When I booked my flights to Toulouse and began my customary research on things to do, I became aware of the wealth of unique activities on offer. It seems that Toulouse isn’t just a city to visit – it’s a city to move through. From boating along the Canal du Midi and dancing in public squares to cycling the Garonne and hopping between markets and wine bars, this is a place I learnt was best experienced in motion.
As someone who used to live in France, I felt it almost immediately. Within hours of arriving, I was reminded of why I love it here so much – the slower, more relaxed pace of life, terraces filled with animated conversation well into the evening, couples and groups of friends sprawled along the riverbanks. I texted a friend, attempting to convince her that we should move here together. She needed very little convincing. Even now, a week on, I am still dreaming about it.
Toulouse is an easy city to move through on two wheels. The centre is flat, the river and canal carve out natural routes, and it doesn’t take long before you notice just how many people are in motion – cycling, running, walking, weaving through the city with a natural ease. You don’t even need your own bike to take part in it. With VélôToulouse, it’s simple to pick one up and join the flow.
I decided upon a tuktuk tour on my first afternoon as a perfect introduction to the city. For two hours, my guide – a bit of a local celebrity, it turns out – drove me through the pink-brick streets (or “fairground brick,” as he called it), recounting the city’s history while people shouted “eyyy ça va?!” across junctions. Toulouse is France’s second biggest university city, he told me, and as I looked around, it was impossible not to notice how young the city felt. The people of the city were undeniably youthful, yet their surroundings evidently ancient, creating a contrast that felt energising and unique.
He pointed out the grand Place du Capitole, the Canal du Midi with its constant flow of walkers and cyclists, and the famous Pont Neuf (which is actually the oldest bridge in Toulouse, contrary to its name), along with seventy other points of interest. Ten minutes in and I knew that my decision to book this had been a good one, as I sat basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun, listening along to the fascinating narration while the city moved around me.
At the end of the tour, we stopped at the Jardin Japonais, where I had fifteen minutes to wander through the gardens. With cherry blossoms in full bloom and koi fish gliding through the water, it felt as though I had been ridden straight to Japan. Yet even in this moment of calm, movement was never far away. From my vantage point, I could see people passing by the park, and just beyond, I noticed a group gathered for what appeared to be a salsa class.
It was this moment that made me curious about the role of music in the city. When I asked my guide whether this was common, he explained that Toulouse is a UNESCO City of Music, and that what I was seeing was not unusual at all. Music here does not feel confined to concert halls or formal venues; instead, it spills out into the streets, onto the riverbanks, and into everyday life. There is a fluidity to it, much like the movement of the city itself.
This connection between music and movement becomes even more apparent during festivals such as Tangopostale or Rio Loco, when revellers take over public squares and transform them into open-air dance floors. However, even outside of festival periods, there is a sense that something is always happening, that if you follow the sound of music or the movement of a crowd, you will inevitably find yourself drawn into it.
The following day, I continued to experience Toulouse in motion, this time along the Garonne. I picked up a bike and cycled beside the river, joining locals on their evening routes – some commuting, others exercising, many simply enjoying the warmth of the day as it softened into evening. The further I went, the more the city seemed to open up, until eventually I began the climb towards Pech David.
From the top, the reward was immense. The entire city stretched out below me, bathed in the golden light of sunset, the Garonne cutting through it in a slow, steady line. People had gathered there in small groups, sitting on the grass, sharing drinks, watching the sky change colour.
Earlier in the trip, I had experienced the Canal du Midi in a very different way. A boat tour with Les Bateaux Toulousains offered a slower, more reflective perspective on the city. Sitting on deck in the sun, I watched as the canal unfolded gradually, its tree-lined banks framing a constant flow of activity. Runners kept pace with the boat, cyclists passed in flashes of colour, and people stretched out along the water’s edge, basking in the same gorgeous sun – something I, as a Brit, felt duty-bound to also do at every possible opportunity.
The locks, all original from 1667, punctuated the journey, gently controlling the movement of the boats as they passed through. I found myself watching people on balconies flooded with sunlight, imagining what it might be like to live there, to have this as part of my everyday routine – and wondering how quickly I could make that happen.
This feeling of constant motion isn’t limited to the streets or the riverbanks – I noticed it just as vividly inside Marché Victor Hugo. Being guided through the market by the knowledgeable Jean-Baptiste Aldebert (known as Gastronoguide), it felt as though I had stepped into a current. People wove between stalls with purpose, vendors passed produce across counters, conversations overlapped, and plates appeared and disappeared almost as quickly as they were ordered. I spent most of the time trying not to bump into anyone while also attempting to look like I knew exactly where I was going.
This continued into the city’s newer cultural spaces, particularly at Les Halles de la Cartoucherie. Opened in 2023 on what was once an industrial site used for ammunition production, the space has been completely transformed into something entirely different – a hub for food, sport, culture and community. What was once a protected zone of factories is now a place filled with people, energy, and constant activity.
Inside, it goes far beyond a typical food hall. Alongside the 25 food and drink stands, there is a dance school, a gym, squash courts, and a climbing wall – one that is even used by circus schools. It was here that I learnt something I hadn’t expected at all: Toulouse has a deep-rooted connection to circus culture.
Jules Léotard, a French acrobat from Toulouse, is credited with developing the art of trapeze, and also with creating the one-piece garment that still bears his name today: the leotard. There are still two circus schools in and around the city.
Spending time here, it became clear that this constant motion is not accidental. Toulouse is growing rapidly – currently the fourth largest city in France and on track to become the third, overtaking Lyon. Its main industry is space, attracting engineers and highly skilled workers, bringing investment into the city. With this influx, new neighbourhoods like Cartoucherie have emerged, transforming former industrial land into vibrant, multi-purpose spaces.
What I felt, as a visitor, was the result of this.
It is, unmistakably, a young city, and perhaps that is why there is so much movement. Young people are contained within old architecture, creating a juxtaposition that feels dynamic. You see it in the way people move through the streets, in the way they gather, eat, dance, cycle, and create.
Whether cycling along the Garonne, drifting through the Canal du Midi, or finding yourself unexpectedly drawn into a moment of music or dance, my trip to Toulouse was less about ticking off sights and more about embracing the rhythm that runs through everything.
Toulouse may be rich in history and tradition, but it is this sense of movement – physical, cultural, and social – that defines it. And perhaps the most rewarding way to experience it is not by standing still and observing, but by stepping into its flow and letting it carry you forward.
Lead photo credit : Photo: Poppy Pearce ©
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