My Favorite Day Trips from Toulouse

While Toulouse is a great city for exploring, some of the most memorable experiences lie beyond the city limits.

Within an hour or two, you'll find medieval hilltop villages, bustling local markets, rolling vineyards, and winding country roads that reveal a slower, more authentic side of southern France. It's a region that remains surprisingly overlooked by many international travelers, making it perfect for those looking to venture beyond the usual routes.

For the greatest flexibility, I recommend renting a car and embracing a few petit détours along the way. Some of the best discoveries happen on quiet back roads and in villages you weren't planning to visit. If you'd rather sit back and enjoy the scenery, a private guide and driver can make for a wonderfully relaxing day.

The suggestions below are all within about 90 minutes of Toulouse and are places I frequently recommend when designing custom itineraries through the Tarn and Tarn-et-Garonne.

Explore Charming Hilltop Villages

Because there are so many amazing bastides (hilltops villages) to visit, it’s best to pick 2-3 for a day as it can become tiring to see too many. If you want to truly be in the slow French way of life, it’s a good idea not to pack too much into your days. My recommendations for a first great day are Puycelsi, Bruniquel and Penne. These three village each have something special.

Your first stop is Penne - wander through the quiet winding streets, marvel at the stunning views below from the hilltop, then stop for a late morning coffee at Cafe sur Measure for an open air cafe experience. If you have the stamina, climb up the hill to visit the old ruins of the fortress for a bit of history and more exceptional countryside views.

Next stop you can book lunch in one of the great restaurants that all of these villages provide. My personal favorite is Cabanon Sauvage in Puycelsi. Seasonal ingredients are cooked to perfection with a creative French flair. Walk off your meal through the flower covered narrow streets and marvel at the ancient architecture and the well-kept homes. Don’t miss the 13th century cathedral and it’s distinctive bright blue painted ceiling. It’s by far my favorite church in the area.

And finally, head to Bruniquel in the late afternoon. Be sure not to miss the castle at the top of the hill—the buildings are remarkably well preserved and the views from the balcony are worth the small price of admission. Wander back down the hill and browse the shops for artisanal goods and antiques. You can also go for an ice cream at the local glacier to cool down after all that exploring.

These are just a few of the many villages in the area worth exploring!

For Nature lovers:
Hiking or Kayaking in the River Gorge

One of the many reasons I love this area is the pristine nature! We have so many hiking trails, it would be hard to recommend just one. I have loads of options ranging from easy to more challenging but each one includes a cacophony of bird song and beautiful landscape views. You can either find specific hikes by using the App AllTrails or stop in any Office de Tourisme in various villages for trail maps.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can rent kayaks at one of the various rental shops along the river to paddle your way through the Gorge d’Aveyron. You can take out a boat anywhere from a couple hours to longer day trips. I advise starting off early to beat the heat. You’ll cruise through limestone cliff formations and even hit some fun whitewater. Halfway down, you can pull over to a riverside cafe for snacks and drinks or for a full lunch. If it’s a warm day you can take a dip to cool off in the deeper parts of the river. At the end of your journey, a bus from the rental company will pick you up and return to you the parking. It’s so fun to be out in nature!

Wine Tasting & Guingettes

Have you ever heard of Gaillac wines? I hadn’t either until I moved to this area. It’s actually one of the first regions in France to be planted with grapes and boasts a proud but overlooked, winemaking history. Here you can find reds, whites and sparkling wines - all quite delicious, with subtle notes of spice and earthy flavors. There are a plethora of winemakers and vineyards in the area. It’s easy to pull over to the many caves du vin and have a sampling of their offerings, and maybe even bring home a bottle or two.

My favorite thing to do is to plan my wine tasting trips with certain vineyard’s apéro concerts in the summer months. Various winemakers draw in locals and tourists alike in June, July and August evenings with food trucks and bands, making it a particularly fun way to try different varietals, eat yummy seasonal food and hear some music.

Another outing option in the area is to check out a guinguette. This is very French concept which is an outdoor space (usually near a river) that serves light food, drinks and has seasonal concerts. Typically adorned with festive bistro lights, tables and chairs are placed in shaded areas so that guests can hang out for hours at a time, enjoying the ambiance with music playing as the soundtrack. This is also the best place for local people watching. These spots are open weekly but most concerts happen on weekends. Note: they aren’t always advertised online, it’s pretty much for locals in the know.

Some of my favorites are located in Cazals, Féneyrols and Saint Antonin Noble Val.

Visit a Traditional French Market

One last thing you cannot miss is the marché. It is so quintessentially French and there are daily markets that happen throughout the area. My personal favorite is Sundays mornings in Saint Antonin Noble Val. I suggest early arrival to beat the crowds (it gets very busy after 10am in summer). Start off by browsing the various stands to see what is on offer, then start to fill your basket with anything that strikes your fancy. Homemade breads, local fresh cheeses, charcuterie, wines, farmer’s produce as well as local artisanal goods and clothing are all on offer.

What I love to do is fill my basket then head down to the river’s edge and find a picnic table to sample my selections. I will always bring a tablecloth, plates and glasses (and don’t forget the corkscrew!) so I can have that real picnic experience. It’s simply magical!

If you’d like help planning a seamless trip like this with many more suggestions, I offer customized road trip itineraries, private guided tours and personalized travel consultations designed to make exploring southern France easy and stress-free.