 3:00 p.m. after 2,433 shells had been fired.
The city was also the primary base of the Air Service, United States Army, a predecessor organization of the United States Air Force during World War I. As such, it was a base for many of the 45 wartime squadrons of the First Army Air Service, including the squadrons of the 1st Pursuit Group, First Army Observation Group and others. The Americans referred to the area around Toul as the Toul Sector. Two large operations were launched from this area: the St. Mihiel Offensive and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, both in September 1918. During World War II, the American 358th Fighter Group used Toul-Croix De Metz Airfield (A-90) during the fall of 1944 and spring of 1945, and Toul-Rosières Air Base (BA 136) was an American NATO air base during the 1950s and 1960s.
Population
|align = none |cols = 2 |percentages = pagr |source = EHESS and INSEE (1968-2017) |graph-pos = bottom |1793 |8015 |1800 |6940 |1806 |6973 |1821 |7535 |1831 |7507 |1836 |7333 |1841 |7037 |1846 |7158 |1851 |7271 |1856 |8191 |1861 |7687 |1872 |6930 |1876 |10085 |1881 |10012 |1886 |10459 |1891 |12138 |1896 |12201 |1901 |12287 |1906 |13663 |1911 |15884 |1921 |12363 |1926 |11951 |1931 |12656 |1936 |13267 |1946 |9389 |1954 |12134 |1962 |14155 |1968 |14780 |1975 |16454 |1982 |17406 |1990 |17281 |1999 |16945 |2007 |16230 |2012 |16271 |2017 |15832
Sights
The most striking features are the impressive stone ramparts. Those that exist today are the work of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, Louis XIV's military engineer. In 1698 he designed a new enclosure and work began in 1699-1700. Several of Vauban's fortifications in France are listed as a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although the fortifications at Toul are not in that list they do follow the general defiladed fortification pattern for which Vauban is known. There appears to have been a fortified town at this location since the earliest recorded history. Today, the ramparts encircle and define the old town. They are built of dressed white stone, and topped with grass, and in places are over five metres high.
There is a great deal of Roman archaeology in the area and allegedly some in the town. The Roman fortified town of Grand is some 30 km away, with its great amphitheatre and temple to the Cult of Apollo.
The old town's architecture is dominated by past glories in various states of decay, including a major Gothic cathedral, which is in a poor condition and is being slowly restored. Many of the houses were built as canonical residences in the Late Middle Ages and bear vestiges in the form of ornamental stonework. The gothic chapel of the Knights Templar Commandery of Libdeau is undergoing a major restoration.
There is no trace of the monastery, however its wine-cellars still exist, under the shops on the north side of the Rue Gambetta. (Access is possible via the Camera Shop).
Transportation
Toul is at the intersection of the river Moselle (which divides into the river proper and the Moselle Canalisée just outside the town) with the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, and was once, consequently, an important port. The barges known as péniches still navigate these watercourses commercially, typically carrying steel, though in the summer much more of the water traffic is for pleasure.
There is a main-line railway station at Toul, the last major station before the (once vast, and still very large) marshalling yards at Nancy. However, the Paris-Strasbourg TGV line, completed in 2016, passes about 20 km north of Toul, approximately midway between Metz and Nancy.
Economy
The surrounding countryside is a wine-growing region, in which the AOC Côtes de Toul vintage is produced. Particularly notable is the Gris de Toul.
Administration
Toul is the seat and part of the canton of Toul, and of the arrondissement of Toul.
Twin towns
- Czech Republic Jaroměř, Czech Republic, since 1996
- Germany Hamm, Germany, since 1987
- Poland Ostrołęka, Poland, since 2006
Notable people
- Saint Gerard of Toul, bishop
- Antoine Augustin Calmet, monk
- Marcel Bigeard, French Army General
- Anne-Laure Blin, politician
- Mickaël Causse, Neuroscientist
- Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr, military leader
- Rachid Hamdani, footballer
- Louis Majorelle, furniture designer and manufacturer
- Pascal Vigneron, musician and director of the Bach Toul Festival
Gallery
Toul Mairie.JPG Apothicaire Toul.JPG Monument 02113.JPG France Grand Est 54 Toul 01.jpg France Grand Est 54 Toul 06.jpg Toul Meurthe-et-Moselle Fontaine Louis Curel.JPG Façade du Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Toul.jpg Cathédrale de Toul-Façade.JPG|Facade Collégiale_Saint-Gengoult_de_Toul.jpg France Grand Est 54 Toul 03.jpg Toul église saint evre.JPG Toul église Saint-Paul croix de Metz.JPG Toul chapelle Notre-Dame.JPG Toul chapelle Lidbeau.JPG Toul chapelle gare cou.JPG Toul Chapelle saint charles hôpital.JPG Toul chapelle abbaye saint mansuy.JPG Toul abbaye saint mansuy.JPG Toul église saint mansuy.JPG Toul Temple.JPG Synagogue Toul.JPG
References
References
- (13 September 2022). "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises.
- {{Cassini-Ehess. 37808. Toul
- [https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-54528#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
- Griffith, Paddy. (2006). "The Vauban fortifications of France". Osprey.
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