Finally get to sleep in. Catch the 10:34 train to Toulouse. Arrive in Toulouse at 12:45. See a sign in the train station for bike rental, but it turns out it no longer exists. Walk to center town and start looking for hotels. Traveling with pannier bags is nice for cycling, but it would be nice if they had some shoulder straps. With all the luggage and bottles of wine I’m carrying the bags are ripping my arms out of my sockets if I walk for more than 10 minutes. We look at quite of few hotels, and end up at hotel Victor Hugo. The price is 60 euros for Sunday (20% off) and 75 euros for Monday and Tuesday. Drop off luggage and then walk around town.

1) Basilique St-Sernin, which is a huge church in the shape of a cross if seen from above. We also see the bikes available for use at many different stations. Toulouse has various bike stations around town that can be used in order to get around town.

Toulouse bike rental

2) Place du Capitole, and the tourist info centre where we luckily find out that the Cite de L’Espace is closed on Monday’s as we were planning on going there. We also find info on renting bikes from the nearby bike rental shop (1 euro for 1/2 day, 2 euros/day).

Capitole de Toulouse

Capitole de Toulouse

3) Across Pont Neuf to eat a snack in the green area. I got a tarte citron au meringue in order to test the capabilities of the patisserie. They pass with flying colours. Also see a water tower which now is an art gallery, but it is closed today.

Patisserie

4) Along the Gironde river to Dome de la Grave.

5) Back across the river to Eglise Notre Dame de la Dalbade.

6) See Couvent des Jacobins

Couvent Des Jacobins

Couvent Des Jacobins

Dinner at a local pizza place on rue Taur. We order 2 salades vertes, 2 beers, and share a roquefort pizza.

Later we watch Marseilles vs Lyon on Canal+. Marseilles wins 3-1.

Toulouse is the most multicultural city I’ve seen so far this trip. In almost every city I’ve seen a Chinese restaurant. Here there is Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, and more. The people are also more diverse, but that is relatively speaking.

We also notice that the street signs are written in two languages. The first being French and the second being Languedoc.