Toulouse & Its Surroundings: Ideal for Families of Explorers

Before jumping to the visit of Toulouse itself, we went for a little walk in a forest near Colomiers. Our city child did not like walking at first, but a couple of flowers, butterflies, and a pair of binoculars kept her engaged enough to enjoy nature. Following our walk, we went to the city and parked near La Grave and enjoyed dinner at Reflets Toulouse. The restaurant is conveniently located just across the Garonne, where the view is fantastic and (according to my daughter) there is the best playground in the city. The menu is simple but elevated and will impress you with the quality of the products. The wine pairing is near perfect.

Walk in the woods near Colomiers

La Grave

On the second day, we enjoyed the city and walked around the Capitole. I suggest you let the little one find their astrological sign outside and take a memorable picture. I am sure our little Taurus will love it when we get the picture out when she’s older. Do not forget to look up at the tower above the old houses and down at the little golden bubble on the floor, showing you, among other things, where the Garonne passes under your feet or the old names of the neighborhood. Since the day was hot, we visited the Daurade Basilica and its catacombs for a little bit of freshness. We added a little bit of fun to our day with a collaborative painting with Neobreak before driving to Plaisance to enjoy a bite at the Guinguette.

The Capitole, the center of the city

On day three, we started at the Hotel d’Assezat to enjoy the beautiful exhibit of the Fondation Bemberg. Each gallery is short enough to keep your kid engaged, and the building itself is really pretty. You get to enjoy it from different angles, including the balcony, which gives you an unbeatable look at the courtyard. After that, we walked along the Garonne enjoying the view and walked all the way to the Bazacle, the hydraulic bridge that has a little exhibit about the machinery and the fish ladder. In the afternoon, we went to the Halle des Machines, where we went on a minotaur ride and enjoyed the different fair-like installations before heading to La Cote ou l’Arrete for dinner.

On day four, our little future astronaut got served a full day at the Cite de l’Espace. If you have a space enthusiast on your hands, that’s definitely the place to go. We made the mistake of “only” planning to go for five hours, and it was maybe a little too short if your kiddo wants to see everything. I would recommend planning the full day if you don’t want to rush since there are a lot of things to see.

The Cite de l'Espace

On day five, we decided to get a little break from the city and drove to Lozère. It was a little bit of a drive, but we got to see so much nature and a lot of old castles on top of hills—Rodez and Mende, among others. The walk around Lac de Charpal and the adventure park Le Vallon du Villaret are hidden gems here that no one knows about.

One of the many castles spotted on the way to Lozère

On the way back from Lozère, we stopped at Rocamadour. The medieval village is so pretty, and, even though we are not religious, our daughter was happy to visit the sanctuary next to the pilgrimage cross. We planted a nail in the trunk, lit a candle, and even sat in the Black Madonna chapel for a moment of silent meditation. Our daughter’s biggest complaint was that we did not stay for long enough! We stayed at the Hotel du Chateau, conveniently located at the top of the city, accessible by elevator from the medieval part of the city, and a two-minute walk from the castle. She felt like a princess staying near the castle and loved the pool. Unfortunately, since we stayed only one night, she had to pick between all the exciting activities, including the monkey forest, the bee sanctuary, and the bird show at the Rocher des Aigles. We settled on the bird show before driving back to Toulouse.

The amazing pool at the Hotel du Chateau at Rocamadour

The bird show at the Rocher des Aigles

Back in Toulouse before leaving, we enjoyed the Jardin des Plantes and did a bit of shopping—including cosmetics made in Toulouse and the Occitan version of The Little Prince—before doing a round on a Ferris Wheel to say goodbye to the city.

One last walk around the city before leaving

These were the the highlights of our visit, but we saw so much more and had incredible experiences, including the night train back to Paris and staying in a cabin in Lozère!

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