Toulouse What and Where to Eat and Buy

Set in the Haute-Garonne district of the Midi-Pyrenees, the vast conurbation of Toulouse is the centre of France's aerospace programme as well as a favourite visitor destination for its medieval and later architecture, impressive history and culture and gastronomic delights. The city lies on the River Garonne and two smaller waterways, with the pretty Canal du Midi and Canal du Garonne winding through its districts. Set centrally between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, the various culinary influences of Gascony, Spain and the Midi-Pyrenees combine to produce rich, nourishing peasant dishes as well as gourmet foods.



A goldmine for chefs all over France bent on sourcing the freshest and tastiest ingredients for their creations, the fresh markets in the city offer fine olive oil, locally produced Roquefort, Aveyron and other delicious mountain cheeses, pate de foie gras, black truffles, walnut oil, Bayonne ham and much more. The region's signature dish is cassoulet, usually based on duck, with tender white beans, herbs and a rich sauce redolent with duck fat. Served in upscale restaurants, bistros and local eateries all over Toulouse, it's everyone's favourite. Another favourite for dessert is the crunchy Croustade apple pie, made with locally grown fruit and liberally sprinkled with sugar. Dieting here is virtually impossible!

The robust red wines of the region shouldn't be ignored either, including the delicious yet reasonably priced Cahors vintages and the lesser-known Galliac reds and whites, and the local Armagnac brandy with its delicate golden colour is known and loved world-wide. Many visitors take trips lingerie manufacturer outside the city to discover Auberges rurales, local inns serving memorable meals based on the region's culinary traditions at amazingly reasonable prices. In town, the best and most authentic lunches can be had at the eateries on the first floor of the Place Victor Hugo's covered market. Expect queues, but it's well worth the wait!

Other local delicacies include the spicy Toulouse sausages, goose or duck confit, poule au pot, braised goose and filet de beuf served with a rich sauce. Breakfasts in Toulouse cafes are continental-style, with warm, buttery croissants, pastries, the delicious French breads and strong black coffee. A tot of Armagnac brandy at breakfast-time is a French tradition well worth copying. French regional food is as great a world cuisine as the country's fine dining tradition, with Toulouse one of its gourmet gastronomic heavens.

Retail therapy in the city's central shopping district is easily accessed on foot from Toulouse City Centre hotels, with most department stores and high street outlets set in and around the main square, Place du Capitale, with Rue Saint Rome just off the square the place for everything from window-shopping to maxing the card. For high French fashion, the chic boutiques along quaint Rue de la Pomme are a feast for the eye, if too rich for most pockets, and the funky dress and accessory shops in the university district's Rue du Taur are great fun and affordable.

Street and covered markets here are fascinating places to shop for everything from fresh and organic food, wine, cheese and gourmet delicacies to clothes, crafts, bric-a-brac and even antiques, although the antiques district itself has a better selection of genuine artefacts set along the Rue des Arts and Rue Croix Baragnon. The organic market in the Place du Capitale is a good place to start, and it's given over every Wednesday to a brocante market. The quarter around Place de la Bourse, just behind the Ecole des Beaux Arts, is the city's traditional textile district, crammed with second-hand shops offering great bargains in fashion and much else.