Toulouse
la Ville Rose
The Heart of France's Captivating South-West
France's fourth-largest city sets itself apart in so many ways: architecture, history, gastronomy, museums, festivals, and artisan craftsmanship, to name just a few. Largely left behind in the Industrial Revolution, Toulouse is now a leader in aeronautics and aerospace technologies. Its beautiful and lively streets are filled with cafés, well-populated with students. Les Toulousains stay up fairly late, but mostly behave themselves.
Not-To-Miss on Your Visit:
Marché Victor Hugo
Address: Pl. Victor Hugo, 31000 Toulouse, France
What I like about it:
Everything! This is an extraordinary place to see (and taste) the decadent culinary bounty of south-western France. There's plenty to taste here, and many of the surrounding restaurants take full advantage of the market, but I highly recommend that you stay someplace with a kitchen- it's just too much fun to make dinner from your market finds.
Les petits crus
Address: 17 Rue des Couteliers, 31000 Toulouse, France
What I like about it:
For a light dinner or an unforgettable apero, le petits crus is more than just its inventive presentation. Check out their exceptional and creative wine and cheese pairings, all very thoughtfully presented and explained in detail.
Cité de Carcassonne
Address: 1 Rue Viollet le Duc, 11000 Carcassonne, France.
What I like about it:
This truly remarkable fortified medieval city is a short trip from Toulouse, and the castle is well-worth seeing in person. Climb the (rather challenging) hills, check out the numerous museums, and take a boat ride along the Canal du Midi. But whatever you do, don't miss the cassoulet!
I hope you're inspired to visit Toulouse! Wherever you go, please don't forget to share your travel adventures on Instagram- I'd love to see them.
Here are the places I've gone recently:
| Country | City | Would I return? |
|---|---|---|
| France | Toulouse | 10/10 |
| France | Rouen | 8/10 |
| France | Strasbourg | 8/10 |