(S/E) With your back to Matabiau station, cross the Canal du Midi then turn left to walk alongside it as far as the Riquet Bridge. Walk down the Allées Jean Jaurès (Toulouse’s new Ramblas), cross Boulevard Carnot and continue straight ahead along the Allées Président Roosevelt to reach Place Wilson at the Jardin Goudouli.
(1) Turning slightly to the right, continue along Rue Lafayette, cross Rue Alsace Lorraine and carry on straight ahead along the same street, with the Donjon du Capitole on your left. You’ll arrive at Place du Capitole.
Cross the square diagonally to the left to enter Rue Saint-Rome, noting the following mansions: No. 3, Hôtel de Pierre Comère; No. 9, Hôtel de Pailhares; No. 14, Hôtel de Jean Bolle; No. 18, Hôtel des Blancs Majous; No. 21, Hôtel des Comymhan; and the Tour de Serta on the corner of Rue Peyras.
Turn right into Rue du May. At No. 7, you’ll find the Musée du Vieux Toulouse, with the Hôtel Dumay on your right.
At the end of the street, turn left, then immediately left again into the narrow Rue Bédelières. Return to Rue Saint-Rome, turn right, and then right again into Rue Tripière, accessed via two steps. At the end of the street, turn left to reach Rue Sainte-Ursule, then left again to reach Place de la Bourse.
(2) Opposite, take Rue de la Bourse, where you’ll find the Hôtel de Nupces at No. 15. When you reach Rue de Metz, turn right for 20 metres to see the Hôtel d’Assezat. Retrace your steps and cross Rue de Metz at the pedestrian crossing: admire the beautiful facades featuring caryatids by Auguste Vireben (19th century). Leave Rue des Marchands opposite you and slightly to your right as you turn into Rue des Paradoux.
Turn into the first street on the right, Rue de la Madeleine: at No. 3, the Hôtel de Tornié de Vaillac. When you reach Rue des Couteliers, turn left: from No. 4 to No. 55, there are several remarkable buildings.
Follow the street to Place de la Dalbade and the Church of La Dalbade, then continue along Rue de la Dalbade: No. 22, Hôtel de Felzins; No. 29, Hôtel de Massas; No. 25, Hôtel de Bagis; No. 31, Hôtel de la Mamye; No. 32, Hôtel de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem.
Carry on along Rue de la Dalbade and, when you reach Rue Saint-Jean, turn left. Walk up this street, pass Rue Saint-Rémésy, and continue along Rue des Prêtres until you reach Place des Carmes (market and car park). Walk round the market on the right-hand side. When you reach the first corner, you will see, opposite on the other side of Rue du Languedoc at No. 36, the Hôtel du Vieux Raisin (don’t miss a visit to the courtyard).
Head back towards the market, passing the Pillon chocolate shop. A few metres further on, you’ll reach Rue Ozenne; on the right, at number 9, is the Hôtel Dahus-Tournoer.
(3) Cross at the pedestrian crossing and continue round the market; on your left you’ll find an entrance leading up the stairs to the top floor of the car park, where you’ll have a 360° view of Toulouse’s rooftops, towers, churches and bell towers.
Back on the square, continue to the left, then turn right and take Rue des Filatiers to Place de la Trinité, where the Urbain Vitry fountain is located.
(4) Turn right into the street of the same name as the square, pass Place Rouaix, cross Rue du Languedoc and continue straight ahead along Rue Croix Baragnon. Walk past the Palais Consulaire and the Hôtel Ciron-Fumel, which has a Romanesque-Gothic façade at number 15.
(5) Turn left at the first street, Rue des Arts, where there is a house with a corbelled façade on the corner.
(5) Carry on straight ahead, cross Rue de Metz, walk past the Couvent des Augustins, turn right into Rue Cantegril to pass through Place Boulbonne in front of the fountain. Turn left towards Place Saint-Georges, the former site of capital punishment. Walk along its length, then continue along Rue Saint-Antoine du T.
(6) At the first junction, turn left onto Rue du Lt Colonel Pélissier and walk for 150 metres to see, on the right-hand side, the Hôtel de Caulet-Resseguier and, on the left-hand side, the Hôtel Duranti and the Church of Saint-Jérôme. Retrace your steps back to the junction.
(6) Carry on along the street to the left towards Place Wilson and the Jardin Goudouli.
(1) Turn right and retrace your steps to reach Matabiau station, the starting point (S/E).