Toulouse is the fourth-largest city in France, situated on the banks of the River Garonne. The city traversed by three canals and three rivers is worth visit itself, but is also a perfect starting point for day trips from Toulouse by train. Main railway station is Toulouse-Matabiau. There are many trains from Toulouse to major cities in Occitanie and largest French cities.
In the article, I briefly described the places that can be reached by regional trains. If you will choose TGV, you can quickly get to Bordeaux, Marseille, Nimes and Montpellier and Lyon. However, these trains are significantly more expensive than regional trains. Journey time from Toulouse to Paris by TGV trains is 4-5 hours.
Day trips from Toulouse by train
Train Toulouse – Carmaux
Gaillac – a town situated on the river Tarn, famous for its winemaking traditions. The city has a nice Old Town with many intersting houses, restaurants and cafes. Most important monuments are concentrated in a small area – visit Abbey Saint-Michael, Church of Saint Peter from 13th century, Hotel de Pierre de Brens and Chateau de Foucaud with gardens.
Albi – a beautiful medieval town on the river Tarn renowned for its red-brick architecture. The steeple of Sainte-Cécile Cathedral, the largest brick cathedral in the world. dominates the city. It was built as a fortress in the 13th century. Next to cathedral is located former Bishop’s Palace which houses Toulouse Lautrec Museum – dedicated to famous artist who was born here. You can stroll around pedestrianized and very well preserved ‘La Vieille Albi’ (Old Town). You will see many medieval houses, narrow streets, charming squares and sometimes also half-timbered houses. The 11th-century stone bridge Pont Vieux spans the Tarn River and connects the old town with the newer parts of the city.
Train Toulouse – Carcassonne
Castelnaudary – a pleasant town (10.000 inhabitants) with a nice Old Town.
Carcassonne – one of the most beautiful towns in Europe lissted as a World Heritage Site. Fortified town situated on the former border with Spain. Carcasconne is world-famous for its ramparts and is packed with tourists all year round. The town is divided into fortified city and Lower City. The fortidied Cité de Carcassonne features maze of narrow, cobbled streets, medieval buildings and two notable landmarks: Basilica of St Nazaire and Comtal Chateau which currently houses tourism office.
Narbonne – a worth to a visit charming historic city. Most attractive buildings are located in the Old Town. You can stroll along the Canal du Midi running through the centre of the city and admire beautiful buildings, for example the Archbishops Palace, in fact two palaces which house the Town Hall for Narbonne, the Archaeology Museum and the Fine Arts Museum, the unfinished magnificient Gothic Cathedrale Saint Just and Les Halles – covered market in a 19th-century pavilion. You will find also Horreum Romain – an ancient Roman underground warehouses are the only visible remains of the Roman town of Narbo Martius.
15 kilometers from Narbonne is located Fontfroide Abbey – the Cistercian abbey dates back to the 11th century.
Train Toulouse – Auch
Auch – the capital of Gers. A vibrant city, the birthplace of the musketeer D’Artagnan. A pleasant city for stroll around streets of the Old Town with Cathedrale Saint-Marie. The Old Town is connected by Lower City by Great Staircase – 35 metres high staircase with more than 230 steps. You can visit also Musee des Jacobins located in a former Dominican Convent.
Train Toulouse – Cahors
Montauban – a city of 60,000 inhabitants often referred as city of arts. It boasts many artistic and architectural treasures. The city is located on the bank of the Tarn river. The symbol of the city is an original bastide in the Place Nationale. The city of Montauban features religious monuments (cathedral, Church of Saint Jacques with octagonal belfry) and Museum Ingres showcases works of 19th century artist Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. The Pont Vieux bridge from early 14th century connects the city centre with the suburb of Villebourbon.
Cahors – an interesting town with medieval Old Town, renowned for its gardens, cuisine and monuments Saint-Étienne cathedral, Roman walls and the famous Valentré bridge. There are remains of Roman times in the town – excavated Roman amphitheatre and Arc de Diane (a relic of ancient Roman baths).
Train Toulouse – Latour de Carol
Foix – a nice town known as a starting point for hiking in the Pyrénées. You must see the castle on a steep rocky hill towering over the city centre. Other landmarks are Saint-Volusien Abbey, the Halle aux Grains covered market and botanical garden.
Tarascon-sur-Ariege – a small town. It has a nice city centre. Only for a short stop. 3 kilometers from the town is located Pyrenean Prehistoric Art Park – a museum dedicated to the prehistory in the Pyrenees.
L’Hospitalet-près-l’Andorre – a railway station located close to the border with Andorra. There are buses from the station to Andorra.
Latour de Carol – an interesting place for railway enthusiasts. Train station with three different gauges. You can continue your journey towards
Villefranche Vernet les Bains by narrow-gauge railway or towards Barcelona by R3 line operated by RENFE.
Train Toulouse – Castres
Castres – a town popular among tourists. Higlights of the city feature row of the colorful houses along the River Agout (most Instagrammable place), Church of Saint-Benoit dating back to 17th century (former cathedral), Bishop’s Palace (currently Town Hall) and the Goya Museum dedicated to Spanish artists. The second museum in Castres is dedicated to life of the Jean Jaures – French politician, who was born here.
Train Toulouse – Agen
Agen – a typical worth a visit French town in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, located approximately halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse. The Old Town boasts some of the medieval buildings. Agen Cathedral with double nave, dedicated to Saint Caprasius is dating back to 12th century. It features stunning stained glass windows, a beautifully painted apse, and intricate sculptures. The cathedral is part of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route. There is also the Museum of Fine Arts exhibits artefacts from prehistoric times onwards and an extensive collection of paintings. The museum is particularly noted for its works by Goya. Next to the museum you can see a round building of The Ducourneau Theatre. On the outskirts of the Agen is situated large amusement Park Walibi – a great place for families with many attractions. Agen is famous for its prunes (pruneaux d’Agen), which are considered some of the best in the world.
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Train travel in France – a comprehensive guide
