We will be flying into and out of Toulouse for a 7 night stay. Due to a change in flight time, we are arriving at 10:30 in the evening at the Toulouse airport. My original plan was to drive directly to Sarlat de Canada and stay for 4 nights, because we were arriving earlier, and then go to either Toulouse or Albi for 3 nights.
I am thinking that we should stay by the Toulouse airport the night we arrive, drive to Sarlat in then morning for 3 nights, then stay in either Toulouse or Albi for the remaining nights.
My question is this: Which city do you think we should stay in? We will have a car and can do day trips from Toulouse and arrive back by dinnertime, and still have time to walk around the city. We really do prefer the countryside but I understand that Toulouse is a lovely city and there is lots to see.
We have a 5:30 pm flight out of Toulouse , so we might be able to spend just that morning in the city if that would be enough.

Al

Better to stay in Toulouse. Albi is a nice place but really does not have as much to offer.

Toulouse is a much more interesting city than Albi. We've stayed in Toulouse about 5-6 times, and Albi once - but visited Albi 2 other times. Toulouse is my second favorite large city in France, & Albi is in my "top 5" small cities list. But Albi is strange. It is somewhat vacant at night, and the indoor "les Halles" type market there is often vacant. I think many residents have moved out of old Albi. There was a story about this several years ago.

We stayed near the Toulouse airport once - and it was horrible. The only entertainment was a large Carrefour market with 97 check-out stations. But if you arrive at 10:30 pm - there are not many other options. Make sure that there will be someone at the hotel to let you in that late. There wasn't at the one we stayed at.

Because of the 10:30 PM arrival I would spend the first night at the Courtyard Marriott at Toulouse Airport.
Then the next 4 nights in Sarlat.
Then 2 nights in Toulouse.
In route Sarlat to Toulouse I would visit Grotte de Pech -Merle and Albi.
https://goo.gl/maps/YsivUSuygrYSGuVw6

Stay in Toulouse. Albi is a nice place, but there is absolutely no comparison to Toulouse (yes, it is being deserted, bit by bit). You can see Albi on your way to Sarlat (it's Sarlat-LA-Canéda, BTW). And if you choose to do that, you might as well meander to Sarlat via Cordes-sur-Ciel and St-Antonin-Noble-de-Val and St-Cirq-Lapopie and Labastide-Murat and Gourdon if you have the time (plenty of other stops you could make, but those are the ones I would probably choose - or else go straight north from Albi to Figeac and then cut over west to Sarlat).

Don't shortchange Toulouse.

It's up to you, but there is a lot more to do in Toulouse, and it's a much bigger city, of course. Whether those are pros or cons is up to you.

Thank you all so much. You have really helped!!

Al

Do a day trip to Albi from Toulouse!

Get with the program, Pal. Read her plans.

Get with the program, Pal. Read her plans.>

Read them three times - what did you say I was missing? I see nothing that conflicts with my suggestion - but you know how slow on uptake I am...please point out!

Here's what I read: < We will have a car and can do day trips from Toulouse and arrive back by dinnertime, and still have time to walk around the city.>

And yes having stayed some days in both Toulouse is much nicer walking around at night.

Alisonmary,
Dunno whether you get that TV show 'Escape to the Countryside' or not, but if you do, this week's episode featured that area, with the real estate agent showing properties and associated visits, to Toulouse, Caylus, St. Antonin-Noble-Val, Cahors, Lauzerte & the Gorges d'Aveyron. The episode was actually a re-run from 5 years ago.
Bon Chance.
I am done. The end.