We have a weekend booked in Toulouse in July. Whether or not Toulouse deserves more time, this is just a quick break between our 2 weeks in Lourmarin and 2 weeks in Penne d'Agenais.

While we will be there to see the Tour (de France) they won't be riding all day! So, I ask you all, what are some highlights/must-do's in Toulouse?

Laura

I noticed that no one has any suggestions for you on Toulouse. I dug around and found an link to a member's travel blog - Toulouse Plus. They spent 5 days in Toulouse in 2005. You might be an idea of something to see or places to eat from the blog.

Thanks, Marta! I'll be heading that way...

I have to say that Toulouse is one of my least favorite cities that I've visited in France. I found it grungy and unappealing. The modern art museum in a former slaughterhouse is kind of interesting, but the city in general didn't have a lot of attraction for me. I would suggest that you try to get in a day trip to nearby Albi, which we enjoyed much more than Toulouse. It should be a pretty easy train trip. We drove, which was a mistake because the traffic was horrible. This page and the following one are from my trip report, on the time we spent in Albi and Toulouse.

I hope you find more of interest there than we did -- if so, please report back on what we missed!

- Roz

Roz,

Maybe you missed the part above where we're only going to be there one night - maybe two. We're just there to watch the Tour de France (husband is a junkie). I know we'll have some extra time once they enter the city, and before they leave the next day. It's not a "choice" destination, per se, just "since we'll be there".

I gather by the lack of posts most have found it as lack-luster as yourselves, or haven't even bothered to go there. We wouldn't be, except for the Tour...

Laura

Hi chalcalaca,

I have totally the ooposite opinion from the person above, Toulouse is my favorite place in France and one of the most interesting places I have ever been. I spent a week there in April 2006, and had the benefit of visiting my daughter who was living there and studying at one of the universities for a semester, so we had the "insider's tour" as well as the luxury of having a fluent French speaker with us. The city has its grungy areas and has a huge street culture of what I like to call French neo-hippies, but it is a really vibrant place and has great churches, markets, and restaurants, and I found the people very friendly and charming.

I don't know where you are staying, but if you will be near the old city and river, everything is walking distance. There are several big churches/cathedrals, the most famous being St Sernin which is the largest Romanesque church still standing in the entire world (but it is old and a bit run-down and not that interesting in my opinion). The other two that are most well-known are Jacobins (famous for its palm-vaulted ceilings) and Eglise St. Etienne. Not sure if churches are of interest to you, but my favorite by far, and the one the guidebooks will least recommend, is St. Etienne. It was built during two different centuries (they ran out of money), it's part Romanesque and part Gothic, and even has a crooked nave, but it is charming and has my most favorite stained glass ever, including Notre-Dame (lightning may come out of sky and strike me for that one, but it's just my opinion....).

There are at least three art museums other than the modern art slaughterhous mentioned above. Agustins is primarily a sculpture museum in an an old monestary, it's pretty good, but I prefer the Salle Henri Martin, which is a hall of huge paintings in a late impressionist/pointilist style located in the Place De Capitole (the City hall), which is right off the Place de Capitole, the huge central plaza in the city. This hall also has some great murals and frescoes. Buy your tickets at the tourist information center behind the City Hall (where they are very helpful as long as you speak French!!). But my vote for the best art museum is the Bemberg Foundation, which is a little private museum right on Rue de Metz (one of the main streets through town) near the Pont Neuf, which is an amazing little collection of impressionist and fauvist paintings, quite spectacular for a small museum, and can be seen in only an hour or two at the most.

Walking the maze of streets and shopping around the Place de Capitole is also a great way to spend a day or part of a day, and there are lots of places on the plaza to sit and people-watch and enjoy the weather. There is a little park behind the Place de Capitole which is right near one of the old official buildings (I can't remember the French name for it!), the building has great gargoyles and the park has the most interesting assortment of little old French men who meet there and sit on benches and talk every afternoon, and the Roman Wall has also been dug up and exposed in this park.

Not sure if you like to exercise, but there are great running/biking/walking trails along the Garonne River and the Canal Du Midi, also. The Jardin du Plantes and the Grand Rond are both nice parks for wlaking, relaxing, and getting an outdoor drink or snack.

The Marche Victor Hugo is the most famous market, I have not actually been there but can highly recommend another market, Carmes, which is near Esquirol in the old city center. There is a restuarant right next door that serves the the fresh special of the day from the market, as well as another great little place nearby called Chez Fasoul which serves classic Southwestern French food at reasonable prices. A more upscale but also very very good local restaurant is Le Capoul which is on the Place Wilson near the Victor Hugo market. The specialties of the area are anything involving duck, which is fantastic, and of course cassoulet, but there is quite an array fo food for any taste. For breakfast, try The Sherpa on the Rue du Taur near the plaza.

As you can see, I am a big fan of Toulouse! Hope you can find something on this list that interests you!! I would be happy to try to answer any more detailed questions you may have.

Just a quick addition, the building behind the Capitole that I was trying to remember was the Donjon. Great gargoyles, if you a fan of these beasties. Also, the Bemberg Foundation is located in the Hotel Assezat, one of the many old mansions in Toulouse.....

Another vote for Toulouse, one of the loveliest cities in France. A wonderful place for walking around and looking at buildings and people. And certainly the Bemberg, http://www.fondation-bemberg.fr. Even apart from the collection, the house itself is beautiful.

Also the Jacobins, where Thomas Aquinas is buried (interesting for a history buff)with its amazing pillars and lovely cloisters - we've been there when a wedding was taking place in the church and to concerts in the cloisters. Hard to believe anyone wouldn't like it.

In fact Toulouse is one of those cities that regularly tops the polls as the place most French people would like to live.

So enjoy your (short) time there.

Maybe could you pick some ideas in the city tourism website there:
http://www.uk.toulouse-tourisme.com/accueil/index_en.php

Tim, Carlux and Lezert -

THANK YOU! These are wonderful ideas. Thank you for taking the time to post specific spots and locations. We are very easy to please and enjoy just about anything! From your suggestions I know we will enjoy ourselves.

Laura