Toulouse, France

In Toulouse the hotels are mainly grouped around the town center, in three lively neighborhoods. Right in the center, bordering the vast Place du Capitole, are the capacious luxury hotels. In the area surrounding Place Wilson, all along the Allées Jean-Jaurès and the large neighboring boulevards, the residential apartment buildings and luxury hotels are packed together almost like townhouses. Near Matabiau station, amongst the big hotels and the lesser-known names, you have every chance of finding lodgings to suit your price range. You can also find small private family accommodation almost anywhere, in the town's picturesque streets or beside the waterways. Finally, further away from the center, and practical for people who are just passing through, are the chains of hotels that offer you accommodation at low prices.

Capitole On the beautiful Place du Capitole, with a view overlooking the splendid façade of the Town Hall and right in the heart of Toulouse town life, the Grand Hôtel de l'Opéra and the Crowne Plaza Hotel offer some of the most luxurious stays imaginable. These are dream hotels for visitors seeking direct access to the town's pretty pedestrian streets, to the historical monuments and, in the morning, to the market right on their doorstep! Not far away, in the Rue Romiguères, the Hotel du Grand Balcon is a virtual museum of history reputed to have housed members of the French airmail service at the beginning of the century. A few of the pilots particularly worth mentioning are the notable Jean Mermoz and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Place Wilson and the Allées Jean Jaurès Continuing with the luxury hotels, the Holiday Inn Toulouse Centre and the Grand Hôtel de Paris are located conveniently near the center of town, with the added advantage of being near the Canal du Midi and the subway, thus offering numerous possibilities for walks, outings and shopping trips. The Victor-Hugo and the Ours Blanc, are somewhat cheaper and still more centrally situated, in that they are close to the shops on the Place Wilson and the Victor Hugo Market.

Near the Station A large number of hotels are grouped around the Matabiau train station, on the neighboring boulevards or in the Rue Bayard, a street full of shops linking the station to the large boulevards in town. Full of life at all times of day, this street is full of travellers and merrymakers who will always manage to unearth the all-night restaurants, cabarets and grocery shops. There is a wide range of hotels here, from luxury hotels such as the Terminus to more practical selections (the Tivoli, the Saint-Séverin, the Toulouse, or the Ambassadeurs). In this same area, the hotels Ibis Gare Matabiau and Orsay take advantage of the lush green banks of the Canal du Midi nearby.

Residential Hotels The residential accommodation is mainly concentrated around the same major thoroughfares: the Citadines Wilson Résidence on the wide boulevards near the Place Wilson, the Concorde Résidence near the train station and the Parthénon Résidence on the Allées Jean Jaurès provide every modern comfort and offer a very pleasant compromise between renting an apartment and staying in a hotel.

In the picturesque streets In the vast Rue Raymond IV, in the pretty neighborhood of Matabiau, are some beautiful hotels that are well sheltered from the urban animation of the town. The Caravelle and the Raymond IV are ideal for a quiet and peaceful stay, without being too removed from the attractions of the town. On the banks of the Brienne Canal in the shade of the huge plane trees, a delightful picturesque setting is the charming Hôtel de Brienne. The Hôtel des Beaux Arts perches on the embankment of the River Daurade near the magnificent Pont Neuf, paradoxically the oldest bridge in Toulouse, provides an exceptional view over the River Garonne and on its ground floor offers an excellent bar specializing in seafood. Close by, the Père Léon on the Place Esquirol is an old Toulouse establishment particularly well situated on the medieval Grande Rue, at the junction of the pretty pedestrian streets of Toulouse, the Rue des Changes and the Rue des Filatiers. The Musée des Augustins and the Bemberg Foundation are just a stone's throw away; fine-art enthusiasts, take note! Over by the Place Saint-Georges with its pretty, colourful alleyways, stands the Mecure Toulouse Saint Georges, providing the security of an internationally renowned hotel name.

Chain Brand Hotels Hotels belonging to large chains are usually both comfortable and modern, and offer good services along with parking facilities at very reasonable prices. Many of these hotels are situated along the Canal du Midi, to the north of the town (Etap Hôtel Toulouse Centre, Nuit d'Hôtel), within easy reach of the high speed roads. Others are right outside of the town beside the main roadways (Campanile Purpan) and near Blagnac airport. These hotels provide the ideal solution for travelers hurrying through Toulouse.

Situated at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains in the Garonne valley, Toulouse enjoys a pleasant climate and has managed to preserve sites of incredible natural beauty surrounding the city while incorporating leisure facilities and pathways, making the area particularly delightful to visit. Known as the “Ville Rose” (Pink City) because of the delicate red-pink hues of its buildings, the city also has an important historical and artistic heritage which continually grows and develops. New additions like the creation of cultural and artistic centers and the organization of international exchanges, festivals, and exhibitions keep the city alive. Close to the border with Spain, Toulouse has the lilting accent and festive atmosphere common to towns in this southern region of France and gladly welcomes visitors to enjoy the tranquil days and frenetic nightlife of the city.

Parks, sport and relaxation

A large number of parks and gardens, situated in the city center or easily accessible by métro or bus, will delight children and their parents. They feature outdoor games for children, refreshment stalls, and lovely walkways. The Jardin Compans-Caffarelli delights the eyes with an attractive Japanese garden and a large lake, while the Jardin des Plantes is most appreciated for its little train, farm animals, and waterfall. The Prairie des Filtres is the perfect spot to watch competitors cross the finishing line of the Garona river race. Competitors in this unusual race, which takes place at the end of summer, have to complete the 20 km course under their own steam, using non-motorized (generally pedal-powered!) machines. The shady banks of the Canal du Midi are always pleasant to walk along, or climb aboard the Vedette Cap d'Ambre for a peaceful cruise as it drifts along the canal's winding course. With a car, visitors can also explore the African Safari, or focus on more local fauna at the Ferme des Cabanes. The Cap al Campestre Museum also has a local focus with a collection of historical machinery and cultural artifacts from the region. For a different experience of the local area, parks for sports and recreation including the Ramée and Sesquières feature excellent facilities for outdoor sports enthusiasts.

Museums and galleries

The big museums in Toulouse are all concentrated around the Place du Capitole in the heart of the city, so they are easily accessible on your own two feet.

Enthusiasts of fine art will adore the Musée des Augustins, an impressively large cloister whose interior garden is a true paradise amidst all the hustle and bustle of the city. Paintings and sculptures exhibited here range from ancient works to modern creations. Equally lush, the Couvent des Jacobins has a remarkable exhibition space and is historically and culturally fascinating in itself. A number of prestigious buildings house wonderful works of art in Toulouse; the exhibitions in the Fondation Bemberg, devoted to Renaissance and Modern School painting, and the Salle des Illustres, share the beautiful Capitole building with the town hall.

A space for modern and contemporary art, the Abattoirs on the left bank of the Garonne is a cultural treasure and is definitively dedicated to modern works. The same can be said for the Centre Municipal de l'Affiche, de la Carte Postale et de l'Art Graphique (Urban Center of Posters, Post Cards, and Graphic Arts) and the Galerie Municipale du Château-d'Eau (a gallery of contemporary photography), two must-see attractions for photography enthusiasts.

Small art galleries like the Galerie Sollertis and the Galerie Jacques Girard also allow you to admire (and sometimes buy) works by lesser-known artists. Given their location in the streets of old Toulouse, these galleries are also the ideal excuse for wandering through the city to discover some of the most picturesque spots.

Certainly not usual but just as stimulating, the Musée Paul Dupuy of decorative arts, with an extensive display of antiques, and the Musée Georges-Labit, devoted to Asian and Ancient Egyptian art, are definitely worth a visit.

For those seeking a historical understanding of Toulouse, the Saint-Raymond archaeological museum traces the city's past, exploring the daily lives of its inhabitants and examining even the darkest moments of history.

Toulouse provides ample encouragement to visit these cultural treasures: entry to museums is free on the first Sunday of every month. Another practical choice is to buy a museum passport, available in each of the city's museums, which allows visitors access to three museums for EUR 5 or, for compulsive tourists, six museums for EUR 8.

Science and technology

About 10km from the city center the Cité de l'Espace, with its full-scale replica of the Ariane space rocket and its special Terr@dome show, is the only one of its kind in France and should definitely not be missed. The Aquarium de la Garonne et des Pyrénées will delight younger children, who'll can get close and personal with different species of fresh water fish. Of more local interest, but with the advantage of being situated in town, a tour round the Bazacle hydroelectric power station, lets you personally witness the importance of the river in Toulouse.

Cinema

Home to France's second biggest university, Toulouse is a dynamic city which prides itself on a lively and varied nightlife. Numerous cinemas, including the Gaumont Wilson and the UGC Toulouse, are situated right in the heart of the city close to the main boulevards and parking. Major multiplex cinemas (Méga CGR, Gaumont Labège) fitted with the very latest technology are established in the suburbs and show big-budget movies. Meanwhile, artistic and experimental cinemas in the city center enjoy a devoted following at locations like Utopia, the ABC, Cratère and the Cinémathèque de Toulouse. Every year, all the movie theaters in Toulouse join forces to put on a number of film festivals, each with a different theme (e.g. Festival Séquence Court-Métrage and the Rencontre des Cinémas d'Amérique Latine)

Theater

Toulouse's many theaters, from the small, cozy spots to the massive auditorium and theater complexes, offer a very rich and diverse repertoire to the public. You won't have time to see everything! It's a good idea to sort through city events listings to pinpoint the most interesting shows ahead of time; check out the schedule at the Théâtre Garonne, the Théâtre du Pavé, and the Théâtre Jules-Julien. Some venues, including the Théâtre de la Cité, the Théâtre de la Digue, the Théâtre Sorano, the Théâtre du Jour, and the Grenier Théâtre alternate between modern theater productions and traditional classics.

For café-théâtre productions, the most popular venues are the Théâtre des Trois T, Cave Poésie, Le 57 arts center, Théâtre Le Fil à Plomb, Altigone, the Espace Croix-Baragnon, and the Salle Nougaro, some of which incorporate concerts and dance performances into their program.

Music and Nightlife

Large classical music events take place mainly at the Halle aux Grains and in the Théâtre du Capitole, but the city's churches and auditoriums (Basilique Saint-Sernin, Auditorium Saint-Pierre-des-Cuisines, Eglise Saint-Pierre-des-Chartreux) have their own significant role in the classical music scene: at the beginning of autumn they also host the international “Toulouse Les Orgues” festival (Toulouse Organ Festival), as well as much smaller groups of musicians, all of whom enjoy the marvelous acoustics provided by these magnificent stone buildings. The Couvent des Jacobins guards the honor of hosting, each September, the eponymously named piano festival Piano aux Jacobins. Concerts of rock, pop and jazz music take place in average sized auditoriums like Bikini, Bijou, Salle Nougaro, Altigone, Mazades), or in auditoria with a large seating capacity such as Odyssud, the Palais des Sports, and the Zénith. The Jazz sur Son 31 festival in October generally welcomes over thirty international artists who perform in the city's different concert halls.

Much more modest (but no less attractive) are Toulouse's many bars, which offer live music all year round and welcome performances by regional artists in all styles of music - jazz and blues in particular being long-standing favorites in spots like Mandala.

Pubs like Dubliner's and Mulligan's are popular nightlife destinations in Toulouse. Student crowds tend to frequent bars and venues close to the university in the Saint-Pierre or Arnaud-Bernard neighborhoods, like Breughel and Q'sec/Ragtime. Naturally, the Place du Capitole, Wilson Square, and the grand boulevards are Toulouse's nocturnal hot spots, with numerous and well-frequented bars. On Saturday nights, the party goes until dawn, but most bars have to close at 2 a.m. on weeknights: night owls move on into the city nightclubs like Saint-Georges Club or Purgatoire. There's always somewhere to go!