March 2025

Toulouse: A City of Food, Beauty, and a Start to Healing

This trip to France was a first for Joe and I together. I had been to Paris a long time ago, but this was a whole new adventure—our first time experiencing France side by side. And honestly, after everything we’ve been through lately, being here felt like exactly what we needed. Toulouse, with its golden light, winding streets, and slow, delicious meals, gave us space to just be.

Eating Our Way Through Toulouse

Let’s start with the food because, wow. Toulouse knows how to feed you.

Victor Hugo Market was my idea of heaven. The smell of freshly baked bread, aged cheeses, and sizzling duck fat—it was intoxicating. There was so much delicious food it was a bit overwhelming and we didn’t even know how to begin, but just being there was a magical experience. If I could bottle up that smell, I would.

Then there was Prima Bonheur, where we had truffle pizza, probably one of the best pizzas I have ever enjoyed. At Bistroquet à la Une, we went full carb and cream mode with truffle pasta and gorgonzola gnocchi, both rich and decadent in the best way. And of course, we had to have duck confit at Au Gascon, which was exactly what I hoped for—crispy skin, tender meat, a French speciality that I was eager to try.

At Cartouches, we opted for the set-price menu, and everything was delicious, but the meringue at the end? Perfection. Light, crisp on the outside, fluffy inside—basically, if a cloud and a marshmallow had a baby.

Magic, Machines, and Medieval Beauty

Food aside, Toulouse is just an incredibly cool city. We spent time at Halle de la Machine, watching massive animatronic creatures come to life. It was like stepping into some wild, mechanical dream. Then we visited the Couvent des Jacobins, a stunning medieval convent with soaring columns, peaceful cloisters and a beautiful interior garden path. The contrast between the two—one full of futuristic motion, the other steeped in centuries-old quiet—felt very Toulouse.

The River, the Protest, and Finding Our Footing Again

Some of our best moments here were just walking—wandering along the Garonne River, crossing the Pont Neuf, watching the city glow as the sun set. There’s something about a river that feels grounding, like it reminds you to slow down.

And then, unexpectedly, we found ourselves in the middle of a huge protest against fascism. It was powerful, thousands of people filling the streets, their voices strong and unwavering. Toulouse has a long history of resistance, and being there in that moment, feeling that energy, brought us both to tears.

This trip wasn’t just about seeing a new place. It was about being somewhere different, stepping outside of everything that’s been weighing on us, and just enjoying the simple things—good food, long walks, and time together. Toulouse, with all its charm, history, and heart, gave us exactly that.