6 Tips to Comfortably Visiting Toulouse, France

Travel long enough and you should realise that not all cities need to dazzle you with attractions. Sometimes all it takes is a vibe, especially in a foreign country. At least that’s how I felt after visiting Toulouse in the South of France. Even with two full days of sightseeing there, it’s not the Toulouse attractions that stick with me, but rather how it felt to be there. A bit like my hometown of Melbourne, it’s more about the culture and way of life than any specific landmark.

With all that in mind, it wouldn’t make sense now for me to rattle off all the things to do in Toulouse. Instead, I’m going to focus on aspects of Toulouse that I liked. Hopefully this guide with my Toulouse photos and reasons you should visit, will give you a better sense of what to expect from the city. That way, you’ll be fully prepared to make the most of your Toulouse travel experience.

How to get to Toulouse and get around

Toulouse has one of the largest airports in France, making it easy to travel to Toulouse as your first stop in France or the country’s south. Even better, the airport is very accessible from the city centre. To get from Toulouse Airport to the city simply take the T2 tram to either Arenes or Palais de Justice. Both of these stops give you access to the Toulouse Metro with stations right through the city.

Travellers also have great options when it comes to arriving by train and bus. You can easily use Flixbus to get to Toulouse from other major cities and destinations in the South of France. Intercity, regional and TGV trains all come into Gare de Toulouse Matabiau right next to the bus station, as well, simplifying matters.

As previously mentioned, Toulouse has trams and a metro network for getting around the city. I used both to get around without issue. Toulouse also has city buses, but I never found a need for them. Walking around is fine a lot of the time, especially if you’re sightseeing, but you may need some form of public transport if you stay out of the city centre as I did.

Consider buying at Toulouse City Pass for its included attraction tickets and free public transport.

Where to stay in Toulouse

One constant when I travel to France is that I almost exclusively stay in Airbnbs with people hosting me in their spare rooms. This has proved to be the most affordable way to travel in France, while also getting to meet friendly locals.

A slight downside to staying with locals is you may end up a long way from the city centre, as I did. While I enjoyed experiencing a local neighbourhood, the commute to see the sights slowed me down.

I understand that this approach isn’t for everyone. The good news is that you’ll certainly find many of Toulouse’s hotels and hostels much closer to the city centre. My recommendation for where to stay in Toulouse is to look at accommodation in either Capitole, Saint Georges, Saint-Etienne, or Dupuy. As for actual places to stay, these places are highly rated:

• Le Grand Balcon Hotel
• Hotel Albert 1er
• Boutique Hotel SOCLO
• Villa du Taur

Recommendations for visiting Toulouse

Throughout my sightseeing in Toulouse, I noticed themes in the different activities I was doing. While sometimes they meant visiting a major Toulouse attraction, more often than not, it was about appreciating different sides of the city. Here are my tips for exploring Toulouse so that you don’t feel like you’re missing anything.

Wander the Historic Centre of Toulouse

Much like any city in France or Europe, the best place to start with Toulouse is its historical centre. There you’ll find many of the main places to visit in Toulouse and get a real sense of what the city is like. I know this isn’t unique to a Toulouse visit, but it’s worth mentioning all the same.

The borders of the historical centre are a bit vague, but the heart of its Old Town is the Capitole de Toulouse area. You’ll see much of this area if you walk from the Toulouse City Hall or Hotel de Ville right down to Le Pont Neuf bridge on the river.

But again, don’t look at this part of the city as just somewhere to pass through between landmarks. Rather than wondering what to do or what to see in Toulouse, instead just enjoy exploring its city centre. Appreciate where you are and I’m sure you’ll start to better appreciate the city’s atmosphere.

While there are some pretty great pedestrian streets lined with historic buildings, it gets even better when you get into all the city’s narrow alleys. This isn’t just true for Capitole de Toulouse, but also much of the city centre between the Garonne River and the city’s main boulevard.

Linger on the Beautiful Riverfront

As nice as walking through the historical centre is, it can’t compete with the simple beauty of Toulouse’s river. The Garonne River flows right through the city’s core, with high brick walls running by either side. These walls sit in the shade of leafy trees, creating quite a pretty view of the river for you to enjoy.

What makes this one of the best things to see in Toulouse is not only the river and buildings along the far bank but the bridges over the Garonne. The most iconic bridge in Toulouse is the Pont Neuf, a picturesque arch bridge finished in 1632.

One cool thing about the bridge is the ornately decorated openings between each arch are designed to look like the faces of lions. However, the Pont Saint Pierre is no slouch either, thanks to its more modern steel design which I have to say I appreciated.

You really can spend quite a while down by the Garonne River given how much there is to see. This is because there are plenty of significant buildings on both banks of the river.

Buildings like the Notre-Dame de la Daurade or the Chapelle Saint-Joseph de la Grave create quite an imposing presence by the riverfront. There are even venues like Les Abattoirs and its collection of Modern and Contemporary art that you can pay a visit to.

Admire its Balconies and Architecture

Having just come from Sicily before arriving in Toulouse, it was hard not to notice how different the architecture was. Even compared to other places I’ve been in the South of France previously like Nimes, Toulouse stood out. And I’m not just talking about overly grand buildings like the Hôtel d’Assézat seen below.

No, two features of the city’s architecture distinguished it. One is something that Toulouse is so well-known for that it’s earned the city the nickname “La Ville Rose”. It translates to “The Pink City” and comes from the many historic buildings made from terracotta bricks.

You’ll see plenty of these buildings around town, especially around Carmes and St Etienne. But there’s a nice mix of building types around the city, and as they’re often different colours, it creates quite a colourful cityscape.

The other main feature is the city’s love affair with ornate balconies. All around the city centre, you’ll spy balconies done in elaborate wrought iron. It may be a common obsession across cities in France, but Toulouse is the one place where they just seemed everywhere. At least to me anyway.

Find its Distinctive Churches

We all know that it’s quite easy to tire of seeing churches when travelling in Europe. So when you come across ones that are even a little out of the ordinary, it feels like a win. Thankfully that’s the case with some of the main churches of Toulouse. Several of the most popular Toulouse sights are indeed churches and yet they couldn’t be more different.

The city’s most famous is the Basilica of Saint-Sernin because the Basilica is the largest remaining Romanesque building in Europe. It dates from the 12th century and was part of the no-longer-standing Abbey of Saint-Sernin. Other interesting features of it include the lone gate standing away from the building and its five-tiered bell tower.

Then there’s the Toulouse Cathedral, a usually lopsided Gothic building that’s made from two incomplete churches. Perhaps that explains why the main entrance is elaborate stonework, while the rest is simple brickwork. I also found the Notre-Dame du Taur kind of interesting, with its flat and skinny facade wedged in between normal houses.

Take a Break in its Gardens and Parks

If we’re talking about taking it easy in Toulouse then you have to spend some time relaxing in its many green spaces. The centre of Toulouse can feel a bit dense, so it’s nice to break up the sightseeing with wide-open spaces.

The best place for this kind of thing is the intersection of neighbourhoods at the Grand Rond. Not only is this huge roundabout home to quite a nice park and pavilion but it’s also surrounded by other parks and gardens. From Grand Rond it’s worth walking along the vibrant Esplanade Des Français D’Afrique Du Nord lined with trees.

That’s because the esplanade offers access to two lovely gardens, the Jardin Royal and Jardin des Plantes. This is the part of the city to go to if you’re after somewhere peaceful to have lunch. For me though, I just enjoyed having somewhere to sit and rest during my sightseeing.

Explore Different Neighbourhoods

With more time in Toulouse, it’s worth visiting different neighbourhoods around the city. You’ll probably find it a little hard to visit all of these with only one day in Toulouse, but this is more than a “one day city”. Sticking to central neighbourhoods like the Capitole and Carmes is all well and good, but they won’t give you a well-rounded idea of the city.

First up is the classy and elegant neighbourhood of Saint-Etienne, home to the Toulouse Cathedral. It’s directly adjacent to both the Capitole and Carmes but feels noticeably more upmarket in parts. It may even be my favourite part of the city, although the cafes and restaurants of Carmes are pretty inviting.

Then there are districts like Le Busca and Dupuy just past Saint-Etienne that feel like more local inner city suburbs. Very little of Toulouse feels touristy, but these areas aren’t. And that’s the point of exploring destinations like this; gaining a little insight into a place beyond the famous attractions you always hear about.

Have you visited or ever wanted to visit Toulouse? Do you mind visiting destinations that don’t have star attractions? Please share your thoughts in the comments below

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