Toulouse and the Languedoc
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Toulouse and the Languedoc - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Abbaye St-Martin du Canigou
Visitors, tackling a steep, mile-long climb from the parking area, come to make a pilgrimage—aesthetic or spiritual—to this celebrated medieval abbey. It's one of the most photographed in Europe thanks to its sky-kissing location atop a triangular promontory at an altitude of nearly 3,600 feet. St-Martin du Canigou's breathtaking mountain setting was due, in part, to an effort to escape the threat of marauding Saracens from the Middle East. Constructed in 1009 by Count Guifré of Cerdagne, then damaged by an earthquake in 1428 and abandoned in 1783, the abbey was diligently (perhaps too diligently) restored by the Bishop of Perpignan early in the 20th century. The oldest parts are the cloisters and the two churches, of which the lower church, dedicated to Notre-Dame-sous-Terre, is the most ancient. Rising above is a stocky, fortified bell tower. Masses are sung daily—Easter Mass is especially joyous and moving—but the Abbey can only be visited by guided tour (with French narration only), offered five times daily; reservations are not needed unless traveling as a group of 15 or more.
Casteil, Vernet-les-Bains, Occitania, 66820, France04–68–05–50–03Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6, Closed Jan. and Mon. Oct.–May -
2. Basilique St-Sernin
Toulouse's most famous landmark and the world's largest Romanesque church once belonged to a Benedictine abbey, built in the 11th century to house pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Inside, the aesthetic high point is the magnificent central apse, begun in 1080, glittering with gilded ceiling frescoes, which date to the 19th century. When illuminated at night, St-Sernin's five-tier octagonal tower glows red against the sky. Not all the tiers are the same: the first three, with their rounded windows, are Romanesque; the upper two, with pointed Gothic windows, were added around 1300. The ancient crypt contains the relics and reliquaries of 128 saints, but its most famed treasure is a thorn that legend says is from the Crown of Thorns.
Pl. St-Sernin, Toulouse, Occitania, 31000, France05–61–21–80–45Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed during Sun. Mass -
3. Cathédrale Ste-Cécile
One of the most unusual and dazzling churches in France, the huge Cathédrale Ste-Cécile (also known as Cathedrale d'Albi), with its intimidating clifflike walls, resembles a cross between a castle and an ocean liner. It was constructed as a symbol of the Church's return to power after the 13th-century crusade that wiped out the Cathars. The interior is an astonishingly ornate contrast to the massive austerity of the outer walls. Maestro Donnelli and a team of 16th-century Italian artists (most of the Emilian school) covered every possible surface with religious scenes and brightly colored patterns—it remains the largest group of Italian Renaissance paintings in any French church. On the west wall you can find one of the most splendid organs in the world, built in 1734 and outfitted with 3,500 pipes, which loom over a celebrated fresco of the Last Judgment.
Pl. Ste-Cécile, Albi, Occitania, 81000, France05–63–38–47–40Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6 -
4. Abbaye de St-Michel de Cuxa
One of the gems of the Pyrénées, this medieval abbey's sturdy, crenellated bell tower is visible from afar. The remains of its cloisters are divine in every sense of the word—if they seem familiar, it may be because you’ve seen the missing pieces in New York City's Cloisters museum. A hauntingly simple, six-voice Gregorian vespers service held (somewhat sporadically) at 7 pm in the monastery is medieval in tone and texture; next door, the 10th-century pre-Romanesque church (France’s largest) has superb acoustics that make it an unforgettable concert venue.
Prades, Occitania, 66500, France04–68–96–15–35Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6, Closed 2 wks in late Jan. -
5. Ancienne Cathédrale St-Nazaire
Rebuilt over several centuries after the sack of Béziers, the cathedral's western facade resembles a fortress for good reason—it served as a warning to would-be invaders. Note the medieval wall along Rue de Juiverie, which formed the limit between the cathedral precincts and the Jewish quarter. Inside the cathedral, look for the magnificent 17th-century walnut organ and the frescoes representing the lives of St-Stephen and others.
Plan des Albigeois, Béziers, Occitania, 34500, France04–67–28–22–89 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Cathédrale St-Étienne
The cathedral was erected in stages between the 13th and the 17th century, though the nave and choir languished unfinished because of a lack of funds. A fine collection of 16th- and 17th-century tapestries traces the life of St-Stephen. In front of the cathedral is the city's oldest fountain, dating from the 16th century.
Pl. St-Étienne, Toulouse, Occitania, 31000, France05–61–52–03–82 -
7. Cathédrale St-Jean-Baptiste
Note the frilly wrought-iron campanile and dramatic medieval crucifix on the Cathédrale St-Jean-Baptiste.
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8. Cathédrale St-Just-et-St-Pasteur
The town's former wealth is evinced by the 14th-century Cathédrale St-Just-et-St-Pasteur—its vaulting rises 133 feet from the floor, making it the tallest cathedral in southern France. Only Beauvais and Amiens (both in Picardy) are taller, and, as at Beauvais, the nave here was never completed. The "Creation" tapestry is the cathedral's finest treasure. Enter from the back side (Rue Gustave Fabre) for an especially impressive look at the unfinished nave and insight into the construction process.
Rue Armand-Gauthier, Narbonne, Occitania, 11100, France -
9. Cathédrale St-Pierre
After taking in the broad vistas of the Promenade de Peyrou, cross over into the Vieille Ville and wander its maze of narrow streets full of pretty shops and intimate restaurants. At the northern edge of the Vieille Ville, visit this imposing cathedral. Its fantastical 14th-century entry porch alone warrants the detour: two cone-top towers—some five stories high—flank the main portal and support a groin-vaulted shelter. The interior, despite 18th-century reconstruction, maintains the formal simplicity of its 14th-century origins.
Pl. St-Pierre, Montpellier, Occitania, 340009, France -
10. Chapelle des Carmélites
All that remains of the Carmelite convent that once stood here is its chapel, begun in 1622 by King Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. Look up to admire the remarkable painted vaulted ceiling.
1 rue de Périgord, Toulouse, Occitania, 31000, France05–34–44–92–05Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
11. Cloître St-Salvi
From the central square and parking area in front of the Palais de la Berbie, walk to the 11th- to 15th-century college and Cloître de St-Salvy.
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12. Église de la Madeleine
The heavily restored church, with its distinctive octagonal tower, was the place where the infamous 1209 massacre began. Some 7,000 townspeople, who had sought refuge from Simon de Montfort inside the church, were burned alive before he turned his attention to sacking the town. The event is known as le grand mazel (the great slaughter).
Béziers, Occitania, 34500, France -
13. Notre-Dame de la Dalbade
Originally called Sancta Maria de Ecclesia Alba in Langue d'Oc and Ste-Marie de l'Église Blanche in French (alba and blanche both meaning "white"), the name of this church evolved into "de Albata" and later "Dalbade." Ironically, one of its outstanding features today is the colorful 19th-century ceramic tympanum over the Renaissance door.
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14. Notre-Dame de la Daurade
The 18th-century Notre-Dame de la Daurade overlooks the Garonne. The church's name—derived from doré (gilt)—refers to the golden reflection given off by mosaics decorating the 5th-century temple to the Virgin Mary that once stood on this site. It's also known as Notre-Dame la Noire, a nod to the church's "Black Virgin," a figure of devout worship and dressed in special finery by designers, including Christian Lacroix.
1 pl. de la Daurade, Toulouse, Occitania, 31000, France05–61–21–38–32 -
15. Notre-Dame du Taur
Built on the spot where St-Saturnin (or Sernin), the martyred bishop of Toulouse, was dragged to his death in AD 250 by a rampaging bull, this church is famous for its cloche-mur, or wall tower. The wall looks like an extension of the facade and has inspired many similar versions throughout the region.
12 rue du Taur, Toulouse, Occitania, 31000, France05–61–21–80–45Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
16. Notre-Dame-des-Anges
At the end of Boulevard du Boramar is the 17th-century church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges. It has exuberantly carved, gilded churrigueresque altarpieces by celebrated Catalan master Joseph Sunyer and a pink-dome bell tower that doubled as the original lighthouse.
Pl. de l'Église, Collioure, Occitania, 66190, France
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