Rental Car in Toulouse: Top Attractions

Rent a car in Toulouse and explore the less crowded and more authentic south of France at your own pace. With a rental car, you can easily drive from the “Pink City” to medieval fortresses, rugged natural landscapes, and spectacular mountain passes.

While a car isn’t strictly necessary for sightseeing in the city itself, it’s indispensable for day trips and longer road trips around Toulouse. That’s because many of the most beautiful spots are difficult or impossible to reach by public transportation. You can rent a car in Toulouse at the airport or in the city center, for example at the main train station.

Here are our recommendations for the best day trips by rental car from Toulouse, but of course you can also turn them into a longer road trip!

Toulouse – a great starting point for road trips

Toulouse is best known for its warm brick and terracotta architecture, which has earned the city its nickname: La Ville Rose (the Pink City). You can easily spend a few days here, as there’s plenty to see and do. Toulouse is a large city, but its historic center is compact. It’s a delight to wander through the narrow streets there, which still follow the layout from Roman times.

Did you know that you can park a rental car right in the heart of Toulouse? There’s a large parking garage beneath the vast Place du Capitole, and the rates are very reasonable for such a central location. On that square stands the symbol of Toulouse: Le Capitole, which spans the entire east side and houses both City Hall and the Opera House. The Basilica of Saint-Sernin was built in the 11th and 12th centuries and is the largest surviving Romanesque building in Europe. The most beautiful spots in Toulouse can be found along the banks of the Garonne, where you can look out over the 17th-century Pont Neuf.

The city’s most important art museum, the Musée des Augustins, is housed in a former monastery. Modern art has also found a home in a building that once served a different purpose: Les Abattoirs.

Lovers of French cheeses, charcuterie, or fine pastries shouldn’t miss the enormous Marché Victor-Hugo. It’s sure to make your mouth water! A Toulouse classic is cassoulet, a kind of bean stew with a duck leg and sausage.

Right near the airport, west of the city, are the enormous Airbus production facilities. Aviation enthusiasts will thoroughly enjoy a guided tour of the production lines and the Aeroscopia aviation museum. Are you interested in space exploration? Then you should head to the other side of Toulouse; east of the city, you’ll find the Cité de l’espace.

Explore the most beautiful towns in Occitanie by rental car

Cordes-sur-Ciel – a medieval fairy tale

If you’ve rented a car in Toulouse, it’s about an hour and a half’s drive to the fortified town of Cordes-sur-Ciel. This is exactly the kind of destination where you absolutely need a rental car, because by train and/or bus, the trip can easily take three hours (!).

Cordes-sur-Ciel sits high on a hill and is like a fairy tale from the thirteenth century: historic half-timbered houses, winding, cobblestone streets, local artisans, and a few museums and churches. During the day, it can get quite crowded with busloads of tourists. So it’s best to drive there early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The light of the sunset makes this little town absolutely enchanting. The historic center is car-free, but along the access roads there are several places where you can park your rental car for a fee.

Want to give the kids a little challenge? Then head to the Accro-Tyro tree-climbing park just west of Cordes-sur-Ciel.

Albi – the largest brick cathedral

The enormous Sainte-Cécile Cathedral dominates the city center of Albi; it is, in fact, the largest brick cathedral in the world. From the outside, it somewhat resembles a fortified castle. This stands in stark contrast to the beautiful paintings and frescoes inside, which feature abundant royal blue and gold.

The bishop’s palace next to the church now houses a museum featuring works by the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who made a name for himself in the late nineteenth century. He enjoyed depicting the hypocrisy of his time in posters, paintings, drawings, and lithographs.

You should definitely take a stroll through the narrow streets of the old town. The most striking building is the Maison du Vieil Alby, which houses a small museum.

Revel – medieval market hall

On a Saturday, drive your rental car sixty kilometers southeast from Toulouse and you’ll arrive in the medieval village of Revel. On that day, you can buy delicious local products under the roof of the historic central market hall, which was built around a belfry. Around the market square, there are cozy outdoor cafes under the arcades, so you can enjoy the shade on warm days.

If you enjoy woodworking and furniture making, you’ll love the Musée du bois et de la marqueterie. There, you’ll find explanations and examples of the craftsmanship of furniture makers, from old masters to young talent.

Saint-Papoul – Abbey and Cathedral

Just south of Revel lies the village of Saint-Papoul, which is best known for its 13th-century abbey. The monks’ former refectory houses an exhibition featuring the works of the Master of Cabestany—the name given to an unknown sculptor who created works of art of exceptionally high quality in various locations.

The cloisters offer a serene sense of peace. Be sure to look up, as the capitals of the pillars are decorated with a variety of motifs, including wondrous animal scenes.

Carcassonne – Europe’s largest walled city

Europe’s largest walled fortress town is less than a hundred kilometers away from Toulouse by rental car. Carcassonne is perhaps the most beautiful medieval destination in all of France. It’s hard to imagine that there were plans to tear down the fortress in the nineteenth century. Fortunately, there was opposition to those plans, and Carcassonne has been thoroughly restored.

From a distance, you can already see the towers of the Cité, which is surrounded by two walls. You can walk between and along those walls. Don’t think it’s easy, though, because you’ll be constantly going up and down stairs. On parts of the walls and towers, you can clearly see that the lower section dates back to Roman times. The main attraction is the Château Comtal. It was built against the western city wall, at the highest point of the fortress. The Basilica of Saint-Nazaire features beautiful stained-glass windows.

The Pont Neuf connects the Cité with the lower town, where the central square— Place Carnot —is the beating heart of the city, with cozy terraces surrounding the monumental Neptune Fountain.

There are several parking lots around the Cité where you can park your rental car. The largest lots are located on the east side of Carcassonne, just before the most frequently used city gate, the Porte Narbonnaise.

Andorra – a shopper’s paradise and mountainous landscapes

From Toulouse, it’s almost two hundred kilometers by car to Andorra. The journey there is fantastic in itself, because the closer you get to this tiny country, the more beautiful the mountain scenery becomes. In the capital, Andorra la Vella, don’t miss the 12th-century cathedral, the sculptures by Salvador Dalí, the shops, restaurants, and fantastic views.

In fact, Andorra is worth a multi-day trip. It may be a tiny country, but its stunning mountain landscapes invite you to take long hikes with spectacular views.

But you can also enjoy nature right in the capital. One of the more easily accessible viewpoints is the Rec del Solà, a well-maintained stone path high above the city. The path itself is relatively flat, but to get there you’ll have to tackle a fairly steep climb. There are benches where you can rest, as well as information kiosks.

If you’re traveling to Andorra, be sure to mention when booking your rental car that you ’ll be crossing the border. Of course, this also applies if you’re driving your rental car from Toulouse to Spain.

Lourdes – more than just a pilgrimage site

Lourdes is a market town in the Pyrenees that is best known as a place of pilgrimage, because the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a peasant girl there in the nineteenth century. This took place in the Grotte de Massabielle, above which a small chapel was first built. That soon proved to be too small, so a large church in the Neo-Gothic style was erected on the same site. There are numerous other churches in this town.

Still, Lourdes isn’t just interesting for Catholic believers. For example, the medieval Château Fort, perched high on a hill, houses a museum dedicated to the history and folk culture of the Pyrenees. For an even higher vantage point, take the cable car to Pic du Jer in the southern part of town. At an elevation of 951 meters, you’ll enjoy a fantastic view of the snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees. You can rent a bike there to whiz back down. Another fun option is a guided tour of this mountain’s extensive cave system.

Tillac – a charming village

Tillac is a small village with fewer than three hundred residents, but what a picturesque place! The charming main street is lined with a row of beautiful old houses featuring arcades and half-timbered facades. This once-fortified village has several imposing entrance gates: Porte de la Jane, Porte des Ormeaux, and Porte de l’Horloge. The Church of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur completes the medieval picture of Tillac.

Moissac – an abbey on a cozy square

Moissac is a small town located just over seventy kilometers northwest of Toulouse. It is beautifully situated on the Tarn River, near its confluence with the Garonne. Rent a small boat and go for a cruise on the Canal de Garonne, or take a stroll along the banks. This canal crosses the Tarn River via an aqueduct just east of Moissac. For a good view of this 19th-century aqueduct, drive your rental car to the Pont Canal du Cacor parking lot.

Moissac’s main attraction is the Abbaye Saint-Pierre. The interior is impressive, but the portal in particular is a masterpiece of sculpture. In the summer, a stunning light show is projected onto the portal. The small square in front of the abbey is filled with cozy outdoor cafes. On another square, in front of the covered market, a farmers’ market is held on weekends.

In the surrounding countryside, the historic village of Auvillar is well worth a visit; it is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France. It is surrounded by ancient fortification walls and gates.

Autoire – nestled between high cliffs

There’s no shortage of historic villages and towns around Toulouse to explore by rental car. We can’t possibly describe them all, but Autoire definitely deserves a spot on the list. There are parking lots on both the north and south sides of this village where you can park your rental car. From both parking lots, you can clearly see how the picturesque village of Autoire, with its narrow and sometimes steep streets, is nestled between tall, green, forested cliffs.

Just south of the village, you can admire the largest waterfall in the Dordogne Valley. The D38 runs right above it, but if you drive your rental car across the valley to the hamlet of Siran, you’ll have a better view of the cascading water. That is, outside the summer months, because during the hottest time of the year, the water trickles down.

Exploring Castles Around Toulouse by Rental Car

Did you know that you can visit more than three hundred castles in the Occitanie region? We’ve highlighted some of the most beautiful ones around Toulouse.

Les Quatre Châteaux de Lastours – Cathar ruins

In the twelfth century, Catharism emerged in southern France: a movement of people who believed that the devil ruled the earth. This was a thorn in the side of the all-powerful Catholic Church, which consequently waged a relentless war against the Cathars. As a result of these crusades against the “heretics,” little more than ruins remain of the Cathar castles.

Four of these ruins are clustered close together, just over a twenty-minute drive from Carcassonne. There are two overlooks, but you can also take a hike along Les Quatre Châteaux de Lastours. It’s quite a strenuous climb!

Château de Montségur – ruins with unique lighting

In a rental car, it takes two hours to drive from Toulouse to Montségur. There you’ll find the remains of a castle built on the ruins of one of the last strongholds of the Cathars. It sits high on a rock formation, and as you approach via the D9, the view is breathtaking. A unique feature is that on the morning of the longest day of the year, the rising sun shines directly through a window in the east wall.

Of course, this is a beautiful vantage point overlooking the surrounding landscape every day of the year. Experienced hikers prefer to head to the Pic de Saint-Barthelemy, at an elevation of 2,348 meters. Once at the summit, you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Pyrenees.

Château de Mauriac – History and Modern Art

Near the village of Senouillac, about a 45-minute drive by rental car from Toulouse, stands the Château de Mauriac. It dates back to the 13th century and was beautifully restored by the painter Bernard Bistes beginning in the 1960s. As a result, it’s not only interesting from a historical perspective. Art lovers will also find plenty to enjoy, as the painter has turned it into his own gallery.

Château de Penne – an eagle’s nest

The stunning location alone makes a visit to the Château de Penne well worth it. The fortress ruins sit atop a high cliff and offer fantastic views of the Gorges de l’Aveyron. The history of this place and the lives of its inhabitants in the Middle Ages are brought to life by actors in period costume.

You’ll have to put up with some scaffolding, stonemasons, and bricklayers, as restoration work on this castle has been underway for years and will continue for years to come. A trail with picnic tables has been marked out around the fortress. A great spot for lunch with a view!

Château de Foix – experience the age of chivalry

From Toulouse, it’s less than an hour and a half by rental car to the beautiful, historic town of Foix. This town is located in the Ariège, a region that few tourists have (yet) discovered and where you’ll find peace and space amid stunning natural scenery. The town is dominated by a well-preserved castle. There are two different routes leading up to the castle, both of which are quite steep. Inside the castle, there’s an exhibit explaining the equipment used by knights in the Middle Ages. For children, the highlight is getting to try on a suit of chain mail or put on a real knight’s helmet.

A visit to this castle can easily be combined with a tour through the caves and along an underground river (rivière souterraine) near Labouiche.

Rent a car and explore the natural surroundings of Toulouse

As soon as you leave Toulouse in your rental car, you’ll drive through beautiful landscapes, no matter which direction you choose. To the south, the landscape becomes increasingly mountainous; to the north, you’ll drive through wooded hills; to the northeast, through the relatively unknown Gaillac wine region; and to the west, through the rural Gers, which is often compared to Tuscany in Italy.

You’ll have a wonderful time just driving around and stopping wherever the scenery catches your eye. Still, we’d also like to point out a few nature reserves that are easy to visit by rental car from Toulouse.

Gouffre de Padirac – a remarkable cave

The Padirac Chasm and Caves are one of the most remarkable natural phenomena in the Massif Central. It’s not just any cave, as its entrance consists of a gigantic hole over thirty meters wide. A hundred meters below, a river flows, winding its way through an extensive cave system. Once you’ve descended, you can take a boat ride on that river.

Along the Garonne to the Spanish Border

From Montréjeau, over a hundred kilometers southwest of Toulouse, the N125 runs along the Garonne River toward the Spanish border. This is a beautiful route, both historically and scenically.

It all starts in Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, a beautiful medieval town. The town center is characterized by picturesque streets lined with half-timbered houses and plenty of charming outdoor cafes and restaurants, but it’s the enormous cathedral that really stands out.

As you drive further south, you’ll want to pull over every now and then to enjoy the beautiful scenery in the Garonne River basin. The N125 ends at the Pont du Roi, on the border between France and Spain. In the 1930s and 1940s, this was a key link in the so-called Route de la Liberté. During the Spanish Civil War, Spaniards fled north across this bridge, while during World War II, Jewish refugees headed in the opposite direction.

Grotte de Niaux / Grotte de la Vache – prehistoric drawings

On your way to Andorra, you can make a stop to explore caves near Tarascon-sur-Ariège. The most famous is the Niaux Cave, where prehistoric rock art is exceptionally well-preserved. Just before the village of the same name, there’s a turnoff to the Grotte de la Vache. Thousands of artifacts have been found there, and you’ll learn more about how people lived 15,000 years ago.

If you’re a model train enthusiast, drive your rental car back to Tarascon. There you’ll find a massive model train layout inside a train car!

Dunes de Maraval – red glow

The Tarn region is full of hidden gems. Just five kilometers from Cordes-sur-Ciel, a completely different setting and a sense of wonder await you! The landscape of red hills owes its color to the oxidation of iron in the soil. Streams have carved out small gorges, but you’ll only see water flowing outside the summer months. At sunset, the red glow of the earth really comes into its own.

Don’t miss the turn-off to the parking lot for your rental car, as it isn’t very clearly marked from the D600.

Les Orgues d’Ille-sur-Têt – a surreal landscape

You’ll find another remarkable landscape 180 kilometers southeast of Toulouse: sandstone pillars that, with a little imagination, resemble organ pipes. They were shaped by the elements over thousands of years. They look like surreal works of art, contrasting beautifully with the green trees surrounding them. There’s a fee to access the hiking trails among these pillars, but you can also drive your rental car to a free lookout point along the D21.

Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park

From Toulouse, it takes about an hour and a half to drive to Castres in a rental car. East of that city lies the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park, where you’ll find a variety of landscapes: mountains, vineyards, gorges, waterfalls, lakes, and forests. Enjoy magnificent views and discover authentic villages.

Some highlights in this nature reserve include the pedestrian bridge near Mazamet, the view from the Peyremaux rock, the Passapaïs greenway, and a hike through the Héric Gorge. From the summit of Mount Caroux (1,059 m), you can see both the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea.

Driving a rental car over mountain passes in the Pyrenees

The Pyrenees are full of impressive mountain passes. A two-hour drive south of Toulouse, the D17 runs over the Col de Péguère (1,375 m), known for its stages in the Tour de France. From there, you can take a wonderful hike to the Cap du Carmil (1,617 m). Breathtaking views guaranteed!

Further south, the D85 and the Col d’Agnes take you to the Coumebière Plateau, a fantastic area for long hikes through dense forests and past idyllic mountain lakes.

Pyrenees National Park

If you’ve rented a car in Toulouse, it takes about two hours to drive from there to Arreau, on the western edge of the vast Parc national des Pyrénées. In this park, you’ll find the most beautiful mountain peaks, cirques, and more than two hundred mountain lakes with turquoise water.

The Cirque de Gavarnie is very well known, especially for its 422-meter-high waterfall. It can get quite crowded there, especially during the summer months. The equally beautiful Cirque de Troumouse is much quieter, though it doesn’t have such high waterfalls.

With your rental car, you can tackle the Col du Tourmalet or the Col d’Aubisque, but watch out for cyclists, as they can make lightning-fast descents here.

Renting a Car in Toulouse: Our Tips

One-way car rental from Toulouse

Would you like to explore beyond the Toulouse area? Then consider renting a car for a so-called one-way trip. In other words: pick up the rental car in Toulouse and return it at a different location. Popular one-way routes go from Toulouse to Montpellier, Marseille, or Nice. In the opposite direction, cities like Biarritz and Bordeaux are popular final destinations for one-way car rentals through the historic region of Gascony.

Rental Cars and Toll Roads Around Toulouse

The Toulouse ring road is free, but you’ll have to pay a toll as soon as you exit the ring road onto one of the highways. That’s often the fastest way to get somewhere, but also the most boring. The N-roads (routes nationales) and D-roads (routes départementales) are much more fun to drive. And if you’ve rented a car in Toulouse for your vacation, you’re surely in no hurry, right?

Still, it’s not always possible to avoid driving on toll roads. If your rental car is equipped with an electronic toll device, you can use the dedicated lane (Télépéage). Some car rental companies offer a subscription, but that’s often not cost-effective. In addition to the toll, you’ll pay a daily fee. If you won’t be driving on toll roads very often, it’s best to pay yourself with cash or a credit card.

Why rent a car in Toulouse?

There’s so much to see and do in Occitanie that renting a car in Toulouse is by far the best way to make the most of your vacation. Public transportation is limited, connections are often poor, and buses don’t always run daily.

With a rental car from Toulouse:

• You can visit multiple attractions in a single day

• You can stop wherever and whenever you want for scenic views, photo stops, and picnics

• It’s usually more cost-effective if you’re traveling with a group

Compare car rental prices in Toulouse

Whether you want to rent a car at the Toulouse airport or train station, you can easily compare rental car prices on our website. And we make it easy for you to enjoy a worry-free vacation. Choose a rental car with the Worry-Free label, and your deductible is covered! Book your rental car in Toulouse today and enjoy fantastic day trips or a long road trip through southern France!