Toulouse Travel Guide
Toulouse is a city located Southwest of France. It is the 4th biggest city of the country with 487 000 or so inhabitants. Toulouse is most known as the “ville rose” (Pink City) because of the color of the traditional local building material, clay bricks.
But Toulouse history is long, and it once was the Capital of the Wisigoth Kingdom in the 5th century, then the capital of the Aquitaine Kingdom between the 7th and 9th century and so on. Today it is the the capital of the Occitanie region, of the Haute-Garonne department, and the seat of Toulouse Métropole.
We spent one and half days there and we think that’s more than enough to get to see the city and its main landmarks. But you could stay up to 3 days in the city. You will always find something to do.
Table of Contents
Mapping the day
Getting there
There are many ways to get to Toulouse. You can fly there and land at Toulouse Blagnac airport which lies north-west of the city. From there, tale the tram to shuttle AERO (28min to the city center) or the Tram B (also 28min).
But you could also arrive by train, and you will then arrive right next to the city center.
Moving Around
For us the best way to move around Toulouse city center is on foot. Nothing better than walking in this beautiful city. But rest assure there are plenty of buses and also a couple of trams.
Google map will perfectly lead you and tell you which one to take.
When to Visit
You can visit the city all year round, but the weather might not be that nice. Toulouse as a city in south as a better weather than most of France though.
As most of the cities in France, the best time to visit is Mai, June and then September. It is always better to avoid the summer Holidays (July, August).
Where to Stay
We found an amazing Airbnb in the city center, within walking distance of everything. It is a spacious studio with one of the best views in town and a garage.
What to Eat
You may know that we are plant-based diet people, so Toulouse specialities as most of the specialities are not the best for us but here are still some of the local specialities are:
- Toulouse’s Sausage: thick pork sausage sold rolled into a snail shape.
- Cassoulet: stew made of white beans, bacon, salt pork and sauce.
- Chicken à la Toulousaine: chicken filled with Toulouse sausage and is accompanied by other meat, garlic, tomato, onion, and tasty olives.
- Goose liver
- Apple Roustade or apple crumble: super crispy apple pie
Things to do
Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse
Visit the Saint-Sernin Basilica, the largest conserved Romanesque church in Europe. Built between 1180 and 1120 the church is known for the quality and quantity of its Romanesque sculpture.
Couvent des Jacobins
Explore the Jacobin Convent and take a stroll within its private area for 5€ per person. This will allow you to discover a beautiful complex and access to the Cloister, the Chapter House, the Chapel of Saint Antonin, the Refectory, and the exhibitions that are held there regularly.
It was built by the Order of Preachers, a mendicant order whose first convent of the male branch was founded in 1215 in Toulouse by Dominic of Guzman, the future Saint Dominic, to promote the preaching of the Gospel and to fight against the Cathar heresy. These buildings, made entirely of brick, are considered to be the jewels of the Languedoc Gothic art of monastic construction of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Musée des Augustins
Walk by to admire the landmark (which we did, as we are not too fan or museum) or visit the fine arts museum which conserves a collection of sculpture and paintings from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. The paintings are from all over France, the sculptures representing Occitan culture of the region with a particularly rich assemblage of Romanesque sculpture.
Saint Stephen's Cathredal
This is one cathedral that cannot be missed. It has 2 really distinct faces and even gave its name to the surrounding neighbourhood. Yet the origins of the cathedral are unknown. Its first traces date back to 1071, when Bishop Isarn decided to rebuild the then ruined building.
Jardin des Plantes
Take some fresh air in the public garden of Toulouse. This huge garden is actually a complex of 3 gardens connected together with bridges. The others being the “Grand rond’, a garden within a huge roundabout and the “Royal Garden” an exotic trees and pond garden.
Capitole de Toulouse
The historic heart of the city, Toulouse’s elegant Capitol sprawls across the vast Place du Capitole and houses the theater of the same name. From there you will be able to just stroll around and get lost in the sold streets of Toulouse.
Pont Neuf
Pass the famous Pont Neuf to access the other side of Toulouse (Saint Cyprien). Built in the 16th century. This is a great starting point for a walk along the river.
Pont Saint Pierre
Similar to Pont Neuf, this bridge allows you to cross the Garonne River. Built in 1849 and restored in 1987, it is a bridge with a metal deck
Saint Cyprien
Located on the west bank of the Garonne, the lively Saint-Cyprien neighborhood includes the parks of the Prairie des Filtres and the Raymond VI garden. Students from La Grave Hospital University shop in the food markets and Indian stores, and gather in the outdoor cafes and bars of the Place Olivier. Photographs are exhibited in an old water tower, modern art is on display at the Abattoirs, and a huge collection of posters can be seen at the Centre de l’Affiche.
Canal du Midi
Walk some kilometre on the edge of one massive canal and discover local people exercising as you cannot really walk all the canal as it is 241km long.
The Canal du Midi is a French navigation canal with a division canal that has linked Toulouse to the Mediterranean Sea since the 17th century. Originally named “Canal Royal de Languedoc “, the revolutionaries renamed it “Canal du Midi” in 1789. From the 19th century onwards, the Canal Latéral à la Garonne, which doubles the Garonne from Bordeaux to Toulouse, extends the Canal du Midi to provide a navigable route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea: the two canals together are called the “Canal des Deux-Mers”.
Cité de l'Espace
If you have a spare day or have a rainy one, pay a visit the space city.
The Cité de l’espace is a center of scientific culture oriented towards space and the conquest of space, devoted to both astronomy and astronautics. It was inaugurated in June 1997 and allow you to see real space machine and even allow you to visit a space station.
Itinerary
Day 1:
- Saint Stephen’s Cathredal
- Musée des Augustins
- Pont Neuf
- Saint Cyprien
- Pont Saint Pierre
- Capitole de Toulouse
- Couvent des Jacobins
- Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse
Day 2:
- Jardin des Plantes
- Canal du Midi
Day 3 : or Rainy Day
- Cité de l’Espace
“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill
