When is a pain au chocolat not a pain au chocolat? When you’re in southwest France, that’s when. Down here in Occitania it’s called a chocolatine, and you’d do well to remember it. Closer to the Med in temperament and geography than it is to Paris, Toulouse revels in its otherness. It’s France with its top button undone, a glass of pastis in its hand and a Spanish mate who came for the weekend but never quite got around to leaving. In fact, La Ville Rose, so named for its predilection for terracotta-toned buildings, is home to one of the largest Spanish communities in France and you’re as likely to find restaurants serving tapas as cassoulet. One of France’s biggest cities and home to the aerospace giant Airbus, Toulouse nevertheless feels cosy, its narrow cobbled streets leading to pretty squares and glimpses of the languid Garonne River, which cuts through town on its way from the Spanish Pyrenees to Bordeaux.
Day one
• Morning: Marché Victor Hugo
• Eat at: Au Bon Graillou
• Afternoon: Cité de l’Espace
• Drink at: Ma Biche sur Le Toit
• Evening: Théâtre du Capitole
• Eat at: Grand Café Le Florida
Day two
• Morning: Muséum de Toulouse
• Eat at: Une Table à Deux
• Afternoon: Couvent des Jacobins
• Drink at: Chez Tonton
• Evening: Garonne riverside
• Eat at: M Georges
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What to do
There’s no particular link between the 19th-century miserabilist Victor Hugo and the magnificent covered produce market that bears his name, but I have a hunch that he’d like it. Spanish hams hang above butchers’ counters, while elite boulangeries and fromageries vie for your attention (6am-2pm, closed on Mondays; marche-victor-hugo.fr). Join Taste of Toulouse for a market tour full of samples and insight (£85pp; tasteoftoulouse.com).
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On the eastern outskirts of town, the Cité de l’Espace is a slick space museum full of snazzy exhibits and things that go ping. When you’re done pressing flashing buttons and staring thoughtfully at bits of moon rock, nose around an early model of the Mir space station and try out a space-launch simulator (£22; cite-espace.com).
The splendid neoclassical building that dominates Place du Capitole serves as city hall, but it’s also home to Toulouse’s opera and ballet companies. You can catch lunchtime recitals at the Théâtre du Capitole or make an evening of it; Debussy’s only opera, Pelléas et Mélisande, will be performed here from May 17 to 26 (from £4; opera.toulouse.fr).
Start the day with a deep dive into evolution and the natural world at the top-notch Muséum de Toulouse, before getting your fill of chlorophyll on a stroll around the peaceful Jardin des Plantes, Grand Rond and Jardin Royal (£10; museum.toulouse-metropole.fr).
Carmes is perfect for window shopping en route to the romanesque Couvent des Jacobins. You can see the 13th-century church’s distinctive octagonal bell tower from a fair way off, but get up close to inspect the vaulted roof from the inside and see the reliquary of Thomas Aquinas. When you’re done nave gazing, it’s worth the £4 to have a mooch around the tranquil cloisters (jacobins.toulouse.fr).
Cross Pont St Pierre towards the steadily gentrifying St Cyprien neighbourhood. From here you can amble south to the Prairie des Filtres riverside park, which in summer is covered with sand to become Toulouse Plage. Or head west, past the Hôpital de la Grave, towards the charmingly named contemporary art museum, Les Abattoirs (£9; lesabattoirs.org).
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Where to eat and drink
Au Bon Graillou
Upstairs at the market, at the end of a rather dingy corridor, five fun restaurants await. Au Bon Graillou is a good choice, so take a seat on the balcony and tuck into hearty local favourites such as duck confit or Toulouse sausage and mash (mains from £13; instagram.com/aubongraillou).
Ma Biche sur Le Toit
Back in town, head up to the roof of Galeries Lafayette department store and there’s an overpriced restaurant and, at weekends, a banging nightclub. However, there’s also a swanky terrace where you can enjoy decent cocktails, fancy tea and one of the best panoramic views in the Pink City (cocktails from £6; mabichesurletoit.com).
Grand Café Le Florida
Grab a buzzy terrace table at this classic brasserie on Place du Capitole, or head inside for a blast of belle époque glamour. The menu sticks to the hits, but portions of steak tartare and duck breast are generous, the service is warm and the art nouveau decor is sumptuous (mains from £15; leflorida.fr).
Une Table à Deux
Book ahead for a Michelin-approved lunch in the trendy Carmes district, opposite the Paul Dupuy Museum of Precious Arts. The short menu changes each day but always includes an Asian-inspired dish. And if you spot the sautéed shrimp with wasabi turnip coulis, you’ve hit the jackpot (three courses from £23; unetableadeux.fr).
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Chez Tonton
Place St Pierre, right on the Garonne, is very much student central and has several lively bars worth checking out. Chez Tonton draws a rowdy crowd as the night goes on, especially when there’s a big rugby game, but on a sunny afternoon its terrace benches offer a grand spot for people-watching and a revitalising pastis (from £5; fb.com/cheztontontoulouse).
M Georges
There are big plates on offer, but the menu is as funky as the vibe, so go tapas-style and smother your table with bone marrow and toast, fried duck hearts and courgette-flower beignets. The terrace is great, but the first floor is cosy (small plates from £7; monsieurgeorges.fr).
Where to stay
Hôtel d’Orsay
A steal at the top of town
There’s a clutch of decent budget hotels opposite the main railway station, and the Hôtel d’Orsay is a good choice. It’s simple, clean, cracking value for money and only ten minutes’ walk from Marché Victor Hugo. Rooms are on the small side, but perfectly comfortable; ask for one overlooking the Canal du Midi. Breakfasts aren’t great, but there are plenty of options nearby (B&B doubles from £84; hotel-dorsay.com).
Aparthotel Adagio Toulouse Centre la Grave
Relax by the river
On the west bank of the Garonne, in St Cyprien, this chilled-out, newly opened Adagio is right next to the Hôpital de la Grave and a short stroll over the bridge from buzzy Place St Pierre. All rooms come with small kitchens and extremely comfy beds, and the staff are unfailingly cheery. There’s a tip-top artisanal bakery just down the road too, for your morning chocolatines (B&B doubles from £120; adagio-city.com).
La Cour des Consuls Hotel and Spa
Old-school elegance
A distinguished 18th-century family home on a quiet street close to Pont Neuf, La Cour des Consuls is one of the smartest stays in town. There are plenty of excellent dining options right on the doorstep, but the hotel’s glamorous Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Cénacle, attracts plenty of the city’s more discerning diners. Sleek rooms overlook the central courtyard (B&B doubles from £220; all.accor.com).
Getting there
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Ryanair runs direct Stansted-Toulouse flights ten times a week from £17 one way, taking two hours; it also flies direct from Birmingham and Edinburgh (ryanair.com). Shuttle buses from Toulouse-Blagnac airport run every 20 minutes and cost about £8 for the 30-minute journey into town.
Getting around
The centre of Toulouse is great for walking, but public transport is cheap and easy to use. A day pass is valid for the bus, tram and metro and available to buy at any station for £6.
Mike Atkins was a guest of Toulouse Tourisme (toulouse-tourisme.com) and Aparthotel Adagio Toulouse Centre la Grave
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