Toulouse - Eating And Drinking France travel discount package and complete tourist information

Regular daytime café-lounging can be pursued around the popular student-arty hangout of place Arnaud-Bernard, while place du Capitole is the early evening meeting place. Place St-Georges remains popular, though its clientele is no longer convincingly bohemian, and place Wilson also has its enthusiasts.

There are several good areas to look for a place to eat . One of the most attractive and fashionable, with a wide choice, is the rue de la Colombette, in the St-Aubin district just across boulevard Carnot, near the junction with allées Jean-Jaurès. Another is place Arnaud-Bernard and the tiny adjacent place des Tiercerettes, just north of St-Sernin. Rue du Taur has a number of Vietnamese places and sandwich bars, and the narrow rue du May has a crêperie, pasta place and restaurant. For lunch, however, there is no surpassing the row of five or six small restaurants jammed in line on the mezzanine floor above the gorgeous food market in place Victor-Hugo. They only function at lunchtime, are all closed on Monday, and cost as little as 58F/¬8.85. Both food and atmosphere are perfect.

Cafés
Bibent , 5 place du Capitole. On the south side of the square, this is Toulouse's most distinguished café, with exuberant plasterwork, marble tables and cascading chandeliers.

Le Café des Artistes , place de la Daurade. Lively young café overlooking the Garonne. A perfect spot to watch the sun set on warm summer evenings, as floodlights pick out the brick buildings along the quais .

Le Florida , 12 place du Capitole. Relaxed café with a nicely retro air. One of the most pleasant places to hang out on the central square.

Jour de Fête , 43 rue de Taur. Trendy tea room and brasserie with a small street-side patio. Friendly service and a young university-set crowd.

au Trait d'Union , 12 rue des Gestes ( autraitdunion@wanadoo.fr ). Funky tea-house and art gallery down a small street just off the place du Capitole. Closed Sun & Mon.

Restaurants
Auberge Louis XIII , 1 rue Tripière (tel 05.61.21.23.97). Good, uncomplicated home-cooking with local dishes in generous portions, and a nice courtyard for warm weather. Menus at 52F/¬7.93, 70F/¬10.68 and 86F/¬13.12. Closed Sat & Sun.

La Bascule , 14 av Maurice-Hauriou (tel 05.61.52.09.51). A Toulouse classic, serving well-cooked and well-presented regional dishes like cassoulet and foie de canard , along with oysters from the Bay of Arcachon. Menus from around 120F/¬18.30. Closed Sun & Mon evenings.

Le Bistrot des Vins , place St-étienne. An attractive, informal place with modern decor inside, plus tables on the pavement on the north side of the cathedral. Sells a huge selection of wines (8-40F/¬1.22-6.10 per glass) and a plat du jour at around 50F/¬7.63. Closed Sun & Mon.

au Chat Deng , 37 rue Peyrolières. Small, hip bistro, with cool blue decor, across from the Petit Voisin bar. Menus from 85F/¬12.96, but considerably more à la carte. Closed Sun.

Chez Atilla , place Victor-Hugo. The best of the market restaurants, this no-nonsense lunch-time establishment is also one of Toulouse's best options for seafood. Menus from 58F/¬8.85. Closed Mon & part Aug.

Le Damas , 32 rue Pollainaires (tel 05.61.55.01.40). Great Syrian-Moroccan restaurant done up in gold and red, serving a wide selection of Middle Eastern and North African dishes and good vegetarian plat at 70F/¬10.68.

Les Jardins de l'Opéra , 1 place du Capitole (tel 05.61.23.07.76). The Grand Hôtel 's restaurant is one of Toulouse's best and most luxurious. It's expensive - starting with a basic menu of 220F/¬33.55 - but worth it if your wallet allows. Closed Sun & part Aug.

Mille et Une Pâtes , 1 rue Mirepoix (tel 05.61.21.97.83). Modern, unpretentious restaurant specializing in pasta ( pâtes ), with umpteen varieties on offer, even in the desserts. Count on around 100F/¬15.25 for a full meal. Closed Sun.

Au Pois Gourmand , 3 rue Émile Heybrard (tel 05.61.31.95.95). Pricey but high-quality French cuisine served in a great location in a riverside nineteenth-century house. Lunch around 130F/¬19.83, dinner from 185F/¬28.21. Closed Sat lunch & Sun.

Saveurs Bio , 22 rue Maurice-Fonvielle (tel 05.61.12.15.15). Toulouse's best vegetarian place, with various set meals for under 100F/¬15.25. Closed Sat evening & Sun.

Le Sept Place St-Sernin , 7 place St-Sernin (tel 05.62.30.05.30). Lively and cheerful restaurant, concealed in a small house behind the basilica, serving inventive and original cuisine, followed by dazzling desserts. Menus 95-195F/¬14.49-29.74. Closed Sun.