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11

Toulouse Travel & Sightseeing Guide

Filed Under France

A trip to Toulouse
Toulouse has recently made a name for itself as the aviation and spaceflight capital of France, with a huge boom in the industry over the past couple decades having helped the city to prosper. This unique status, combined with its richness in history and entertainment, attracts a great number of international tourists looking for an exciting vacation spot.

Flights to Toulouse
Toulouse Blagnac International Airport receives both domestic and international flights, with the latter from mainly European destinations. There are hourly connections with Paris and numerous daily flights to other nearby capitals as well.
From the airport, frequent shuttle services and taxis take passengers to the city centre in about 20 minutes. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Toulouse try Ebookers.

Toulouse

Sightseeing in Toulouse
The town centre has many historical attractions, including the beautiful and immense Capitole building that houses the city government and a theatre. Overlooking the Place du Capitole, this building has been used as a city hall since the 12th century.

The Basilica of St-Sernin, built in the 11th century, is the largest Romanesque church in the country. The 13th-century Church of the Jacobins holds the relics of Thomas Aquinas, making it a popular attraction. The Hôtel de Bernuy and Hôtel d’Assézat are two of the city’s many wonderful Renaissance mansions, which are well worth visiting. A walk by the Garonne leads you to Pont Neuf, the only 16th-century bridge crossing this river.

The Musée des Augustins is an interesting art museum that was formerly a monastery church. Les Abbatoirs is a lovely modern art museum surrounded by a garden with precious views. The numerous universities located in the city always provide a pleasant option for exploring on foot. Other attractions in Toulouse include the cathedral of St-Étienne, Musée Paul-Dupuy, and the Cité de l’Espace, which is suitable for children interested in learning more about spaceflight and aviation. Airbus also offers a tour of its facilities.

Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
Toulouse lives up to France’s renowned culinary reputation, with no lack of tasty menus to choose from. Duck is a local specialty, as is cassoulet, a type of bean stew. Restaurants abound, run by chefs eager to share their expertise. There are also several tea rooms for those seeking out a light snack instead of a full meal.

The local students fuel the city’s lively nightlife, with plenty of live music and concerts offered year-round. Pubs are extremely popular, with a huge variety of them clustered around the trendier neighbourhoods. When the nightclubs close, many people head to one of the after hours spots to keep the party going all night.

Fun by day - shopping and activities
Exploring the markets is a great way to get a taste of local life. There are fresh produce markets daily and a large flea market on Sunday mornings. Toulouse is a convenient base for making trips to other parts of southwestern France. Other towns worth visiting are medieval Puy l’Eveque and fortified Cordes. Albi is a popular destination for its huge collection of Toulouse-Lautrec artwork.

Daytrips
There are many worthwhile daytrip options located within easy reach of Toulouse. Bordeaux is situated just two hours away from city by train, so you can make a trip here to sample all the wonderful wine on offer in this wine growing capital and then return back to Toulouse for dinner.

Not to be missed and only 45 minutes away from Toulouse by train is the castle Carcassonne, which attracts over three million visitors each year. The huge fortification encloses a whole medieval city which is brimming with shops, cafés and restaurants which serve the city’s famous peasant stew, cassoullet.

For nature lovers and history enthusiasts the Pyrenean village of Montsegur is situated a short 1-hour, 30-minute drive from Toulouse. The village is steeped in historic significance, mainly related to the ancient Cathar religious sect. The surround area of Montsequr is also stunning, with rambling hills which make for a great day’s hiking.

Must-see attractions
Possibly Toulouse’s most prized and visited attraction is the Capitol Town Hall and theatre building. Characterised by towering columns and a beautiful pink façade which gave Toulouse its nickname of La Ville Rose (‘the pink city’), the capitol building looks out across the charming Place du Capitol, a great spot for people watching.

Further structural beauty can be found at the Cathedral Saint Etienne d’Auxerre, notable for its magnificent stained glass windows, and the Cathedral Saint-Etienne, a handsome red brick church.

Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the 240-km long canal Le Midi, which connects the Garonne River to the Etang de Thau, is a must-see attraction in Toulouse and is best enjoyed on an early evening walk along its route through the city. In addition to taking in the sights on foot, a boat trip along the Garonne is a wonderful way to appreciate the stunning architecture of the city.

For those with an interest in aeronautical science, the Cite de l’Espace is an aviation museum-cum-theme park which houses replicas of space crafts, a planetarium and other aviation exhibits which prove popular with little science enthusiasts, as well as older ones.

Best time to go
Toulouse is characterised by a warm Mediterranean climate of hot summers and mild winters, with temperatures ranging between 2˚C and 10˚C in the winter and 15˚C and 29˚C in the summer.

If you want to avoid high season crowds, don’t visit Toulouse in the European school holiday months of July and August, and also the month of December. Springtime is generally the best time to visit, when the weather is pleasant and the tourist numbers fewer.

Rainy day suggestions
Situated in a 19th century water tower, the Chateau d’Eau makes for an interesting indoor visit on a rainy day or otherwise. The gallery houses various exhibitions of photography by internationally accredited photographers.

The 17th century former abattoir, Les Abattoirs, also makes for a worthwhile visit with its contemporary art museum and gallery, and is located in large open spaces allowing for pleasant strolls around its tastefully renovated interior.

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