Car hire in Toulouse at the best prices

Toulouse is known as the "Pink City" due to the terracotta bricks used in many of its buildings. Toulouse is the capital of the Southern Occitiana region in France, it is bisected by the Garonne river and sits near the Spanish border. It is commonly known as the city associated with aerospace. It also has one of the oldest Universities in Europe. The University of Toulouse was first opened in 1229. A very comfortable way to get around the Toulouse region and see all these lovely sites is to have a car hire in Toulouse.

For over 60 years, Auto Europe has been providing highly competitive prices for car hire. Along with car hire, Auto Europe also provides the service of motorhomes and luxury cars. With numerous locations throughout the world including Toulouse, we have partnerships with the best car rental companies. Contact us today to get the best price for your rental in Toulouse.

Traffic

Driving a car hire in Toulouse is not overly complicated, though you should expect heavier traffic during the summer months than during the rest of the year. Furthermore, it's important to keep in mind that the city centre, as is the case with many European cities has many narrow streets. Parking can also be very difficult to find. When planning on going into the centre from the suburbs it is recommended that you park your rental car near a metro station and travel by metro. This option is often easier and stress-free. Toulouse has an access to four highways, the A61, the A62, the A64 and the A68. From these highways you can easily travel to neighbouring regions and cities. For more information for your car hire in Toulouse, have a look at our Information page.

Parking

Street parking is limited, particularly, as mentioned above, in the city centre. The parking time limit in the city centre is 2 hours while everywhere else is 4 hours. There are many convenient car parks throughout the city where you can leave your vehicle without having to worry about the time limit. These are well signed so drivers should have no issues finding them.

Toulouse Airport

Toulouse-Blagnac Airport is the main airport in Toulouse. It is about 3.6 miles northwest of Toulouse and partially in Blagnac. There is one terminal in Toulouse airport. There is a number of facilities available at the airport including duty free, bars, resturants and bank services. Toulouse Airport has both international and domestic flights.

Website: www.toulouse.aerport.fr/en
Address: Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, 31703 Blagnac, France.
Telephone: +33 825 38 00 00

Must Do

There is many activites and places to see in Toulouse. Whether you are interested in embracing the culture through food, histrical buildings or just soaking it up in the busy areas, Toulouse is a great place for everybody. Here are some of the more popular places to see. The following places have been recommended in Toulouse and most people have a great time or find it very interesting:

• Basilique Saint-Sernin: This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Toulouse. An impressive Romanesque masterpiece. It is made of gold and rose-hued stonework up to the octagonal bell tower. The main feature to see in the church is Porte Miegeville, which opens out onto the south aisle and is decorated with 12th century sculptures.


• Place du Capitole: This is the central square of Toulouse. It is the current city hall and Theatre du Capitole orchestra and opera house. The square is memorable for the Occitan Cross that stands tall in the centre. It has been known as Place du Capitole since 1848.


• Museum de Toulouse: This is a museum of natural history in Toulouse. It was the first prehistory museum to open to the world in 1865.


• Cite de lespace: This is a theme park dedicated to space and its conquest. The theme park opened in June 1997. It is located on the outskirts of Toulouse and is a great day for the whole family and especially space enthusiasts.


• Jardin Japonais: This is a Japanese garden in Toulouse. This is an unusual location for a Japanese garden so it, therefore , naturally attracts many people who always enjoy the experience.


• Church of the Jacobins: This is a Catholic church that was completed in the 1300s and is recognized for its impressive dimensions with a double nave and vaults that reach almost 30 meters.

Day Trips

Toulouse is located in a beautiful part of France. It is surrouded by interesting places, many places such as Bordeaux which you can drive to for a day trip. Have a look at our options and see which ones appeal to you most:

Clermont-Ferrad:

This is a well known city that is known as a University city. It is also recognised because it is surrounded by the volcanic Chaîne des Puys mountains. Due to the cities voanci influence, there is a volcanie amusemsnt park which is extremly popular to visit. The amusement park is called Vulcania. Along with this site, other popular places to go in Clermont-Ferrand include Gothic Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Catherdral and Place de Jaude square, whcih are great ways to learn about the history of the city. Along with the interesting activites to visit, there is alos many lovely bars and resturants throughout the city.

Montpellier:

This is a city just under three hours of a drive from Toulouse. It is a great place to get a great insight into the South of France. Today, almost a third of the city's population are students, which makes Monpellier a lively year-round destination with a wonderful old town and picturesque sandy beaches. It is based just 10km inland from the Mediterranean coast. Montpellier has a vast amount of places to see to educate yourself in the culture including musée Fabre and place de la comédie.

Bergerac:

This is a commune in the Douth of France that is surrounded by Vineyards. There is also many Château in bergerac such as Château de Monbezillac. A popular outdoor activity in the region is canoeing on the Dordogne and having a picnic on the rivers' banks.

Bordeaux:

This is Frances home of wine and is often called little Paris .It’s also known for its Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Andre along with 18th- to 19th-century mansions. Apart from the traditional sightseeing, Bordeaux also have many football games, therefore football fans will find their way to the F.C. Girondins matches. Tickets are affordable and if you are going to see Girondins play against Marseille,it is advised to book your tickets in advance.

Geographic Information & History

Toulouse is located in the Midi-Pyrenees region, roughly half-way between France´s Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. It is the fourth largest city in France, after Paris, Lyon and Marseille. As is the norm in most of Southern France, Toulouse has a temperate climate with warm summers and mild winters. Although it is not the same as northern Europe, winter in Toulouse does bring a drop in temperatures and the occasional snowfall, though average temperatures are about 12 degrees Celsius during the day. The summers are typically quite hot and humid, with temperatures often exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. When visiting, it is said the best time is either spring or autumn. This is to avoid dramatic weather conditions. Toulouse is steeped in history with nearly every building having a story to tell. Toulouse was not always the city we know today. Initially, it was greatly influenced by the Romans. France was then split in two between North and South. The Pope then influenced Toulouse to rejoin France, which Toulouse did. The following centuries showed an improvement for Toulouse. This was due to the discovery of Woad, Violets and the opening of the University of Toulouse. The city continued to grow in the 20th century with the launch of the aerospace industry. Toulouse is the central hub for Air France.

Public Transportation

Toulouse-Matabiau Railway station is located in the city centre and is close to the Marengo SNCF Metro station (line A of the Toulouse Metro). The station receives high speed lines including TGV connections to Lille, Bordeaux, Lyon, Bordeaux, Lyon Paris and Marseille intercity trains and regional trains. Travelling to Paris by TGV takes about five and a half hours. The city of Toulouse has an established bus network, as well as a metro, both operated by Tisseo. The Toulouse Metro has two lines: Line A and Line B. They intersect in the town centre, at Jean Jaures station. The metro is in operation from 5:15 am every day, until midnight from Sunday to Thursday, and on Friday and Saturday until 1 am. There is also a shuttle that serves the city centre and runs through most of the historic locations. Its use is free and you only need to wave at the driver to get on.

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Tourism Information