Toulouse and Bordeaux are two of the most beautiful cities in France. Toulouse is a larger city that is closer to the Mediterranean Sea and Bordeaux is a city closer to the Atlantic and in one of the most famous wine regions in the world. If you are trying to decide between Toulouse or Bordeaux, here is the ultimate guide to which city you should visit.
Table of Contents
Toulouse or Bordeaux Overview
Toulouse
Toulouse is the 4th largest city in France with over 480,000 residents. It was a small Celt village and then the Romans settled here over 2000 years ago. Toulouse has the nickname of “The Pink City” because many of the buildings were built using pinkish terracotta bricks which make them look especially pink in the morning and at dusk.
The city is known for its aerospace industries. The most famous company based in Toulouse is Airbus which is Boeing’s number one competitor. Many people prefer Toulouse over Paris because of its warmer climate and the cheaper cost of living.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux has a population of nearly 260,000 people and a metropolitan area that has nearly 1.2 million which makes it the 6th largest in France. The region around Bordeaux is known around the world for its incredible wine. The area around the city brings in 14.5 billion euros each year due to the wine industry.
The city is known for having elegant architecture and a laid-back atmosphere. The city is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Only Paris has more preserved historical buildings in France than Bordeaux. A common saying about Bordeaux is that when you’re here you eat very well and drink even better.
Places to See
Toulouse
Basilique Saint-Sernin is the largest Romanesque remaining and Europe and possibly the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Place du Capitole is the central square in Toulouse.
Church of the Jacobins is a large Roman Catholic church. Construction started in 1230 and today it is partially a museum.
Basilica of Our Lady of the Daurade has been rebuilt multiple times throughout the centuries. Originally, it was a temple for Apollo.
Aerospace Museum is a popular museum because Toulouse is known for its presence in the aerospace industry.
Bordeaux
Place de la Bourse is one of the most iconic places in Bordeaux. The buildings around it are known their classic French architecture.
La Cité du Vin is a museum that is all about wine and is known for its modern design.
Big Bell of Bordeaux is a 40 meter bell tower in the middle of Bordeaux.
Rue Sainte-Catherine is the longest pedestrian street in Europe at 1.2km long.
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux is a beautiful opera house that opened in 1780.
Food
Toulouse
Cassoulet is a bean and duck stew that is one of the most traditional dishes you can get in Toulouse. One thing that quickly becomes apparent when you visit Toulouse is that duck is thought extremely highly of here. Canard Confit is a specialty of the French people. It is a dish of duck meat that has been cured in salt and cooked in its fats, making it truly delectable. One of the most popular desserts here is Tarte aux noix which is more or less pecan or walnut pie.
Bordeaux
Being that Bordeaux has such close proximity to the ocean, seafood is quite popular here. Raw and cooked oysters are popular here. One of the local specialties here is Entrescote a la Bordelaise which is a dish mainly consisting of lamb and beef. People here eat A LOT of meat probably because meat goes well with red wine. Wine governs just about every local cuisine in Bordeaux. As far as snacks or desserts go, macarons are sweet cookies that were first made in the 15th century.
Getting Around
Most of the main landmarks in Toulouse are in the center of the city making it easy to explore on foot. If you want to see attractions that are outside of the city center, like Cité de l’Espace, you will want to use public transportation. A single trip on public transport costs 1.70 Euros but you can save some money by buying a 1-day pass for 6.10 Euros and a 3-day pass for 12.20 Euros. Using the network of public bikes is another great way to explore the city. There are over 280 bike stations throughout the city. You can use the bikes for free for the first 30 minutes.
Bordeaux is an easy city to get around. The center of the city is a beautiful area that has a high density of landmarks you can walk to. To get outside of the city center you can use the network or public transportation. You can buy a 24-hour ticket for 5 Euros and a 7-day pass for 14.20 Euros. There is even a ferry that runs along the river that’s part of the network of public transportation. If you want to go see the famous wine country, I would recommend doing one of the many tours that will take you from Bordeaux to the wineries.
Nightlife
Toulouse
One of the best places to go for nightlife is the area around Place Saint Pierre. There are many bars in the center of the city. Some good bars for you to check out is Chez Tonton, La Couleur de la Culotte, and Le Saint des seins. If you want to go clubbing, all of the bigger clubs are located outside of the city center. Some of the best clubs in Toulouse are Opium, Le Purple, and Le Senso. One of the biggest clubs in the city is Discothèque Esméralda but it is quite far out of the way.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux has a lot of university students which adds to the liveliness of the nightlife. There are many bars to go bar hopping in the middle of the city. Probably the best area for clubbing is around Quai du Paludate. One of the best clubs you should check out is Discothèque La Plage. Like many cities in Europe, the party scene here typically doesn’t get going until after midnight so make sure you plan accordingly.
Day Trips
Toulouse
Castries is a beautiful city that sits in between Toulouse and Montpellier.
Albi is known for its beautiful setting and the Cathedral Sainte-Cécile which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Montaubon is a city 50km to the north of Toulouse.
From Toulouse, you could also head east to the coast and see Montpellier or even Marseille depending on how much time you have to explore.
Bordeaux
Arcachon is a resort town on the coast only 50km from Bordeaux.
Saint-Emilion is a town in the wine hills near Bordeaux. It is known for its medieval architecture.
Périgueux is a city to the east of Bordeaux. It is known for the Cathedrale St-Front which has five large domes.
From Bordeaux, you could head to the north for a few hours and visit the beautiful city of Nantes.
Overall
Toulouse and Bordeaux are two of the most beautiful cities in France. Because they are located in the southwest of France, they are sometimes overlooked by people visiting Europe. Both cities are known for having authentic French architecture and culture throughout both cities. If most of your trip is based around the Mediterranean Sea, then Toulouse wouldn’t be far out of the way.
If you want to explore the western coast of France and one of the most famous wine regions in the world, then Bordeaux is the obvious choice. If you are struggling to decide between Toulouse or Bordeaux, then all you need to do is prioritize what matters most to you in a city.