Visitors looking to get under the skin of a destination and get to know its community ahead of their travels need look no further than the ‘Pink City’. Toulouse is often a favourite for Brits due to its mild weather, exciting calendar of events, as well as amazing exhibitions and attractions. Whether it’s indulging in the famed gastronomy scene or learning about the city’s 2,000 years of history, Toulouse offers something for everyone and now travellers can learn about the residents who help make the city a must-visit destination before they travel.
NICOLAS BLANCHARD – OWNER OF L’HEURE DU SINGE IN TOULOUSE
Nicolas is the owner of the bar L’Heure du Singe, which offers innovative and sophisticated cocktails. His unique combinations are created with homemade, seasonal produce and an eco-responsible approach. Nicolas selects the products from talented small producers from all over the world and manufactures most of the ingredients that make up the cocktails in Toulouse. One of his signature cocktails is Le Baobab Connoisseur which includes velvet rum fire, a mix of Brugal and Smith, cross aged in a barrel with egg white, baobab syrup and angostura bitters. Another favourite includes the Porto Rio consisting of magnifica cachaça, port, lemon juice, homemade cardamom syrup and kumquat slices. Nicolas has a YouTube channel dedicated to his art, including how to pair cocktails with cheese or caramel pork with beer cocktails. His YouTube allows those at home to get a taste for his work before visiting L’Heure du Singe for themselves.
For more information, visit: https://www.heuredusinge.com/
VINCENT MENSEAU – OWNER OF BWAMOA
Vincent is a ‘crazy and passionate’ culinary agitator from Toulouse. He has created a new French concept, in the heart of Toulouse called BWAMOA where visitors can discover a new form of food and sensations. Vincent’s creations include camembert ice cream, chewable drinks and red burgers.
This year, Vincent has been included in the Gault & Millau “best craftsmen in France” guide, due to his recipes being the result of meticulous research created in line with his initial training as a dietitian-nutritionist.
Made for all tastes and desires, Vincent’s most interesting ice-cream flavours include smoked salmon-dill, parmesan cheese, wasabi, porcini mushrooms and red pepper. Additionally, he has a menu of 20 vitamin recipes that are constantly evolving, according to the seasons of Toulouse, along with creating wonderfully textured drinks, which are made with natural teas and juices before being embellished with amazing solid ingredients including tapioca pearls, aloe vera, basil seeds and juice bubbles.
For more information, visit: http://bwamoa.fr/
EMMANUEL HILAIRE – OWNER OF HÔTEL ALBERT 1ER
Emmanuel is the owner of Hôtel Albert 1ER, Toulouse, a charming characterful, boutique hotel. Previously an artists’ studio, Hôtel Albert 1ER is a four-generation family-run business which has been taking action to protect the planet for many years. Having decidedly opted for an eco-friendly tactic, Emmanuel’s vision has led the hotel to adopt a “Slow Tourism” approach. Rejecting mass consumption and focusing on well-being, natural resources, and local culture. Emmanuel’s hotel has earnt the European Ecolabel for social and environmental responsibility, thanks to the hotel’s focus on using quality, local and organic products. Emmanuel’s hotel uses the freshest ingredients including honey from the 1,000m altitude mountains of Ariege in the Pyrenees, fresh yoghurt from the farms in the Haute Garonne, coffee from Toulouse’s oldest coffee roaster, Café Bacquié and of course, the best charcuterie and cheeses from the city’s magnificent Victor Hugo Market.
For more information, visit: https://www.hotel-albert-1er.com/en/
PENNY DICKINSON, OWNER AND FOUNDER OF TOULOUSE WALKING TOURS
Penny is the owner and founder of the English walking tours that make Toulouse come to life for foreign visitors in the city. She is known for her well curated tours which enable sightseers to discover the main attractions with hidden insights. She uses her knowledge to bring the city’s history to light and provide a layer of depth to each attraction, allowing guests to experience the true culture and history of ‘la ville rose’. Her enthusiasm for the city is contagious amongst her customers and she can often be seen offering handmade treats during her tours.
One of Penny’s most popular tours ‘Key Sights’ of Toulouse, encompasses the history and stories surrounding Toulouse’s famous landmarks. During the walk Penny takes her guests on a journey through time with a visit to the immense Place Capitole and Toulouse’s stunning town hall, before heading to the pilgrim walk of Basilique St-Sernin and along the scenic Garonne to see the private town houses built during Toulouse’s “Golden Age”.
For those left wanting more, Penny’s ‘Beyond the Postcard’ walk takes visitors beyond the sights of the city and onto a true voyage of discovery around the Eastern part of old Toulouse. Building on the knowledge gained during the ‘Key Sights’ of Toulouse walk, this tour highlights the ever popular Place St-Georges with its cafés aplenty, the world famous Musée des Augustins, the strikingly unorthodox Cathedral St-Etienne and the ‘chic village’ atmosphere of Place St-Etienne.
For more information, visit: https://toulousewalkingtours.com/
LUDOVIC DAVIAU, CO-OWNER OF GRANHÒTA
Ludovic is the co-owner of Granhòta, a leisure centre located in the heart of a preserved natural area, offering canoeing, kayaking, treasure hunts, nature puzzle games and much more.
After falling in love with the Pyrenees and Toulouse, he created Granhòta to combine cultural heritage in the city along with remarkable natural spaces at the gates of Toulouse. Ludovic and his business partner Mathieu invest as much as possible into sustainability, working towards a clean and autonomous leisure base, with a selection of quality partners, and take on a responsibility towards its employees, the public and fragility of the natural environment.
Granhòta allows those looking to make the most of the great outdoors the opportunity to experience the wonderful nature surrounding Toulouse. The Granhòta leisure centre is located in the heart of a preserved natural area, the Regional Nature Reserve of Confluent Ariège-Garonne. Extending over a linear distance of 18km, Granhòta takes place in a unique setting, allowing its guests to enjoy the surroundings as they undertake canoeing and kayaking, just 20 minutes from the centre of Toulouse. There are various routes available for all levels of canoers and kayakers, allowing visitors who prefer to take in the scenery as they float downstream to do so, whilst those who prefer an exhilarating ride through the rapids will be covered.
For more information, visit: https://www.granhota.fr/
WHERE TO STAY IN TOULOUSE IN 2021
BOOK A 2021 CITY BREAK TO LA COUR DES CONSULS HOTEL AND SPA TOULOUSE
Located in the heart of Toulouse close to the museums, shops and attractions, the beautiful La Cour Des Consuls Hotel et Spa Toulouse – MGallery Collection is a little slice of luxury in the city centre. With 32-bedrooms, this boutique property offers comfortable rooms and fantastic dining options. Guests can relax in the courtyard with a cocktail and indulge themselves with Michelin Star Menu created by chef Thomas Vonderscher at the restaurant Le Cénacle. On weekends, this inner-city gem is the ideal setting for brunch with friends. For more information or to book, visit www.la-cour-des-consuls-hotel-and-spa-toulouse-mgallery-collection.at-hotels.com/fr/
For more information on Toulouse please visit: www.toulouse-visit.com