Stroll through Toulouse: discover the pink city!

“Oh Toulouse” as Claude Nougaro said!

This city, commonly called " the pink city ", has many surprises in store for visitors who come to lose themselves in its streets to discover its monuments and its delicious gastronomy.

I decide to take you with me in my backpack to visit historic Toulouse and its must-see places with ease. You will only need two things: a camera and good sneakers!! Toulouse, here we come!

Getting around Toulouse

Toulouse has multiple possibilities for getting around the city.

By car

Even though it's a big city, that doesn't mean it's difficult to park.

Several underground car parks are installed everywhere, in each district. Prices vary of course depending on the location (the one in the Capitole is more expensive than those in the outlying districts!). You can fully enjoy the pink city without worrying about your car!

By public transport

You can also use many forms of public transport to get around the city centre:

• Buses : a dense bus network completes the offer, serving the districts least well served by the metro and the tramway.
• The free electric shuttle in downtown Toulouse.
• The metro : two automatic lines connect the different districts of the city.
• The tram : several tram lines cross the city and neighboring towns, offering a fast and pleasant alternative to the metro.
• Vélib with stations everywhere).
• The cable car : an original and panoramic means of transport to get to the districts of Saint-Cyprien and La Cartoucherie.

FYI: To make your travels easier, remember to download the Tisséo app. Bus, metro and tram tickets are the same. You don't have to buy multiple tickets. You have an hour and a half to make your changes with the same transport ticket.

For my part, I decide to park in the Cour Dillon car park near the Prairie des Filtres, at the Pont Neuf. I am located exactly in the Saint-Cyprien district, a ten-minute walk from the Capitole and all the major districts of Toulouse.

The banks of the Garonne

So, I cross the Pont Neuf, I admire in the distance the Ferris wheel which is present on the quay of the right bank all summer. Opposite, the quays of the Daurade with its beach. Depending on the time of year, you can now take a cruise on the Garonne with different routes. Remember to book your tickets in advance on their website, the departure is from the quays of the Daurade!

Once I cross the Pont Neuf, I continue straight towards the Esquirol district. I pass by the Hôtel d'Assézat and Clémence Isaure, a mecca for art and painting. I have three choices when I am in the Esquirol district:

• on the left, rue Saint-Rome, very long and very commercial, leading me to the Capitol;
• on the right the Carmes district, very beautiful architecturally speaking;
• straight ahead, rue de Metz leading me to Saint-Etienne Cathedral.

I decide to go to the latter then retrace my steps to go to the Capitol and finish my loop in the Saint-Pierre district.

The Esquirol district

So I go back up the rue de Metz, with its Haussmannian style architecture. The charm of Toulouse is also found in the names of the streets, which are all translated into Occitan.

I pass by the great Musée des Augustins, a museum of fine arts, known for its sculptures and ancient remains as well as its paintings by great painters such as Caravaggio. I then turn right, into Rue des Arts and at the end of the street, I turn left... Saint-Etienne Cathedral appears in front of me. Beautiful and imposing, I am charmed by its square and its gardens. I am not disappointed when I push open its doors! The vaults are monumental and it presents different architectural styles: Raimondin and Gothic. You will notice that the nave and the choir are not aligned, this is also the particularity of Saint-Etienne. I am also in awe of the beautiful rose window, directly inspired by Notre-Dame-de-Paris.

Having finished exploring Saint-Etienne, I turn back. I take Rue des Arts again, go down Rue de Metz and turn right to stroll down the famous Rue Alsace-Lorraine. This very commercial street is well known to the people of Toulouse. The side streets and alleys take you to countless neighborhoods, each one as rich as the next in shops, tea rooms, restaurants... In short, Toulouse is a labyrinth of roads with always astonishing surprises!

The Capitol district

In the middle of Alsace-Lorraine Street, I arrive at the Capitole. On the left, the street leads to the Jean Jaurès district where there are cinemas, cafés, restaurants, Place Wilson and its fountain… Straight ahead, find the Jeanne d'Arc district and its famous market. However, it is to the right that my feet lead me to discover this famous square that made Toulouse famous (with its rugby team). Indeed, it is an exceptional place !

The Capitole imposes itself on us. The Occitan cross with astrological signs lights up with each ray of sunshine and I find this Spanish influence in the architecture and composition of the square. This is where you can treat yourself to a little gourmet treat, an opera or take the little tourist train which is now electric. There are two circuits: the Garonne and the Canal du Midi.

I then take the rue du Taur. At the end of the latter, I see the tip of the Saint-Sernin basilica. An important pilgrimage center, it is also a jewel of Romanesque architecture. Admire its sculpted capitals with biblical scenes, its busts and reliquaries in the side aisles of the basilica and especially its murals in the choir and in the transept.

Opposite the basilica, you can visit the Saint-Raymond Museum, the Toulouse Antiques Museum. The collections are impressive and suitable for both young and old.

The Saint-Pierre district

I go up Rue du Taur and head towards the Saint-Pierre district via Rue Romiguières. This street takes me directly to the quays and the Saint-Pierre bridge. The quays are a place of relaxation and leisure. Everyone comes to sit by the water, enjoy the sunshine, ride a bike or roller skate, walk their dog or jog. The banks are very well laid out and not far from the cafés, bars and restaurants of the city centre.

If you cross the Pont Saint-Pierre, you can admire the dome of the hospice of La Grave, one of the most photographed in Toulouse. You also arrive at the Ferris wheel which will allow you to have a 360° view of Toulouse during the summer.

Since 2017, the ramparts have been redeveloped. You can now climb the ramparts and have another view of the Garonne.

The other way, from the Saint-Pierre district, is to reach the Pont Neuf from the quays. In 5 minutes, you arrive at your starting point.

Visit Toulouse as you wish

The loop can be done as many times as you want, sometimes changing streets or alleys. All the districts of Toulouse deserve to be seen at least once!

Of course, I can't say everything in this article, Toulouse being a very big city. However, this gives you an idea of the must-see places in the pink city with an easy route to visit Toulouse on foot, by bike or by metro.

With this tour, Toulouse seemed much smaller to me, the districts being in reality all connected. It is a pleasant, dynamic, festive city and rich in an identity specific to the cities of the South-West. We feel good there, whatever our age. There is no shortage of activities and will keep families, friends and couples busy.

Enjoy your trip to Toulouse!