France didn’t only give us ‘La vie en rose,’ it also gave us ‘La ville rose,’ the pink city of Toulouse. I spent a summer day there, and despite a serious heatwave, I loved every minute of it. A friend visited the same part of France a month later, and came back head over heels in love with Toulouse too. So we can’t both be wrong. Besides, Lonely Planet had named it one of the best destinations of 2025!
How to get to Toulouse
We drove to Toulouse as part of a road trip from the French Mediterranean to the Atlantic, but you can quite easily get to Toulouse by train from Paris.
If you drive, consider parking further afield and getting public transport to the centre – Toulouse has a metro system. Alternatively, you can book a hotel with parking leave your car there. This is what he did.
Train travel is a great option. A direct train journey from Paris Montparnasse to Toulouse takes about 4 hours and 40 minutes. You won’t be bored though. After catching a glimpse of the majestic hilltop cathedral of Chartres in the distance, you will be riding through the stunning Loire valley, and then rolling Aquitanian countryside almost all the way to the Pyrenees. See SNCF, Trainline, or RailEurope for schedules and to book your trip.
Toulouse Travel Guide:
A short history of Toulouse
Originally a Gallic settlement by the Garonne River, Toulouse was incorporated into the Roman Empire in 106 BC. In the 5th century, following the fall of Rome, it became the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom. A century later, the Franks defeated the Visigoths in 507, and the city became a major outpost on the border of the Holy Roman Empire, and later the kingdom of France.
Becoming a stop on the Camino de Santiago, during medieval time, the wealthy and powerful county of Toulouse gained magnifcent religious buildings, including the Romanesque Basilique Saint-Sernin.and the Couvent des Jacobins, an exceptional example of Southern Gothic architecture.
The 15th and 16th centuries marked a spectacular boom thanks to the cultivation and trade of woad (known locally as pastel), a plant used to produce the highly valued blue dye (“Toulouse Blue” or “Blue Gold”) used in anything from Renaissance painting to textiles. The Pasteliers who produced and traded the dye invested some of their wealth by commissioning splendid mansions. Many of these hôtels particuliers have survived and contribute to the city’s architectural charm. The distinctive hue of Toulouse bleu is still ubiquitous in the city today.
The woad trade ended abruptly with the introduction of cheaper, imported indigo dye. Toulouse suffered economic decline until the 17th century, though it remained an important administrative centre.
The construction of the Canal du Midi in the late 17th century connected it to the Mediterranean adn revitalised trade.
In the 20th century, the city underwent a massive transformation, becoming the European capital of the aeronautics and space industry, home to companies like Airbus and France’s primary space centre (CNES). Today, Toulouse is France’s fourth-largest city and a vibrant hub of technology, culture, and history.
The main attractions: What to see in Toulouse in a day
Toulouse is a large city and has a wide-reaching public transport system, but if you base yourself in the centre you can visit all the main attractions on foot.
If you only have one day, to appreciate the uniqueness of Toulouse, try and make time for:
- visiting at least one of the medieval churches (St Sernin, St Etienne, and the Couvent des Jacobins)
- soaking in the vibe of Place du Capitole, and of the backstreets of Toulouse
- taking in the views along the banks of the Garonne
- al fresco eating
- discover the grand mansions from toulouse’s Golden Age
These are the sights I recommend if you only have 24 hours in Toulouse:
1. Place du Capitole
You cannot go to Toulouse and avoid Place du Capitole. It has been the beating heart of the city since medieval times. Besides, if you arrive in summer, you will be grateful for the shade it offers!
A major meeting place for the people of Toulouse, the square is dominated by the majestic frame of the Capitole palace, home to the City Hall and to a theatre (Théâtre du Capitole). The Occitan Cross, a symbol of Toulouse since the middle ages, is represented on the pavement.
It was my first sight, so it was a bit early for me to stop for lunch or a drink, but it looked like a magnificent spot!
On my way to the square I walked past the Donjon, the former archive tower, which now houses the tourist office.
2. Basilique St Sernin
When you arrive in the square in front of this UNESCO World Heritage site, from the facade you will not guess the vastity of the building you are about to enter. claims to be the largest surviving Romanesque church in Europe. I have not verified the claim, but can confirm it is a vast structure.
St Sernin started life as an abbey, on the site of a former Roman basilica. It was dedicated to Saint Saturnin (Sernin), Toulouse’s first bishop and martyr. It soon grew in prestige and Charlemagne lavished it with precious gifts including saints relics. Its position on the road to Santiago did the rest. The original church was rebuilt in the Romanesque style from the 11th century.
Whilst considered a Romanesque masterpiece, the church is very distinctive. The facade is mainly in brick, with hardly any marble. So is the rest of the structure, including the belltower.
Although the building is in the form of a crucifix Saint-Sernin’s contains radiating chapels. These were probably conceived to display its many relics, but create a sense of complexity. A walkway (ambulatory) goes around the nave and side aisles to allow so the faithful can view the chapels and pray there without interrupting mass. Some art historians say it follows a “pilgrimage plan” instead of the traditional basilica plan. This agrees with my experience of the church. I felt I was on a journey, rather than a simple visit.
On the way out don’t forget to admire the beautiful marble Renaissance portal on the side, and the distinctive slightly inclined octagonal belltower.
3. Couvent des Jacobins
I did not manage to see this, and I actually regret it. This former Dominican convent is historically important. Toulouse is the city where the Dominican order was founded in 1215, so, although it was not the first monastery built by the order, the Couvent claimed to be its mother church. The body of St Thomas of Aquinas, the ‘Christian Aristotle’, one of the main medieval philosophers, was laid to rest there.
The architecture is as fascinating as the history. Built entirely in brick, and with beautiful cloisters, the Couvent is considered a masterpiece of Southern Gothic style. By having 22 ribs springing from a single column, medieval engineers created a vaulted ceiling is in the shape of a palm tree. I think that alone warrants a visit! So don’t turn up on a Monday like I did. Check the opening times and make sure you do not miss it.
4. The Garonne, Pont Saint Pierre and Pont Neuf
I loved this area. We arrived in Toulouse in the afternoon, and by the time we reached the river the light was turning golden, really bringing out the pink hue of the Ville Rose and the Dome de la Grave across the Saint Pierre bridge. In the late afternoon light, the 19th-century brick and metal frame of the bridge reflects in the Garonne, as does the dome, making for quite special impressionist-style pictures too.
We decided it was the perfect apero spot, to recover some energies before heading for the other iconic bridge of central Toulouse, the Renaissance Pont Neuf.
Curiously, the Pont Neuf is now the oldest in Toulouse!
There is also a pretty and peaceful islet in the Garonne that you can reach on foot, with a couple of pleasant restaurants and views of Pont Neuf. It is called Point d’Ina, and is a lovely green and shaded spot, where you are suddenly surrounded by nature despite being in the middle of one of France’s largest cities.
5. The Hôtels Particuliers
As I mentioned in the history section, during the Renaissance Toulouse became incredibly wealthy thanks to the woad trade. The word for ‘woad’ in French is ‘pastel‘ and the ‘pasteliers’, selling blue dye to textile centres, European courts, and the church, amassed incredible fortunes. Their grand mansions, which still stand, bear witness to the golden age of Toulouse. The word golden acquires a special undertone in this context. From the 15th to the 16th centuries, when the trade was so profitable, woad was called “Blue Gold.”
And here is another curiosity: During the production of the dye, the processed woad leaves were formed into large, dried balls called “cocagnes.” This term led to the region being known as the “Pays de Cocagne” (Land of Plenty/Cockaigne).
Today, artisans in Toulouse and the surrounding area have revived the traditional woad/pastel industry, and you can find the blue color used in textiles, cosmetics, and art materials throughout the city.
Going back to the pastelier mansions now, among the most famous are the Hôtel d’Assézat, which currently houses the Bemberg Foundation art collection, and the Hôtel de Bernuy.
Below is the grand entrance to the Hôtel d’Assézat, appropriately flanked by a Toulouse blue shop window.
Wikipedia has a helpful list of all the hotel particuliers in Toulouse, with photographic details. You can use that for reference as you wander around the city, spotting the most interesting features of these grand houses, and the incredible variety of their styles.
6. Alfresco eating
Being so close to the Pyrenees and the Spanish border, it is perhaps unsurprusing that the people of Toulouse enjoy eating out with the same relish you’d expect in a Spanish city. The mild climate certainly plays a part too.
As mentioned above, the Garonne riverside is a great place for apero and./or a meal. So is Place du Capitole. We also enjoyed the area around Place President Wilson (below) and the incredibly buzzy Place Saint Georges.
Expect all sorts of food, from Italian to Vietnamese. If you are looking for traditional Toulouse fare, you can order a cassoulet (a hearty stew with beans), but we didn’ quite fancy it during a heatwave! Gazpacho felt more like it, and, given the proximity to Spain, not completely inappropriate!
Is a day in Toulouse enough?
Of course it isn’t. The joie de vivre that permeates the city makes you want to linger and to explore more in depth. If you love history, with more day you can explore the city museums, the cathedral of Saint Etienne, discover more of the hotel particuliers, enjoy the shopping on and around the lovely pedestrianised Rue Alsace Lorraine or the food market of St Aubin. If you love technology, you can visit the Airbus factory, and the Cité de l’espace. And if you love nature, rent a bicycle, book a boat trip or simply hike around the gorgeous Canal du Midi, Toulouse’s other waterway, that connects the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
But even in a single day, Toulouse will leave a mark on you. It is a truly spectacular city, full of art and history yet vibrant and innovative, projected in the future yet proud of its incredible heritage. I am convinced it would be a fantastic city break even in the middle of winter, when you can enjoy a cassoulet and a local red wine, with a view of the snowy Pyrenees in the distance.
You must be logged in to post a comment.