Toulouse

The town of Toulouse is now probably more well-known for being the home of Airbus than for its heritage and culture. Toulouse is the capital of France’s southern Occitanie region, situated near to the Pyrenees and the border with Spain. The Garonne River flows through the town along with the Canal du Midi, linked by the Canal du Brienne. Toulouse is another location which is served well by flights from Stansted Airport with several a day by Ryanair. This creates the opportunity for a day trip, which I have done on several occasions. The airport at Blagnac isn't too far from the main tourist areas and shops in the Capitol and Carmes areas on the other side of the river. The easiest way to get there is by tram (line T2) to the Palais de Justice or by changing at Arenes onto the Metro. A single journey cost €3.50 or there are day tickets available which work out cheaper.  

There are several major tourist attractions in connection to the town's aviation industries. These are the Musée Aeroscopia located in Blagnac by the airport and the popular Cité de l'Espace, which is a scientific discovery centre focusing on spaceflight. Both these attractions are on my to do list for another visit. On my recent two visits, I tried to enjoy the beauty of the town and the open-air spaces. As the weather was so warm, I walked along the river and canals to see what was there, look at the boats moored along the banks, whilst looking for something of interest which the more mainstream guide books don't mention. There are also several gardens to visit, with the Grand Rond and the Jardin des Planters located at the far end of the Palais de Justice, particularly enjoyable, either to walk through or enjoy a sandwich whilst seated on one of the many benches. I did discover the Japanese Garden, which is well worth a visit and a few interesting churches, which were open for visitors. The Basilica of Saint-Sernin, which has been the seat of the Bishops of Toulouse since circa AD250, was particularly fascinating to see, especially the crypt. The basilica was free to enter but there was a €2 charge to enter the crypt.  

Toulouse also has numerous cultural museums and museums of special interest. The Musée Saint-Raymond is the archaeological museum of Toulouse located by the basilica and there is the Bemberg Foundation art museum by the Hôtel d'Assézat. The artwork housed within and the grandeur of some of the rooms are quite amazing and easily justify the €10 entrance fee. Whatever your preference is for a cultural or specialist museum is, then Toulouse will have one for you. There is even a natural history museum located by the Palais de Justice and a museum all about the residence in WW2 just a short walk away.  

When we think of France, our minds turn to French food and there are numerous restaurants to suit all tastes but not necessarily budgets. Toulouse is rather expensive in comparison to the UK, so you should bear this in mind especially when paying entrance fees into the museums and other attractions. One option is a café for a coffee and filled baguette or a sandwich from a takeaway shop or supermarket.  

In all, Toulouse is a lovely place full of history and places of general interest. Whether you are there for a day trip or a long weekend, there is plenty to do and see. The people are friendly and English is widely spoken which will help in getting around.