1. Canal du Brienne
2. Canal du Midi
3. La Garonne
4. Quinze Sols
5. Ile du Ramier
TOP 5: Amy’s favourite restaurants
1. Plaisir a la Toque
2. Entrepotes
3. Le Bazacle
4.
TOP 5: Work-friendly coffee shops
Café culture rules France. But in many places in France, and Toulouse is no different, work and café are two separate things that aren’t mixed. Why ruin your delicious expresso with a laptop and work on your neve rending list of to-do’s? Most often, Toulouse cafés are enjoyed by friends catching up, reading a book or a copy of La Depeche, or smoking a cigarette. No room for work.
For the Western expat with an insatiable appetite to work endlessly, this leads us with few places to camp out and get work done. However, the culture has changed slowly in Toulouse, perhaps influenced by a huge community of students desperate for a place to study outside their cramped habitations.
Here are a few of my favourite, remote-work friendly locations, each with their own perks.
1. Cafe Cerise: This place is my favourite place to install myself for a morning of emails. The two-story, spacious and light-filled coffee shop has gorgeous
views of the Garonne (perfect for some daydreaming in between tasks) and boasts some delicious coffee drinks. My absolute favourite is the chai latte, but all the coffee here is expertly prepared. The huge benefit to Cafe Cerise is offering a delicious food menu available throughout the day. Enjoy a smoothie bowl, the daily salad with some avocado toast or a slice of quiche. The food is always simple, but fresh and delicious.
The Internet speed can sometimes be slow here, but if you find a spot downstairs, it usually runs a little quicker. Or tether your phone for more reliable access.
Quai de la Daurade, 31000 Toulouse
Hours: Open M-F 8:30 AM – 6PM; Saturday 9:30AM – 6PM
2. Cafe Contretemps
This is the most work-friendly coffee shop I have found in Toulouse, precisely because the coffee shop is designed for remote workers. The hours are work friendly (including Sunday hours), and the long tables allow you to spread out work to tackle big projects, or congregate with colleagues or work mates for a study session.
The Cafe works on an hourly rate; you pay XX an hour for unlimited coffee, water, snacks and other small bites to keep you going through the day (though no complete meals). However, this can add up, and sometimes is not the most cost-efficient way of working out of your home.
11 Rue de la bourse, 31000 Toulouse
Hours: Open M-Sat 9AM – 7PM; Sunday 2 PM – 7PM
3. L’Anartiste
Snuck inbetween old pink buildings on this unassuming street, L’Anartiste can be easy to miss. But behind its doors is a sweet, intimate coffee shop with a whole host of little treats to keep you plugging through your work. In addition to serving coffee, the café also serves breakfast, lunch and wine (in case it’s one of those days…). There is somewhat limited space, but there is bar space to pull up a stool and plug in your laptop.
Oh, and did I mention they serve wine?
13 Rue des couteliers, 31000 Toulouse
Hours: T-W 8:30AM – 7PM; Th-F 8:30AM – 10:30PM; Closed Sunday, Monday
4. Ras La Tasse
Another location which is easy to walk past but worth a visit, Ras La Tasse is a small but high capacity café, with a second level that has been added to increase its capacity. When I visited, the place was teeming with students, packed all around long tables which certainly added to the ‘getting things done’ vibe. The music choice was brilliant, and it offers some sandwiches and baked goods, just in case you need some additional fuel. The only downside to this place is the wifi; you have to check in on Facebook to access free Internet. Not ideal, but hey, there’s no such thing as ‘free’ Internet, right?
3 Rue du Puits Vert, 31000 Toulouse
Hours: M-Sa 9AM – 7PM; Su 12 – 7PM
5. La Fiancée
If you’re looking to be hip, this is the place to be. La Fiancée is small but boasts lots of attitude and style. The baristas are friendly and not only offer coffee sur place, but also to take away (emporter). I love their mocha here; the only place I treat myself to a chocolatey hot drink. This is also a great place to grab a snack while you work. I’ve never had a chance to enjoy the food, but it’s always looked delicious.
54 Rue Peyrolières, 31000 Toulouse
Hours: M-F 9:30 AM – 6 PM; Saturday 10AM-6PM; Sunday 11:30AM – 6PM
TOP 5: Quiz Nights
1. The Classroom
2. The Four Monkeys
3. LondonTown
4. De Danu
5. The Thirsty Monk
TOP 5: Places for Brunch
It will not surprise any of you to hear that I really miss America. But what I perhaps miss the most is having food at odd times in the day, like having breakfast at 2 pm in the afternoon! For the French, this is a totally foreign concept to eat at odd times in the day (as remarked upon in another article) but I especially miss Brunch.
But the French are catching up! Some restaurants are embracing the concept of having breakfast at lunch, and some are even rivalling my favourite US brunch locations. And there is now a French website to help you find brunch locations in the Toulouse area. But for those who don’t like to make decisions or translate the French site, here are a handful of my personal favorite brunch locations.
BRUNCH
1. The Classroom: There are only two choices on the Classroom’s vegetarian brunch menu; vegetarian or regular. But trust me, you don’t need any other options. This brunch offers a tapas style brunch served on personalized wooden platter and giving you a taste of everything you would want to satisfy your cravings and perhaps dull the aftermath of that hangover. A yummy scotch egg, goat cheese tart, sausage roll, sauteed mushrooms all form part of this delish brunch, complete with a bloody mary shot to wash it down and an expresso to prevent your food coma. The vegetarian option is equally delicious, and for 14 euros per person, it’s hard to beat. (Pictured above)
42 Rue Pargaminières, 31000 Toulouse. Open for brunch from 12 onwards, Saturday and Sunday.
2. The Dispensary Canteen: If you’re looking for little walk to earn a hearty brunch, the Dispensary has you covered. Located in a lovely area in St-Cyprien, the Dispensary offers the best full English breakfast in Toulouse – baked beans and all! For those looking for something sweeter, they also have french toast and sweet and savoury pancakes. And that’s just the food. The Dispensary is a deliberately quirky restaurant, paying homage to Star Wars memorabilia and all sorts of strange things to stare at while having a drink or bite to eat. Only downside is the staff; some can be exceptionally rude, but some are super nice! Best to book a table here in advance.
1 Rue Marthe Varsi, 31300 Toulouse. Open for brunch from 12-15h00, Saturday and Sunday.
3. Les Fils a Maman: This place is heaven for Nutella and those with a big sweet tooth. The brunch menu will certainly fix your sweet cravings, with excellent French Toast and Pancakes smothered with some Nutella and other sweet sides. A variation of the Full English breakfast is also available, in addition to some more creative brunch options, such as a breaded chicken burger, bacon, avocado, crispy onions and cajun sauce. with Some of you may know Les Fils a Maman, which is a small chain of restaurants available in France, Belgium and Hong Kong (random). Even better, a second location just opened up in Victor Hugo, making it twice as easy to score a table at this sought-after restaurant. Afraid of speaking French? You can make reservations online here.
1 Rue Pharaon/20 Place Victor Hugo, 31000 Toulouse Open Sundays from 12h00-14h30.
4. Le Bleu Canard: A little bit out of the city, but totally worth the drive. Le Bleu Canard is definitely on the high end of brunches, with a price point of about 29 euros per plate. The two options both start with a smoothie or fresh juice, a bread basket and some fresh jams. Then you get to choose between the vegetarian option or the burger, both varying depending on the season and products available. This is a really special and intimate place established in a small house, giving a real intimate feel, almost like a bed and breakfast. Because of this, it’s definitely worth calling to reserve a table.
Impasse des Hêtres, 31000 Toulouse. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11h30-15h00.
5. Le Maurice: Admittedly, this is the only place I haven’t eaten yet! But I am told by a reliable source that it’s a great place to grab a smaller brunch/breakfast in the iconic Place St-Georges.
8 Place Saint Georges, 31000, Toulouse. Open from 8 am on weekends, though unknown what time brunch starts.