France · TOULOUSE TOURS
Good toulouse tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
At Escapix Escape Game in Perpignan, your private group gets 90 minutes for a prison-break challenge: a 15-minute rules and history briefing, 60 minutes of puzzles, then a photo, drinks, and feedback. The session is offered in English, with German help available when needed.
“Die Begleitung war sehr, sehr nett und sie hat sich die Mühe gemacht, für uns die Hilfe auf Deutsch zu übersetzen.”
Travel from Toulouse to Carcassonne by coach, arriving near the medieval cité for several hours of free exploration. Visit Château Comtal, Saint Nazaire Basilica, and the ramparts at your own pace, using the Henri Trip audio guide in French, English, or Spanish.
“Efficient. I wish on the way there there was a guide giving a history about Carcassonne.”
Join trained chef Alejandro in central Toulouse for a four-hour English walking tour pairing seven local tastings with memorable stories. He prepares and plates food from a mobile cart at landmarks including Place du Capitole, the Garonne, Marché Victor Hugo, and Basilique Saint-Sernin.
“Alex is an outstanding host and chef while providing a history of the food and neighborhoods. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about the 7 tastings and learning about the history at the same time. Alex is a charming and engaging chef and encouraged the tour participants to be the same. One of the best food tours I’ve been on!”
Travel from Toulouse to Albi and Cordes-sur-Ciel by coach, then explore both towns independently with a downloadable audio guide in English, French, or Spanish. You get four hours in Albi and about two and a half hours in Cordes-sur-Ciel, but plan for a steep walk up to Cordes.
“A. Excellent trip..enjoyed not having a guided tour… just wandered around”
Spend a morning with an English-speaking guide such as Jessica, Ally, Teana, or Danielle at Toulouse’s Victor Hugo Market. Sample local foods, meet vendors, and finish with a generous wine-and-lunch tasting of cheese, charcuterie, foie gras, bread, and dessert.
“Danielle was delightful and informative. She has a great relationship with the vendors which makes the whole trip exceptional. The market is very good with a wide selection of meats, seafood, bread, cheeses and vegetables. Definitely take the tour! Save room for the wine and tastings at the end.”
Take a one-hour private electric tuk-tuk tour from across the Toulouse Tourist Office. A multilingual guide combines live commentary, audio, music and photo stops while you see the Capitole, Saint-Sernin, Pont Neuf, Garonne, Canal du Midi and more.
“The Tuk Tuk gets around in an hour to as many sites (and sights) as you can get to in a day. This is a great way of seeing a bit more, if you’re short of time, or gaining an appreciation of what’s on offer and you can decide what you’d like to concentrate on, if you have more time.”
Join Paul on a two-hour English walking tour through Carcassonne’s wartime streets. Using black-and-white photographs, local landmarks, and personal stories, he explains occupation, rationing, resistance, collaboration, the S.T.O., liberation, and post-war purges. The walk begins near Brasserie a 4 Temps and ends at the Resistance memorial in Square Gambetta.
“Focus is on WWII, very interesting and inspiring. Tour lasts 2 hours or so, I learned a lot. If you are interested in the French Resistance, this is a must.”
Meet your English- or French-speaking guide in front of Criollo for a three-hour walk through Toulouse’s center. Expect local specialties, cheese, charcuterie, sweets, and vegetarian alternatives, with guides such as Lea, Julien, Sabina, and Morgane sharing food stories and city history. All tastings are included.
“The tour was a lot of fun and informative. Our guide Lea took us to prominent places in Perpignan and explained the significance of the places and the food we sampled to the group The places we stopped at provided good quality local produce with friendly proprietors All in all good fun, good value and a very informative trip with a great guide High recommended”
Walk through Carcassonne’s walled Cité with a private licensed guide in English, French, Italian, or Spanish. Choose two hours for streets and fortifications, or three hours with entry to Château Comtal and the ramparts. Guides such as Morgan, Gwen, Amelie, and Jacqueline are praised for clear storytelling.
“Jacqueline was wonderful! She was knowledgeable about the history of Carcassonne and entertaining as well. Taking a tour with Jacqueline is definitely the best way to see the old city! She was also very accommodating when she worked with us to fit our tight schedule! I really appreciated her graciousness! I would highly recommend her.”
At Domaine de Baronarques near Limoux, an English or French-speaking guide such as Flore, Flor, or Jacky leads you through the vineyard, vat-house, 19th-century château grounds, and barrel cellar. Finish with three estate wines for $24, but arrange transport from Limoux ahead of time.
“Very informative and relaxed tour. The wine tasting at the end of the tour was superb. A great way to spend a few hours.”
Chef Alejandro leads an English-language walk through Toulouse, cooking regional dishes from his bike and pairing six food tastings with stories at the Capitole, Garonne, Victor Hugo Market, and Saint-Sernin.
“What an amazing history and food experience tour. Sadly, I do not have photos because we were too busy eating. Alejandro was a wonderful guide around the City Center of Toulouse. Because it was low season and windy he only cooked one dish on his cart for us and the rest were in restaurants or pre-made like chocolatines and macarons. Everything we ate was super filling and delicious. I think he does cook a bit more during the summer. Well worth our time and so happy we got to go on one of the best food tours we have ever been on”
Walk privately through Carcassonne’s fortified Cité with an English-speaking licensed guide such as Julien, Lydia, Anna, or Julian. Expect the Lices, castle views, Saint-Nazaire Basilica, stained glass, medieval lanes, Cathar stories, and local legends. Castle museum entry costs extra.
“Very enjoyable and educational tour. Guide was very knowledgeable about the construction and history of the old city and made it very interesting for all of us. Highly recommend.”
Meet a local host at your hotel, Airbnb, or a central landmark for a private two to six-hour walk through Toulouse. Your guide can tailor the route to your interests, explain the historic center, and share practical tips. Felipe has been praised for his architecture insights and restaurant suggestions.
“Activity was fantastic. Felipe our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. He gave us a real insight into life in Toulouse with such beautiful buildings!”
Join Marion Quart for a private two-hour walk through Narbonne’s Archbishop’s Palace, Saint-Juste and Saint-Pasteur Cathedral, Via Domitia, cloister, archbishop’s garden, Les Halles, and Pont des Marchands. The tour is conducted in French and Sangro and costs $23 per person.
“Avons apprécié ses connaissances et la façon dont elle les distillait..avec humour et simplicité , personne très agréable .”
Use the VoiceMap app to explore Carcassonne’s fortified Cité in English at your own pace. Follow the walls, gates, Château Comtal, and Saint Nazaire Basilica while learning about Lady Carcas, Cathar history, sieges, and medieval kill zones. Audio, maps, and route data work offline.
“Great tour, loads of info and keeps you away from the masses. Takes about 3 hours, great app with geolocation so it works at your pace.”
Pick a city, a coast or a cellar.
