Today marks 50 years since the maiden voyage of Concorde from Toulouse, south-west France.

The Anglo-French engineering marvel and worldwide style icon, capable of crossing the Atlantic in less than three hours, was constructed jointly in Toulouse and in Filton, near Bristol.

Toulouse was then the location from where the first test flight of Concorde 001 took off, when it reached a speed of 250 knots and an altitude of 10,000 feet.

Concorde was the first major cooperative venture between Britain and France and was so named after the French word concorde and English word concord, both meaning agreement, harmony and union.

Manufactured by French firm, Aerospatiale, and the British Aircraft Corporation, a total of 20 Concorde aircraft were built in Toulouse and it is a piece of history that the aviation industry cherishes.

To mark the anniversary, Toulouse’s Musée Aeroscopia will be hosting events including guided tours and talks, creative workshops, films and exhibitions, plus flight simulator sessions and Concorde paper-plane-making workshops for children.

Visitors will have the rare chance to board the plane and sit in the cockpit of the Concorde F-BVFC, an aircraft that accomplished an around-the-world flight of 51,354 kilometres in 37 hours and 25 minutes.

The museum will also host an exceptional evening event, with a cocktail reception, opportunities to meet alumni members of the Concorde flight programme and an auction of Concorde collectibles from the museum.

Visit the official website for more information.

Images courtesy: Chloé Sabatier