Hello. After Fontainebleau, our next stop during our journey was Toulouse. We stayed there for five days before heading back home to Lyon. The journey took about six hours and went smoothly. The further we got from Paris, the better the weather became. Clear skies and sunshine greeted us. With four hours left on the road, we made a quick stop at McDonald’s for some food. Stopping at McDonald’s has become something of a tradition on our trips.
We finally arrived in Toulouse and checked into our hotel. Since I mentioned during the booking that I had a dog, the hotel had thoughtfully provided a food bowl and some dog food. I was so impressed! It was a dog-friendly hotel, with every detail considered.
Around 6 pm, after settling into the room, we went out for a short walk. The area around the hotel was lovely. We came across a park where the sound of frogs filled the air. The hotel itself had a massive garden, with lots to explore. There was a rose garden and I think a wedding had taken place recently because balloons were still hanging around. The garden also featured a pond and walking paths. Since it was late, we couldn’t explore everything, but we did check out the pool and the restaurant. The place was impressive and I couldn’t wait to explore it fully.
The hotel Le Canard Sur le Toit (which translates to The Duck on the Roof), lived up to its name. There were ducks everywhere. It was a large property for a hotel in France, with expansive grounds surrounded by walls, perfect for long walks. Nearby there was also a hall or restaurant that seemed worth visiting.
Despite the forecast of rain and storms for the next day, the weather was warm and sunny. We parked the car in a secure spot and went out for another walk, finally enjoying some sunshine. This trip had been mostly sunless. So this moment felt extra special. My first impression of Toulouse was that it reminded me a bit of Lyon, though the architecture was distinct and fortunately, the weather was much warmer.
A lot of Spanish is spoken here as well. I think it's because we're close to Spain. It's about an hour and a half to the Spanish border from here. I like this place more than Rilene. Maybe the nice weather is influencing my opinion, but I think this city is beautiful.
We crossed to the other side via a pedestrian bridge, but our goal was simply to explore. We were wandering wherever our eyes took us. The next day, we planned to do something cultural.
There's a lovely McDonald's here! It's in a small red-and-white building with a brick style. Very chic and charming. We saw a statue of someone called Carlos Gardel, but the signs were in multiple languages besides Spanish and I couldn't understand them all.
We arrived at the Japanese garden. I can only tell it's Japanese from the red posts. It's actually a large park with a Japanese-style garden inside. The trees have an East Asian aesthetic. There are also large stones shaped as if by a broom. There's a small pavilion here too, which I guess is a structure commonly found in such gardens. The atmosphere is delightful.
We decided to rest here for a while. I got a salad along with a set meal. But when I looked inside the set, I found a metal fork and knife, which surprised me. They weren't single-use and seemed reusable due to their material. My salad had pasta and chicken. My friend got different types of bread and something with eggs. They also had champagne on the side. The weather was warm, so we sat outside and relaxed.
This area is close to the airport in Toulouse. In the distance, we could see a plane. This city is known as the "space city" and there are lots of aviation and space-themed attractions. On our way we saw a beautiful bridge. I really liked it here. The bridge is interesting because it's sloped. Its starting point is low and gradually rises. It's called Pont Neuf (New Bridge). But ironically, it's one of the oldest bridges in the city, located over the Garonne river. Built in 1542 this brick-and-stone bridge has become one of the city's symbols.
There's also a wide riverside path here. Unlike other cities, where space for walking is limited there's plenty of room here, which I really appreciated.
This building looks like it’s from the Middle ages.
Generally the Gothic churches we see in France (like Notre-Dame or Fourvière) are from later periods, but this place seems more Romanesque, an earlier medieval style. We went inside and the structure was fascinating and unusual. Everything here is made of stone and brick, which is uncommon to see in France. However, since we're in Toulouse, it’s not surprising to find buildings like this.
Toulouse seems to have a lot of medieval history. The church is called "Église Notre-Dame de la Dalbade" and everything here is in Spanish again. This place used to be completely white, which is why its name refers to "white". Later it was covered in red bricks, changing its color. This church is very, very old. They started building it in the 6th century. Then there was a fire that burned everything down. But they rebuilt it and it became even more beautiful!
The church stands out with its red color, paintings and stained glass. It looks like a giant dollhouse. Inside we saw stained glass windows and the space was large, mostly filled with rows of seating.
Toulouse is much warmer than Lyon and here, modern buildings blend seamlessly with old ones. The warmth, atmosphere and everything about this place feel so different. It doesn't feel like typical France. Unlike the French architecture we're used to, the buildings here are more Romanesque and reddish in tone. This is why it's called the "Pink city" because of the color of the stones, which are everywhere.
On the first day we mostly wandered to get to know the city. The next day, we learned more about it. I discovered something very interesting here: Members of some noble families were traditionally buried around this cathedral in Toulouse. Some of the stones here mark the graves of those buried.
There were also lots of athletes in the city, playing sports on concrete courts. That’s all I have to say about the first day. On the following day, we visited the aviation museum and other places. I'll share new posts about those later. See you soon!
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