Known as La Ville Rose (‘The Pink City’) owning to its terra-cotta brick buildings, Toulouse is also a culinary mecca, with visitors able to taste their way around the city and its surroundings on a wide choice of tours and tastings.
The capital of France’s southern Occitanie region, the city draws large numbers of visitors each year, many of whom come here in part to experience the city’s renowned reputation for gastronomy. Whether you’re a seasoned epicurean or a more casual lover of fine food and drink, one of best ways to discover the city’s culinary fare is through a guided experience, such as those we’ve carefully picked out below.
Cheese & Wine Tasting Toulouse
Visitors are invited to explore the wine regions surrounding Toulouse without leaving the city during this immersive tasting experience. Hosted by the founder of Taste of Toulouse, you’ll step into a private tasting room housed within a local wine shop for an exclusive two-hour wine and cheese tasting. You’ll open at least four bottles of locally-made wines, pairing them with luscious, seasonal cheeses from Toulouse’s best fromagerie. After the tasting, you’ll receive an email with a list of everything you tasted and any other recommendations discussed. From 399 EUROS per group (max 4 people: 69 EUROS for each additional person).
Victor Hugo Market Tour
Jean-Baptiste Aldebert is the founder of Gastronoguide and has been passionate about gastronomy and wine for more than twenty years. Through his visits to Toulouse’s Victor Hugo Market, he offers a friendly immersion combining tastings, anecdotes and encounters with the shopkeepers who bring this emblematic place to life. Trained in cooking and later in viticulture and oenology in Beaune, his objective is simple: to help visitors discover Toulouse with generosity, authenticity and a love of good food. From 58 EUROS per person.
Toulouse Food & History Tour with a Chef
This four-hour walking tour offers a distinctive way to discover Toulouse, combining the city’s history with the flavours of Southwestern France. Led by a trained chef, the small-group experience takes in landmarks including Hôtel d’Assézat, Place du Capitole and Marché Victor Hugo across six carefully chosen stops. Along the way, you’ll sample regional specialities including charcuterie, Toulouse sausage, artisan cheeses, local wine and traditional pastries. At selected stops, your host also prepares dishes fresh on his cargo bike, adding an engaging culinary twist to this immersive journey through the history and gastronomy of La Ville Rose. From 110 EUROS per person.
Toulouse Food Tour
Organised and run by No Diet Club, a unique culinary discovery experience that takes place in cities across France and beyond, this fun-filled food tour is designed to introduce guests to the best of local Toulouse cuisine. Held over three hours, visitors will get to sample regional specialties including cheeses, cinnamon rolls, smash burgers, and what are said to be the best hot dogs in town. Vegetarians are catered for too and all food is included in the tour price. From 62 EUROS per person.
Cassoulet Tasting Tour with Local Hosts
One of the region around Toulouse’s most successful culinary inventions is Cassoulet, a rich stew traditionally made with sausages or pork. This 3-hour tour sees you visit three local homes where you’ll get to savour authentic Cassouler recipes and learn about the cultural significance of this delectable dish. Gosts will share personal stories, inherited traditions, cooking secrets as you taste their own Cassoulet twist, all accompanied by local wines. Between stops, you’ll also get to stroll through charming neighbourhoods, gaining insights into local life and the city’s food culture as you go. From 149 EUROS per person.