Toulouse Or Not Toulouse
City square market in Toulouse
A Weekend in Toulouse
Toulouse in the Rain
When we first arrived by plane in Toulouse a couple of weeks ago we took the airport shuttle to the main bus station. Directly thereafter we hopped on another bus to Boulogne-sur-Gesse.
There was really nothing that stood out or made us want to return. However, on our hosts Patrick and Marie's recommendation, we made Toulouse a weekend destination.
Patrick drove us to the 6:45 am bus. Two and a half hours later we rolled into Toulouse where we were spending a couple of days. The weather forecast called for 100% rain which allowed ample time for coffees and lunch at a pair of great cafés. We did get a good feel for the city and imagined it would be superb on a nice summer day.
Toulouse in the rain
We checked out the Place du Capitole and went inside the Capitole for a self-guided tour. At the Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse, someone started playing the organ and it scared the living daylights out of us as we were the only visitors in the church.
Looking for bathroom facilities we walked through the university area and resorted to a mobile toilet. State of the art self-cleaning unit. However, we did not however download the app guiding us to all the mobile toilet units in Toulouse. Handy though.
The sun came out just as we reached the waterfront by Pont Neuf. A welcome feeling of warmth.
Busy meat shop at the Victor Hugo Market
Sunny Day in Toulouse
After the first day of rain, Toulouse really redeemed itself on the second day. We felt the first signs of spring and it made all the difference. Our first stop was at the Victor Hugo Market. An indoor market with butcher shops, a fish market, various bakeries, and coffee shops/bars.
Several gentlemen were enjoying a morning brew while reading the paper, people were examining the meticulously laid out food items and a swarm of staff did an excellent job of preparing for the day ahead.
Everything smelled fresh and if we lived here we could easily have spent a small fortune on cheeses, red wine, meats, and bakery goods. We did grab a croissant and coffee from a friendly vendor. We practiced our broken French but he spoke way better English so we were able to have a nice conversation.
Spring is in the air at this café in Toulouse
Sightseeing in Toulouse
A pleasant walk through the city eventually led us to our cultural items for the day, the Jardin des Plantes, a World War One memorial, and the Cathédrale Saint-Étienne.
We also managed to squeeze another couple of cafés into our busy schedule before taking the bus back to Boulogne-sur-Gesse in the afternoon.
I should mention the bus ride back which was stunningly beautiful in the late afternoon sun. The rolling hills are greener and we could sense warmer days ahead.
So in short... Toulouse or not Toulouse... Go for it if you get the chance.
Travel Photos From Toulouse
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-T1. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 23mm f/1.4 R - XF 35mm f/2 R WR - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done with Lightroom and I have made use of Fujifilm’s film simulations in some of the photos.
