Toulouse Shopping

To get to the real essence of Toulouse, the covered markets at Place Victor Hugo are definitely worth a visit. Ideal for a morning of browsing, you can wander pass the stalls, burgeoning with fresh fish, vegetables, garlic and ripe flavoursome cheese.

But if the skies are clear, and the sun is shining, it might be worth making the most of it heading to the outdoor markets. The Marche Cristal, known as the Market of the Boulevard by the locals, is a friendly little market, where the stalls are shaded by the plane trees.

The Sunday market of the Place Saint-Aubin is also very typical of Toulouse, with stalls scattered around the basilica of San- Aubin. However, if you're after something to feed your mind rather than your stomach, it's worth checking out Toulouse's many second-hand book markets.

The older historic area of the city known as Les Carmes, near to the Capitol is worth visiting for its bohemian air and wealth of antique shops waiting to be discovered. For the more serious the main shopping street, the Rue de Rome, is the best place to head. Here, you'll find a wealth of shoe shops and clothing stores, with the odd designer boutique, second-hand jewelry shops and intriguing little kitsch stores thrown in.

For something really "typical" of Toulouse, then you should look out for scarves and other accessories dyed with woad, a type of dye wellknown throughout the region that produces a beautiful shade of indigo. Market of the Place Saint-Aubin - Open air market on Sunday mornings. Found at the basilica of Saint-Aubin. Victor-Hugo Market - Covered market open everyday except Mondays from 6.00 am to 1.00pm at Place Victor Hugo.

Marche Cristal - Open air market everyday except Mondays from 6.00am to 1:00pm. Market of the Place Saint-Etienne - second hand booksellers found in front of Saint-Etienne cathedral. Open on Saturdays between 9:30am to 6:00pm.