One week in Toulouse - too much?
 

While we enjoy the France countryside and villages very much, we are probably somewhat more city persons and now that we are retired, our travel pace is more relaxed. We are also big culture/church/urban parks and museum persons. We do not know Toulouse at all and have reserved an apartment close to the Garonne (near pont St-Pierre) for a week in the second half of September. We do plan to visit markets and enjoy at least some meals in the apartment to savour the loot (!) as we often do wherever we go.

We also want to do a day trip by train combining Moissac (abbey) and Montauban (Ingres - Bourdelle museum). We have been to Albi years ago and may consider going back for a day trip (only optional) but maybe there would be other alternatives for a change. (NOT Carcassonne thank you) I am wondering about the canal du Midi, any suggestions there? (walk, cycle or perhaps even boat)

Oh and we are on the hunt for the best cassoulet toulousain bien sûr, as we make it at home and are dying to compare!

This being said, I am having some hesitation as to whether a full week there may be a bit of an overkill. Any off the cuff reactions?

Merci!

I'd love a week in Toulouse! YMMV.

Have you consulted the Michelin Green Guide for the area? I believe it's rather comprehensive. The Rough Guide also provides more in-depth coverage than most guide books.

A week doesn't sound too bad if you do a couple day trips. As for day trips, I did one to Narbonne when I was there, it's great. It's less than 2 hrs by train. Charles Trenet was from there. They had a good weekly market I happened upon.

I didn't do anything on any canal, but do branch out and use public transportation in Toulouse, their museum of the resistance is good, for example, and it's not dead center. I used bus to get to/from there, I think.

https://www.haute-garonne.fr/service...la-deportation

I don't like cassoulet so can't help you on that one.

I enjoyed the cruise I took along the Canal du Midi. You even go through a lock.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5536be550.jpeg

If you want the city life then Toulouse is a good place to stay. I've cycled, barged, trained all over and find it all a bit big city for me but you may like that sort of thing.

Carcassone is a good visit, the canal and rivers are all good for cycling and Narbonne is a fantastic visit.

I might also look at Cahors, Pau, Castelnaudry (home of the famous bean and meat stew) are all ancient towns with a very laid back atmosphere which I would prefer as a base but certainly offer a day out.

Odder places; Minerve or Lourdes

How broad are your museum interests? We loved our long visit to the Cité de l’Espace, but then we like trying to squeeze into a Soyuz capsule and bouncing along on a simulated moonwalk.
Yes, there are boat tours on the Canal du Midi. You can also rent a bike.
There are some good parks and gardens within the city. And the Office de Tourisme offers a range of tours to help you explore.

Thank you so much for your kind comments and great suggestions, this is very helpful :) I am now feeling a little better re the length of our stay. We did spend a week in the similar-sized Lyon last year and it was certainly not too long for us. Hence my thought of a similar length in Toulouse, then I started to doubt myself.

I note the suggestion for a day trip to Narbonne, that was off my radar screen but I will now certainly have a look. Ditto for the Resistance museum. That photo of the canal du midi is compelling, the cruise looks wonderful. Is it also fairly easy to rent bicycles? I need to dig deeper on this one.

We have been to Cahors, Lourdes, Carcassonne and Pau in the past as well as Limoux and Grottes de Niaux, but the Castelnaudry suggestion is very appreciated!

Dead easy to rent bikes or even use the city’s shared bike system.

https://www.toulouse-tourisme.com/en...round-by-bike/

Consider asking the tourist office if they know of operators running tours to Fontfroide Abbey, just west of Narbonne. It is beautiful, in a severe Cistercian style, but not reachable by public transport.

Wow! You sound just like me. My husband and I (in our mid-60s) spent three weeks in Lyon in 2024 and a week in Toulouse last spring. We're already planning to return to Toulouse so I can do more day trips. We loved the market, the neighborhoods, walking tours, a bike tour, and most of all the food -- the best we've had in France, at great prices. There were also fantastic jazz musicians in front of the Saint-Sernin basilica and a full orchestra concert for 5 Euro in Basilica Notre Dame de la Daurade. Just having time to wander and discover spontaneous activities was a pleasure.

Our favorite restaurant was Franquette; the best cassoulet was at Le Genty Magre; and the most beautiful setting for a meal with a view of the main square was at Bibent. We also enjoyed inventive cuisine at Le Contre Pied and Le Bon Vivre. Our favorite day tours were the "Toulouse panorama electric bike ride and cable car" (including pedaling along Canal du Midi) and "Toulouse food and history tour with a chef," both booked through Get Your Guide. My husband also loved just renting bikes on the street to toodle around. Have a great time!!!

A week in Toulouse should be fine. You can even take the bus to Andorra from there.

Cycling the Canal for a day, rent a bike, pick up a picnic and plenty to drink, then train back:
https://www.hautegaronnetourism.com/...canal-du-midi/

No lycra needed. No helmet needed by law, but if you have one take it as it will fit better than anything you can rent.

There are also organised group cycle tours available if you look at the Toulouse tourist website.

Yo KJ,
Other daytrips from Toulouse (beyond the obvious Cordes/Carcassonne) could include the markets at Caussade and Carmaux, plus the village of Olargues.
We've not yet been to any of the above, but my files indicate those possibilities.

Hope that you sort it out to your satisfaction.
I am done. The end.

Great thoughts and comments, very helpful thank you! I often find this forum invaluable and this thread is one perfect example.

I had a look at the bicycle site, it does all sound fairly straightforward. I only know the Abbaye de Fontfroide by reputation, did not realize it might be doable on a day trip from Toulouse. Noted the info re helmets, we always wear one at home.

Abbydog, wow, what can I say! We are looking into your numerous suggestions and recs - food is such a big part of why we travel. We are jazz fans and also enjoy classical quite a bit, I had no idea of these venues. Thank you thank you! Yes indeed, you and your husband sound just like us, and we are in the same age group to boot :) Isn’t that something.

I am now feeling a LOT more at peace with having a full week there. It sounds as if we will now have to decide which day trips we will NOT do in order to give Toulouse justice ha, ha.

Zebec, knowing a bit about your musical past, when I saw KJ at the top of your post I immediately thought of Keith Jarrett (jazz pianist often referred to by his initials) and was wondering what he had to do with Toulouse :) :) Then my brain engaged into « think » Merci pour le sourire.