Free Essential Tour of Toulouse: History & Secrets of the Pink City
Overview
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry used to have coffee at CAPITOLE, and long before that, a municipal assembly built a palace that still serves as city hall today. Can you imagine a medieval city where residents filled the squares for assemblies, just like in ancient Rome?
At the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, we’ll talk about the Camino de Santiago, the language of the troubadours—Occitan—and the traces left by Spanish exiles in the city.
At the Jacobins Convent, we’ll discover who the Cathars were and how southern France experienced one of the most fascinating and dramatic episodes in medieval Europe. And finally, we’ll travel back to the Renaissance to explore Toulouse’s golden age, when the “blue gold” trade filled the city with palaces.
Includes a PDF with recommendations so you can continue enjoying Toulouse like a local.
By the end of the tour, you’ll see the city through new eyes and understand why Toulouse is known as the “Ville Rose.”
This activity includes:
- Place du Capitole
- Pont Neuf
- Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse
- Georges Bemberg’s Foundation — Hotel of Assézat
- Couvent des Jacobins
- La daurade
- Notre-Dame du Taur
- Tour de serta
On arrival
The meeting point is at the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, at the entrance near Rue du Taur (at the corner of Place Saint-Sernin and Rue du Taur).
I’ll be carrying a pink umbrella so you can recognize me, and I’ll be there 10 minutes before the tour starts.
*Note: There may be other tours, so remember to look for the pink umbrella :)
Things to note
* The tour lasts 2.15 h to 2.30 h.
The morning tour ends near Pont Neuf, close to the restaurant district.
The afternoon tour is designed to accommodate the summer heat; it lasts 1.45 to 2 hours, and the monument visits are from the outside, since the monuments are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s ideal for learning about their history and exploring them from the inside at your own pace.
*If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message
Cancellation policy
You are free to cancel a booking anytime. We kindly remind you to cancel bookings you cannot arrive for. Being reported as absent decreases your customer level points and the benefits you can enjoy.
