What to see around Toulouse (France): Canal Midi and Fronton

One of the most interesting cities to visit in a sightseeing trip in the south of France it is without a doubt, Toulouse, gateway to the province of Upper Garonne.

Known as the pink city Due to the peculiar color of the facades of its brick houses that characterize its historic center, it has enough attractions to make a escape to know it, or to include it in a route by car.

But these attractions are not only concentrated in the city itself, but also in other places. places near Toulouse belonging to the province of Haute Garonne within the greater region of Occitania, to the south of France.

What to see around Toulouse

In this province you will be able to see small castles and pretty towns bastides, an urban configuration that developed in the Middle Ages for defensive purposes and to facilitate population settlements and economic production.

A common point of these castles and bastides are also constructions made with bricks, as happens in Toulouse.

But this is also a region that is marked by the passage of the Midi Canal, the great navigable waterway that since Toulouse a Sète in the Mediterranean Sea.

A walk through Toulouse

A trip to Upper Garonne must begin with the visit of the aforementioned Toulouse.

It is the typical French city with everything very careful, but compared to other cities in the neighboring country, it shows a Great atmosphere in its streets, which is because it is a very important University City.

You will have to walk through one of the main axes of its historic center, the Taur Street, which leads you from the plaza where the imposing Basilica of San Sernín, Romanesque style, to the heart of the city, the large square where the Capitol, from the 18th century, headquarters of the town hall.

El Convent of the Jacobins, a large brick building from the 13th century in the Gothic style, the Asszat's mansion and half-timbered houses, are corners that you should know in its historic center.

Here you have extensive information about the best to see in Toulouse.

Route along the Canal du Midi

As for possible routes around Toulouse, it is worth knowing the Midi Canal and the towns and castles that are located next to this great work of engineering from the second half of the 17th century.

This great project promoted by the king Louis XIV  Its purpose was to open a great navigable route that linked the Atlantic coast with the Mediterranean, so that ships and goods would not have to pass through the Strait of Gibraltar.

It was inaugurated in 1681 and designed by the architect Pierre-Paul Riquet.

At present, the Midi Canal It is used for leisure, with tourist boats, restaurant boats or cycle tourism routes, among other activities.

On your route taking as your axis the Midi Canal You can ride a bike along the trails that run along its banks or get on one of the boats that do tourist cruises.

you can also see castles like Bonrepos-Riquet, which was the home of the architect of the Midi Canal.

Revel, a good sample of bastida from the 13th century, is another of the places to visit on this route, with its half-timbered houses, the market building that occupies the center of the town, and corners such as the Museum of Wood and Marquetry.

Located on the shores of Lake Saint-Ferréol, main feed water tank Midi Canal, there you can enjoy various nautical activities.

Another place to visit is Saint-Flix-Lauragais, a town whose history dates back to the time of the cathars, which stands out for its location on top of a hill, and from whose walls you can see the landscapes of the Cockayne country.

In addition to walking around tower and walls and see its stone houses with half-timbered facades, you should not miss visiting its 14th century collegiate church, with a very nice interior with mural paintings.

Route through the Fronton vineyards

Did you know that very close to the city of Toulouse there is a wine region with its own Appellation of origin?

Indeed, another excursion that you can do on your getaway to this city in the south of France is the one that aims to get to know the wine domains.

The presence of vineyards in Haute Garonne It dates back to the 13th century and today in the surroundings of Toulouse A selection of grape varieties are grown whose wines make up the denomination of origin Fronton.

The vineyards of this DO extend over 2.400 hectares and around twenty municipalities whose central axis is the town of Fronton.

On your driving tour through the vineyard landscapes you can visit the historic wineries to enjoy wine tastings, as well as other wine tourism experiences.

Finally, an essential place to visit is the building of the Capdeville castle, from the 19th century, which has been rehabilitated as Fronton Wine and Tourism House, where you can taste the different wines from the Toulouse region, in addition to obtaining all the information to visit the surrounding castles and towns.