Tantalising Toulouse

Oct 15 2010 By Richard McComb

Richard McComb falls under the spell of La Ville Rose

Sitting down to write about Toulouse, I asked my family to name their favourite part of our two-night stay. Which bit really stuck out for them?

The answer was irritatingly consistent: everything.

That’s what they all said – they loved everything. The atmosphere, the beautiful back streets, the youthful vigour, the cool shops, the arid heat, the easy-going cafe lifestyle, the museums, the dinky pinky bricks that lend the city its romantic nickname: La Ville Rose.

And the food, naturellement. Oh, my, the food is good, too.

Toulouse may not be the most obvious destination for a short break but it really should be, especially if you live in Birmingham. There are regular direct flights from Birmingham International to Blagnac Airport, which is just a 20-minute taxi ride from the heart of Toulouse.

France’s fourth biggest city has the largest contingent of students outside Paris, giving it a laid-back, bohemian air that sits comfortably alongside the monied, cosmopolitan glitz that leaves designer stores, chic restaurants and divine pâtisseries in its sparkling wake.

To stop over in Toulouse is to follow in the cartoon footsteps of Tintin, who spent the summer of 1940 here following the invasion of Belgium, and Asterix and Obelix, who came to the city in search of the revered sausage of Tolosa. Comic book characters have such impeccable tastes.

Toulouse is bordered by the lovely Canal du Midi to the east and the sweeping Garonne River to the west. These two great water channels lend the place a freshness, even in the peak of summer when temperatures can soar. On the day we left, the mercury hit an exceptional 40C.

We stayed at the brand new – and gloriously air-conditioned – Citiz Hotel, which only opened in July. The independent four-star hotel is on Allées Jean-Jaurès, near Place Wilson with its water fountains, just a short stroll from the monumental Place Capitole.

The boutique hotel, superbly managed by Olivier Guillemin, a veteran of upmarket retreats in Paris, is designed with moody accents of purple against neutral colours. The feeling is one of space and comfort, with high ceilings and large windows. The beds are gorgeously cosy and the feature “rain” showers in the groovy little bathrooms are refreshingly invigorating on the hottest of summer night.

A good buffet-style breakfast is served in the cool dining room, illuminated by spidery, space age chandeliers. We had eggs, cheeses, yoghurts and fresh pastries, with coffee and all manner of teas. The breakfast service, like all the service at Citiz Hotel, is efficient and kind.

Toulouse heaves with a rich culture, both sacred, secular and sporting, the latter courtesy of a top rugby team and a French Ligue One football outfit.

One of the must-sees on the divinity trail is St Sernin, the largest Romanesque basilica in Europe. It is one of those epic constructions you cannot help but marvel at. I can report that the local population is considerably more accommodating than it was towards Saturnius, the first Bishop of Toulouse, who refused to honour the pagan gods and was consequently dragged to his death, tethered to a bull.