Book Olympic Air Flights to Toulouse

Sightseeing in Toulouse

One of the most characteristic landmarks of the city is the emblematic 12th-century Capitole, which houses the city hall, the opera house and the orchestra of Toulouse, located in the central square of the Place du Capitole. Visit the luxurious Salle des Illustres to discover the history of the city through its artworks and wall paintings.

The historic Canal du Midi, the Canal of the Two Seas, is a magnificent structure from the 17th century that connects Toulouse with the Mediterranean and is included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. The canal gave the economy of southwest France a major boost although its commercial use has today been abandoned. It is worth taking a day cruise along the Canal du Midi in one of the little boats that pass right next to the delightful medieval villages, from where you can also enjoy the sight of the tall vines hanging over the water. The boats for the canal cruises depart from the Quai de la Daurade.

The huge Basilica of Saint-Sernin – the largest example of Mediterranean Romanesque architecture in France – is a wonderful monument that is worth visiting.
Address: Place St-Sernin.

Take a stroll or a bike ride along the banks of the River Garonne in the heart of the city, along the Promenade Henri-Martin and the Place de la Daurade. Start from the beautiful and lush green Daurade, which offers breath-taking views over the river and of the city’s historical monuments, such as the Pont Neuf bridge, the Hôtel-Dieu (the old hospital of Toulouse) and the dome of the Hôpital de La Grave, which is beautifully reflected in the river and is one of the most photographed sights in the city. There is free Wi-Fi in the vicinity.

The heart of the aerospace industry beats in Toulouse. If you want to see what a journey into space is like, then visit La Cité de l’Espace (City of Space). This is a theme park for young and old, where you can stroll without a spacesuit in the full-scale model of the Mir Space Station and explore a full-scale model of the Ariane 5 rocket. The Cité contains two excellent planetariums, as well as a shop selling souvenirs from “space”.
Address: Avenue Jean Gonord-B.P.25855, 0033 5 67222324, www.cite-espace.com

In Toulouse you will find one of the finest museums of contemporary art in France, Les Abattoirs. Housed in a huge complex of former abattoirs, its collections include 2,000 paintings, sculptures and multimedia works. Among its most important exhibits are the giant theatre curtain made by none other than Pablo Picasso.
Address: 76 Allées Charles de Fitte, 0033 5 612485800, www.lesabattoirs.org

At the western end of the Pont Neuf stands the Château d’Eau, an imposing 19th-century tower. This “castle of water”, as its name proclaims, today hosts photography exhibitions by distinguished artists from all over the world.
Address: 1 Place Laganne, 0033 5 61770940, www.galeriechateaudeau.org

Excursions from Toulouse

Plan an excursion to one of the beautiful medieval villages and towns in the region, such as nearby Carcassonne. This delightful fortified town with a long history is located 90 kilometres from Toulouse and is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in the world.

Eighty-five kilometres north of Toulouse is the fairy-tale Albi, birthplace of the famous painter Toulouse-Lautrec. Take the train from Toulouse train station in Place Stalingrad and you will be in Albi in an hour and a half. Here you will be able to admire the wonderful Cathedral of Sainte-Cécile, the thousand-year-old Pont Neuf bridge, the quarter of Saint Salvi and the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, with 1000 works by the artist, the world’s largest collection of his works, in the monumental Palais de Berbi.
Address: Palais de la Berbie, Place Sainte-Cécile, Albi. Tel. 0033 3 63494870, http://musee-toulouse-lautrec.com

Food and entertainment

Toulouse is a vibrant city, with lively nightlife, delicious local cuisine and a wide range of choices for every kind of restaurant. It was, after all, the first university town in the French provinces with a university that was established in 1229 and at least 110,000 registered students in its tertiary education establishments. The local cuisine includes many excellent dishes, thanks to the quality of the ingredients supplied by the vineyards, farms and orchards of Languedoc.

The authentic local dishes of Toulouse include:

Cassoulet, the famous dish of southwest France, a type of bean stew with various meats which you will find in many variations. In Toulouse it is common to add lamb or village-style sausages to it. If you would like to learn more about Cassoulet, then its birthplace of Castelnaudary is only 50 kilometres from Toulouse.

The delicious Saucisse de Toulouse sausage usually accompanies Cassoulet but you will also find it on a plate alongside roast potatoes or fries and in other variations. Made of lean meat, it is of medium length and has a characteristic pink colour.

The well-known delicacy of foie gras d’oie (foie gras made with goose liver), which is becoming increasingly popular in France thanks to the fact that it has a more delicate flavour than foie gras made with duck.

The traditional tart of Toulouse, the tarte Fénétra, the roots of which go back to the Fénétra, the medieval feast of the dead which is celebrated every March only in this area. The tart, which in some versions is more like a cake, is made from apricots, sweet butter, candied lemons and almonds and you can find it in the patisseries of Toulouse.

Accompany your meals with wines from the local vineyards bought from the market in Place Victor Hugo, or with Armagnac liqueur.

For local cheeses, visit the attic of any bistro, where you can enjoy some local varieties in a romantic atmosphere, to the sounds of jazz and by candlelight.

At night the city comes alive thanks to its thousands of students and lovely bars that give the city a warm and festive atmosphere. In Toulouse you will find many tapas bars, as the region borders Spain, as well as music bars and concert venues. After midnight the mood in many bars changes, creating just the right atmosphere for dancing until the small hours.

Shopping in Toulouse

For typical boutique and concept stores take a wander through the old part of Toulouse. You will find beautiful shops along the streets around Place St-Georges, on rue du Taur, rue de la Pomme and rue d’Alsace-Lorraine, with all the latest fashions.

Visit one of the flea markets in the squares of Toulouse for old books and great antiques. They are held every Wednesday in front of the Capitole and at Place Saint-Sernin on the weekends.

In the city’s stationery shops you will find notebooks and other items featuring the Little Prince, the hero of author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who was closely connected to Toulouse, having served here as a pilot for French airmail on the Toulouse-Dakar line.

Events

Every February, the Fête de la Violette (Violet Festival) is held in the Place du Capitole. The city honours the flower that once strongly supported the economy of Toulouse with this winter festival of pleasantly fragrant events. In Toulouse you will find many dishes, sweets, drinks, liqueurs and jams based on the violet, which you must try!

The city’s most important art festival is Printemps de Septembre (Spring in September). It does not have a fixed date so it’s a good idea to get an update at the website www.printempsdeseptembre.com. During the festival the city is transformed into one huge open-air gallery.

If you are in Toulouse in December, then visit the Christmas Market. It is held annually from the end of November and the whole of December in the pedestrian square in front of the Capitole. The square is filled with wooden chalets that are all lit up and from which you can buy handmade toys and warm wine, as well as an ice rink, creating a wonderful festive scene.

Getting from the airport to Toulouse

The recently renovated Toulouse-Blagnac Airport is located 10 km west of the city.

To get from the airport to the city, take tram Τ2 (journey time to the Arènes stop is 21 minutes while to the Palais de justice stop it is 32 minutes). Tisséo buses also connect the airport with the city centre, with a journey time of approximately 20-40 minutes. You can also take bus 30 (Fenouillet Centre Commercial - Aéroport Toulouse-Blagnac) or bus 88 (Department Council of Haute-Garonne), which will drop you off at various stops in the city. If you would prefer to go by taxi then you can find the fares at http://www.toulouse.aeroport.fr/en/passengers/to-and-from/taxi

Travel to Toulouse, in one of France’s most beautiful regions, 100 kilometres from Spain. Take a bike ride along the banks of the River Garonne, sample some of the wonderful local dishes, cheeses and wines, party alongside the thousands of students in the city, and go on excursions to the beautiful surrounding medieval villages and towns. Book your flights for Toulouse at the Olympic Air site and discover France’s Pink City from up close.