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Toulouse

chachalaca

100+ Posts
Hello SE Friends,
We are heading back to the Pays Basque in the summer and will begin with a couple of days in Toulouse as a landing spot. Does anyone have a favorite place to stay there for a couple of nights? Many years ago we stayed at the Hotel du Taur, which was great but it appears that they are remodeling right now and will not reopen until July. We're easy to please, just a clean, quiet room easily walkable to restaurants, etc. Lamont always brings his bike, so a teenie tiny room is not preferred, but ...we've done it before!

Our previous trip had one goal - see the Tour arrive and depart. Done. So, I'm also asking for a couple of "don't miss" sights.

Thanks in advance, Laura
 
Hello Laura,
I am so happy you are going to the city where I leave : Toulouse ! As I am working on a travel blog about my beautiful France, I just published posts about Toulouse (itinerary to visit city center in one day, in two days, hotels, restarants...).
I do not want to look pretentious but I hope that my blog will interest you !
If you want to discover it :

https://blogforfrance.com/one-day-in-toulouse-my-itinerary/

https://blogforfrance.com/the-3-best-cheap-hotels-in-toulouse/

https://blogforfrance.com/toulouse-in-france/
 
This spring, I spent a few days in Toulouse. The Hotel d’Assezat, an art gallery in what was once a private mansion, was a highlight. The collection is not extensive but the setting is lovely, especially the courtyard with its striking architectural details. Also, the reception rooms in La Place du Capitole were impressive. If there is not a function in the rooms, visitors are welcome to view the murals and paintings on the walls and ceilings.
 
We just got back today from a lovely Christmas week in Toulouse. We stayed at Appartement Capitole, a very nice, clean, comfortable apartment located about ten steps from Place Capitole. It is on the first floor up one flight of stairs (no lift). The owner, Manuela, was so pleasant to work with. She does ask for a minimum of three nights' stay which may not work for you.

Not sure about "don't miss" sights - there were some "good" sights but can't say any of them were "don't miss". The Eglise des Jacobins was impressive, and the relics of St. Thomas Aquinas are there. We liked the covered Victor Hugo market (open every day except Monday) and also the outdoor Saint Aubin market (Sunday morning only). If you have any interest in space, you can easily spend a full day at the Cité de l'espace with its planetarium, Imax theater, and many displays and activities. We also took a tour of Airbus which must be arranged at least a few days in advance, but I recommend that only to true aviation geeks like my spouse.

I do recommend a day trip to see the enormous cathedral at Albi, about an hour away by train. If you buy your train tickets at least a few days in advance, you can find fares as low as 1 Euro each way! I procrastinated and paid 5 Euros each way, which was still quite a discount off the normal fare.

It was a pleasure just wandering around Toulouse and sampling the wonderful cuisine. I'm sure you'll have a great visit.
 
I too would recommend a visit to Albi if it fits into your schedule. The interior of its cathedral is majestic. There is a fee to enter the treasury and choir but it is well worth the price. Steps away from the cathedral is the interesting Toulouse-Lautrec Museum which closes between 12 & 2 pm. On the banks of the river, the museum has a small, formal garden which is free and open to everyone, not just museum visitors.
 
Ciao Chacalaca.
We love the town of Albi. That's where I would stay instead of Toulouse. Albi is also near a whole cluster of listed Plus Beaux Villages de France.
On the drive between Toulouse and the Basque Country is the very nice village of St Lizier. Its location may make more logistical sense for your itinerary.
Are you going back to Mme Anita Suhit's apartment in Sare ? I have good news for you. Drumroll… She has finally installed wifi. Kingdom come !
 
Bonjour Parigi!!
We will reconsider! And, yes we ARE returning chez Mme. Suhit. And yay, wifi!! I hope the cat is still there...we were fast friends.

I just sent you a DM/PM/whatever we're calling it here!
 
Aloha Ann:
Interesting article, and quite a different experience from mine. The artilcle's timeline is more uptodate than my visit, but those horrific urban changes couldn't have happened overnight…

And a "jilted suitor" "on a mission", hmm, that was the author's local "whistle-blower" guide of Albi (am quoting the author here). I wonder what a "jilted suitor" "on mission" would say about me ! My guess is: not terribly flattering things.
And this very special guided visit took place in January, the off-off-season when many restaurants and smaller hôtels and b&b's have their annual closing period, when even rentals in Rome are offering discounts.
I would get a third opinion about Albi, maybe one aided by a more objective guide perhaps. :)
Hey, Veronica, are you lurking? have you been to Albi recently?

France has renovated many of its towns and cities, transforming them, making them just about unrecognizable, - unrecognizably better. Cities and towns like Bordeaux, Dijon, Rouen, Cluny leap to mind.
The town of Gaillac, very near Albi, was all torn up in extensive renovation works when we were visiting. From whatever we could glimpse, it looks like a lovely town. And we love the Gaillac wine.

Given the relative short distance between Toulouse and Sare, Chacalaca, you may consider going into northern Spain, staying somewhere in the enchatning Navarre region. -- I am literally all over the map. :)
 
Good points, Parigi. We've really enjoyed several of the other French provincial capitals that he describes as endangered -- Auxerre and Bourges come to mind.
Are you freezing in Paris now? Have a glass of Gaillac for me, just to warm up, of course!
 
I haven't been to Albi very recently -- last time must have been 2011. But the phenomenon he describes is very common in small French towns (though I agree with you that visiting in January is hardly fair!).

My local town is hardly a tourist magnet like Albi -- far from it! -- and it too is suffering the "donut effect": zones commerciales on the outskirts, run-down town centre with many empty shops, and virtually no activity in the evenings. Now we can do almost anything without venturing into town: banks, opticians, bakeries, hairdressers, and more have moved out to the zones. There's now a rush hour in reverse: people heading out of town to work on the outskirts. The council is making some too little too late efforts to revitalise the centre. It does still have its lively street market though.
 
I agree with Parigi that I much prefer Albi to Toulouse (generally I do like smaller cities and town more than large ones). We spent 4 days in Albi in 2015, after really liking the town on a quick visit several years earlier. I can recommend a great apartment there:
http://www.gite-moulinsalbigeois.fr/
Both the apartment and the owners were lovely, and we wished we'd had more time there.

Also, the best restaurant we ate in on a two-week trip to France was in Albi, quite near our apartment:
La Table du Sommelier
 

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