This past summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Toulouse, France. The charming “ville rose” (“pink city”) absolutely stole my heart — from the architecture, the people, the culture, the history, the food — and it is most definitely a must-visit city. Here are 10 of my favorite places that I visited in Toulouse!
1) Jardin des plantes
The Jardin des Plantes is one of my favorite places that I stumbled upon in Toulouse. It’s the perfect place to take a walk, have a picnic, read a book, or just people watch from a bench. Walking around the park you will find beautiful sculptures, a Monet-esque bridge, little kids playing with their families, and even chickens wandering around. One of my favorite memories from my time abroad was having a picnic with all of my classmates at this park. This is definitely a quiet, chill, and wholesome place to visit!
2) museum de toulouse
Right next to the Jardin des Plantes is the Museum de Toulouse. Being a student, I was able to get a discounted rate on my ticket and had such a fun time exploring. It’s a natural history museum, so it has really cool (faux) animal exhibits, a botanical garden, bones, and when I visited, a temporary mummy exhibit. This is a great museum to visit if you are interested science or natural history!
3) LE THÉÂTRE DU CAPITOLE
Love music, art, drama, or just a chance to wear a cute opera fit? Check out the Toulouse National Opera theater right in front of la Place du Capitole (the capital city building)! Listening to opera in Italian with French subtitles definitely wasn’t easy, but it was still a beautiful performance and a great experience overall. I would definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you’ve never been to an opera before.
4) musee des augustins
Despite walking by this museum every day on my way to class, it wasn’t until my last day in Toulouse that I finally went inside. I am so glad that I did! Originally built as a convent in 1309, the building was turned into a public museum in 1795. First you enter a Harry Potter-esque courtyard, where you will find people walking around or just sitting and enjoying the peaceful vibes. On the inside is a fine arts museum which holds paintings from across France, sculptures, and a lot of fun gargoyles!
5) la place du capitole
If you Google Toulouse, you will see so many pictures of la Place du Capitole, which is the beautiful building in the capital city square. Capitole is a must-see if you visit Toulouse, and shines with its pink brick and extravagant architecture. All around the capitol building are cafés, restaurants, shops, and sometimes they even do a huge flea market in the square! Some of my favorite memories here are taking pictures, buying rings and vintage books at the flea market, and getting ice cream with my study abroad friends.
6) basilique saint-sernin de toulouse
If you’re someone like me, you love walking around old churches, no matter your religious affiliation. The Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse is a former abbey church that was built in the 11th century. A fun fact about the church is it was part of the route of Santiago de Compostela, the final destination in Spain for pious pilgrims in the Middle Ages, putting it on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. If you want to walk around somewhere quiet and peaceful to reflect, or just look at something beautiful, definitely check this out!
7) bars, shops, & restaurants
If you’re traveling to a city, you obviously want to find places to get cool souvenirs, great food, and a drink or two! As a French city, Toulouse is full of local cafés and delicious restaurants. Some of the dishes/foods that Toulouse is known for are cassoulet (a duck and sausage stew), Toulouse sausage, and goat cheese. Café Maurice has great outdoor seating and authentic food, and is right in the heart of the city. If you start getting sick of French food, Toulouse has a ton of delicious Italian, Thai, and even sushi restaurants! I loved Prima Lova for Italian food and Sushi Yoshi is a great spot for a quick lunch. If you want a croissant, Nutella crêpe, sandwich, or salad on the go, La Mie Câline and Le Fournil de Pierre are great “fast-food” café franchises. For bars, my friends and I loved going to Taverne du Troll, which is fantasy themed and has card games and board games to play! Chez Tonton is also a great bar if you are looking to hang out with fellow college students. Finally, the city is full of boutiques, shops, and big-name stores. Right next to Capitole is a big shopping strip with stores like Zara, Mango, Uniqlo, and more! Also be sure to visit one of the many pastel or lavender shops around the city, which are plants that Toulouse is known for.
a few places near toulouse, but not quite toulouse:
8) carcassonne
Okay, who wouldn’t want to walk around a medieval castle and feel like a royal? Carcassonne is a city located about an hour from Toulouse, and is the home to the Cité de Carcassonne, the citadel. This centuries-old fortress dates back to Gallo-Roman times and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Visiting Carcassonne gives you the opportunity to explore a fortified medieval town and an enormous castle, which took me over an hour to completely walk through. The town itself is full of shops, restaurants, as well as a massive historical cemetery. I absolutely loved seeing all the Roman and medieval artifacts on this trip!
9) albi
Albi was another one of my favorite towns to explore while traveling in the south of France. About an hour from Toulouse, it makes for an excellent day trip. Just like Toulouse, the buildings have beautiful pink brick, making it stand out from afar. The town holds a 13th century Cathedral, the Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile, which I pictured below, and the Palais de la Berbie, home to a classical palace garden. The Episcopal City of Albi is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you visit Albi, you definitely have to check out the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, which is the largest public collection of the artwork of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, right inside the Palais de la Berbie.
10) cordes-sur-ciel
Cordes-sur-Ciel is hands-down the most beautiful place I have ever visited. It’s a medieval city built on a hill, about an hour from Toulouse. It genuinely made me feel like I was walking through a fairy tale village. If you are brave enough to climb all the way to the top (or take the tram that brings you up there), you will be met with some of the most gorgeous views of the French countryside. There are also plenty of shops, restaurants, and old buildings and murals to explore. Cordes was one of my favorite places that I visited on this trip.
conclusion
If you have the opportunity to visit France, definitely take a trip down south! As much as I love Paris, Toulouse is such a different experience that I would 100% recommend. The people are so kind and friendly, and it’s such a beautiful city down to the music, food, culture, and art. It’s also a big student city, so if you plan to study abroad or travel after graduation, check out Toulouse!