Toulouse
Le Capitole de Toulouse
Toulouse, the capital of France’s southern Occitanie region, is known as La Ville Rose ‘The Pink City’ due to the terra-cotta bricks used in many of its buildings. It is bisected by the Garonne River, linked to the Mediterranean Sea by the 17th-century Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated between the Pyrenees, close to the Mediterranean Sea, Toulouse affords the opportunity to ski the slopes, visit the beach, dip into thermal baths, or dine on Spanish tapas. Here is our City Guide to Toulouse, France.
STAY
HÔTEL D’ASSÉZAT A 16th century French Renaissance hôtel particulier, which is also home to the impressive art collection of the Fondation Bemberg Musee. Five centuries of paintings are exhibited in intimate salons, including works by Canaletto, Brueghel, Bosch, Tintoretto, Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne and Matisse, with one room entirely dedicated to Impressioist painter, Pierre Bonnard. Enjoy!
CHÂTEAU DE DRUDAS A 40-minute drive from Toulouse city center, but worth every minute to stay at this Relais et Châteaux 18th century property with a restaurant by Chef Gabriele Ferri serving local wine, foie gras, pigeon, and honey from the surrounding area.
MAMA SHELTER The Toulouse outpost of the eclectic Parisian boutique hotel chain housed in a former cinema in the picturesque district of St Aubin. There is even a 45-seat movie theatre on the property as well as a rooftop and restaurant.
GRAND HÔTEL DE L’OPÉRA A former 17th-century convent turned hotel with balconies overlooking the Place du Capitole.
HÔTEL ALBERT Dating back to the 16th century, and run by the same family for four generations— this hotel is situated on the quiet Rue Rivals, originally home to the workshops of the four most famous rivals in Renaissance art: Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and Titian (the street is named after their famous rivalry).
LE GRAND BALCON Stay in Room 32, The Saint-Exupery Suite, which was recreated to look like the aviator and author’s 1930’s room, and now listed as a place of memory by the Bâtiments de France.
HOTEL LA FLÂNERIE Located in the idyllic village of Vieille-Toulouse, Hôtel la Flanerie’s is set in an ivy-clad converted manor overlooking the Garonne river.
LE RETOUR DU MARCHÉ A restaurant that uses local ingredients sourced from the nearby Saint-Cyprien market.
LE GENTY MAGRE Located in the city center serving local classics, such as the hearty bean and duck confit Toulousian classic, cassoulet.
MICHEL SARRAN The two Michelin star restaurant highlights local French ingredients.
CANDIFLOR A patisserie and the place to try the famous Toulousian candied violets since 1818. Centuries ago, Italians brought violets to Toulouse, where the flourishing flowers fused with the local identity. Toulouse not only supplied Napoleon with violets at one point in time, but the city also created the delicious violet liqueur, crème de violette. Try a violet macaron at Maison Pillon or visit La Bonbonnière, the home of pomponette, a sweet brioche bun flavored with orange-flower.
N.5 WINE BAR An unparalleled selection of wines by the glass and a restaurant offering tapas beneath the vaulted cellar ceilings.
CAFÉ DES ARTISTES Have an aperitif and watch the sunset over Garonne River before dinner on Place Saint-Georges at Le Wallace Café. Finish the evening with live music at The Petit London.
MARCHÉ VICTOR HUGO A large covered food market with stalls including foie gras specialist Maison Garcia, cheesemonger Chez Betty, and artisan chocolatier Busquets. There are restaurants on the upper floor, but we recommend the bustling bars below. There is also a farmer’s market in Place Saint-Aubin on Sundays.
LE COLOMBIER The famous cassoulet at this restaurant in a former 18th-century inn is slow-cooked for over eight hours. Bon appetit!
MA BICHE SUR LE TOIT A rooftop restaurant by Chef Michel Sarran, located on the 6th floor of Galeries Lafayette, offering a panoramic view of the pink city.
FAT CAT A jazz bar with a lively ambiance for post-dinner drinks and live music.
PLACE SAINT PIERRE Do as the Toulousians do. Start at the Place Sainte Pierre, close to the Garonne shore, at sunset and bar hop until dinner time.
ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES
THÉÂTRE DU CAPITOLE Housing the opera, ballet, and symphony orchestra within the Capitole de Toulouse square.
PLACE DU CAPITOLE One of the most majestic squares in France, the Capitole is bordered by grand buildings made from Toulouse’s hallmark rose-red bricks. Take the grand marble staircase that leads up to the sumptuous Salle des Illustres, which is covered with flamboyant frescoes. Afterward, enjoy an aperitif on the terrace of Café Le Florida.
LES ABATTOIRS An avant-garde museum set in a former slaughterhouse with modern and contemporary art that houses an extensive collection, including works by Picasso and Duchamp.
BASILICA OF ST. SERNIN The largest remaining Romanesque building in Europe, and a welcome sight for passersby on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
CHURCH OF THE JACOBINS The final resting place and tomb of St. Thomas Aquinas.
JARDIN DES PLANTS A botanical garden on the Allée Jules-Guesde.
MUSEE DES AUGUSTINS This immense Gothic convent is one of the country’s oldest museums, dating from 1795, when it was secularised during the French revolution. It hosts an eclectic collection ranging from Rubens to Toulouse-Lautrec, and the attached medieval cloister and sculpture garden are particularly lovely in the summertime.
STADE TOULOUSAIN According to a dear friend and true Toulousain, this is the “Temple of Rugby.” The Toulouse Rugby Team is one of the best in the world— a reigning Top 14 Champion. Order a pint of 1664 and cheer on the home team!
SHOP
LE GRENIER D'ANAÏS Toulouse is home to dozens of vintage stores or friperies, especially near the Rue Peyrolières. Groucho at No. 39 is another option.
The Basilica of St. Sernin hosts a flea market on Saturday mornings. and luxury goods and boutiques are found lining Rue Croix Baragnon and Rue de la Pomme.
DÉPARTEMENT FÈMININ Ring the doorbell to enter this fashion concept store and enter a world of rare elegance. The changing rooms are private boudoirs with vintage chests of drawers and mirrors, in a minimalist interior to showcase the best each season has to offer and founder Carole Benazet is all about luxury à la française, editing a wardrobe of essentials - think trenchcoats, shirts, jackets and pants – by labels like Chloé, Céline, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Courrèges. 1 Rue Maurice Fonvieille; departementfeminin.com
DAY & WEEKEND TRIPS
ALBI The birthplace of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and home to the largest collection of his art at the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec.
CARCASSONNE The medieval fortified city’s watchtowers and 12th-century château are one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe. After exploring the castle grounds, stay at the Hôtel de la Cité with views over the battlements and mountains beyond. Dine at the Michelin-starred La Barbacane restaurant— the perfect place to try the region’s famous cassoulet.
Text: Veronica H. Speck Photo: © Grand Hôtel de L’Opera