What To Do in Toulouse at Christmas
Upon first moving to Toulouse, I thought that the glorious, glowing summer in la ville rose couldn’t be surpassed. Then along came Christmas. And with the drop in temperature, the need for gloves and woolly hats, I realized that Christmas in Toulouse was the new seasonal champion. Thanks to the ten kilometers of Christmas lights glittering along the winding cobbled streets, the city looks like it has stepped out of a fairy tale. Each year, Toulouse outdoes itself with the heaving Christmas market selling the stick-to-your-ribs fare that the city does so well, its delicious tipples from vin chaud to hot chocolate, not to mention the retail therapy in its cute independent stores – summer, move over, Christmas is in town!
So, if Christmas in France is your ideal excuse for a getaway, here is our list of what to do in Toulouse at Christmas. (If you’d like to take a guided, festive tour while in Toulouse, consider booking a place on our decadent Sweets of the Season Tour.)
Visit the Toulouse Christmas Markets
First of all, you cannot visit without experiencing the Toulouse Christmas markets. And yes, that is plural, because there is not just one Christmas market!
Place du Capitole
The central market in Toulouse is in Place du Capitole. With around 100 chalets, here you will find winter warmers – aligot (stringy, stretchy, cheesy mashed potatoes with garlic), saucisse de Toulouse and onions, magret de canard, crepes, and churros, plus the all-important hand-warmers – vin chaud and hot chocolate – as well as artisanal products. What with the variety of wares coming from all over the world, including accessories, handmade soaps, musical instruments, you name it, you will find that outstanding Christmas present at the market.
While excellent for shopping, the market offers so much more. Throughout the month, festive events are scheduled in Toulouse to build up excitement before Christmas, including children’s shows, balloon sculpting, face painting, and an endless list of performances from choirs and bands.
With so much going on, it’s difficult to know where to start, so join us on our Sweets of the Season Christmas Tour where we will guide you through the market’s bustle to introduce you to the best stalls for hot chocolate and vin chaud, and point out our favorite traditional French Christmas treats as well as delicious snacks.
From 28th November to 29th December 2024
11:00 to 21:00
Fridays and Saturdays: 11:00 to 22:00
Open 24th to 29th December 2024: 11:00 to 19:00 and closes at 14:00 on the 25th
Place du Charles de Gaulle
On the other side of le Capitole is our second Christmas market in Place du Charles de Gaulle. Smaller than its counterpart, this market is an enchanted winter village that includes 14 chalets, four of which are dedicated to the exhibition of a rolling list of local artisanal products. Beyond the retail temptations, behind a glittering forest of fir trees, a light show is displayed against Toulouse’s gothic architecture, and a giant skiing teddy bear is ready for family photos!
And take the kids because, three days a week, Santa Claus is coming to Toulouse Town and taking up residence at his chalet in Place du Charles de Gaulle!
From 28th November to 29th December 2024
11:00 to 21:00
Fridays and Saturdays: 11:00 to 22:00
Open 24th to 29th December 2024: 11:00 to 19:00 and closes at 14:00 on the 25th
Meet Santa: Every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and including 23rd and 24th December 2024 – 11:00 to 20:00
Les Ramblas de Jean-Jaurès
The Toulouse Christmas markets don’t end there, as Les Ramblas de Jean-Jaurès is the home of 20 chalets, plus the city’s enormous 20-meter tall Christmas tree, composed of up to 400 real fir trees and garlands.
28th November to 24th December 2024
11:00 to 21:00
Fridays and Saturdays: 11:00 to 22:00
Open 24th December 2024: 11:00 to 17:00
Le Marché de Noël Artisanal et Solidaire
The alternative Toulouse Christmas market we recommend you explore is Le Marché de Noël Artisanal et Solidaire down les Allées Jules Guesde, opposite Le Grand Rond. The 40 artisanal chalets display wares from collectives and associations, with a focus on celebrating fair trade, sustainability, and local and ethical crafts. We absolutely adore the charming decorations and slightly calmer ambiance at this market than the main markets. Look no further for alternative gifts and a step away from the Christmasy bustle.
From 30th November to 22nd December 2024
11:00 to 19:30
Fridays and Saturdays: 11:00 to 21:00
Le Marché de Noël Ethique et Vegan
The fifth (and final!) market is at La Place Saint-Pierre. For one day only, Le Marché de Noël Ethique et Vegan sets up its stalls, selling exclusively artisanal animal-free products, all contributed by animal rights associations in the region. Enjoy their vegan catering, and take the whole family for crafts and entertainment.
14th December 2024 only – 10:00 to 18:00
After Visiting a Toulouse Christmas Market, Go Ice Skating
Christmas is a time for eating – for me, at least – and at some point, we need to burn off all those calories, so winter sports are the answer. Borrow some ice skates at the Place du Capitole ice rink, next to the Christmas market, and show off your moves (or lack of them) under the stars beside the jaw-dropping Capitole building, which is lit up with a projected light show.
The Christmas market and its ice rink are known to be busy, so if you and the kids would like to release your inner Olympic figure skaters, there are other rinks in Toulouse offering more freedom to move. Try the indoor rinks at Alex Jany or Jacques Raynaud, which are easily accessible by bus, metro, and tram.
Follow the Christmas Lights
At the end of November, Toulouse’s thousands of Christmas lights come to life and will twinkle throughout the Christmas season. Ten kilometers of garlands, 420 light patterns, and 90 illuminated fir trees glitter and glow, lighting up the city with festive charm. Stop by Rue Croix-Baragnon, the newly pedestrianized street stretching through the heart of Toulouse’s luxury neighborhood. For the 2024 holiday season, to celebrate the completion of two years’ worth of roadworks, there will be a majestic light display, starting and ending with lit arches, illuminating the impressive gothic presence of Saint-Etienne Cathedral and its towering Christmas tree. Look for a similar lavish display coming to the Rue de Metz for the holidays in 2025 to celebrate the completion of another stretch of pedestrianized street.
Christmas Shopping in Toulouse
Toulouse boasts hundreds of independent stores and boutiques, so follow the Christmas lights down the cobbled alleyways and lose yourself in the endless gift and concept stores to find those last-minute Christmas gifts. From interiors to local designers, to gastronomy and bric-a-brac, there’s a store for everyone. Try the streets around Place Saint-Georges for designer clothes, jewelry, and artisan chocolates, and those leading off Place du Capitole for ready-to-wear boutique clothing, board games, puzzles, and comic books. The aforementioned Rue Croix-Baragnon is the center of luxury, so descend on the street for artwork, homewares, and Louis Vuitton.
And, of course, we can’t forget Toulouse’s main shopping district on Rue Alsace-Lorraine, a pedestrianized thoroughfare full of well-known cosmetic, clothing, and technology stores. Don’t forget to stop by simply to be dazzled by the swathes of Christmas lights rippling up the full length of the kilometer-long street. We also love exploring the side streets off the Rue Alsace-Lorraine for smaller, more local boutiques.
Attend Christmas Mass
The ancient Basilica of Saint-Sernin is nothing short of majestic, towering against the Toulouse skyline, and is particularly striking when its octagonal bell tower is lit against the dark winter sky. Visit the basilica on the 24th and the 25th of December for Christmas mass – experience the French service immersed in the jaw-dropping interior of gilded wood and marble. Spend your Christmas in France worshiping inside a UNESCO heritage site!
24th December 2024
8:45 Lauds
9:00 Mass
18:30 Christmas night mass
00:00 Christmas night mass
25th December 2024
9:00 Mass
10:30 Mass
12:00 Mass
17:45 Evensong
18:30 Mass
See Christmas Shows
Christmas and theater often go hand-in-hand, and the same can be said for Christmas in Toulouse – roll up, roll up, the circus is in town!
From November, Le Cirque de Noël de Toulouse is appearing at l’Hippodrome de la Cépière, a perfect performance for all the family. Trapeze artists, acrobats, jugglers, and not forgetting a visit from Santa, you name it, you’re in for a spine-tingling night!
From 30th November 2024 to 12th January 2025
Starting mid-December is the ballet Magie Balanchine, a tribute to the neoclassical choreographer George Balanchine, at L’Opéra du Capitole. Paying homage to the epoch-defining composers Tchaikovsky and Gershwin, Magie Balanchine celebrates Balachine’s international hits through an awe-inspiring spectacle. Put on your glad rags and get ready to be swept away.
From 20th to 31st December 2024
Family Christmas Activities in Toulouse
Christmas Cruise
Christmas in Toulouse is a festive getaway for the entire family, as there are numerous activities to entertain the children. Why not try Toulouse’s Croisière de Noël – a Christmas boat cruise – floating along the Canal du Midi. Set sail from Port Saint-Sauveur for 40 minutes of festivities, and best of all, Santa Claus comes along for the ride!
Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until 22nd December 2024
Taste of Toulouse Sweets of the Season Food Tour
Take the family on a Christmas food tour with Taste of Toulouse! Join us for our Sweets of the Season Christmas food Tour, where your personal guide will take you around all of our favorite sites in Toulouse as you snack on some of the best Christmas artisanal chocolates and candy in the region. Not only is it a great opportunity to discover French Christmas traditions and to sample the flavors of the holidays, but it is simply the best way to get your bearings during the busy season. Finishing at the Toulouse Christmas markets, we treat you to a warming hot chocolate or vin chaud.
From 4th to 22nd December 2024
16:30 to 18:30
What to Eat and Drink in Toulouse at Christmastime
What is the best Christmas food to eat in Toulouse? France is the capital of cuisine, after all, and Toulouse is famous for its hearty, stodgy gastronomy, so ‘tis the season to forget the diet!
Toulouse’s Winter Warmers: Food
Let’s start with the cassoulet, Toulouse’s specialty. This rich, filling stew is packed with white beans and a medley of meat – usually pork shoulder, confit duck, and Toulouse sausage – and is the perfect winter warmer for cold days. Share one of the generous portions at Michelin-recommended Restaurant Emile or dine at Le Genty Magre, 2023’s winner of the Cassoulet World Championships (which, of course, is a thing!). If you’re looking for more cassoulet options, check out our blog post on where to eat cassoulet in Toulouse.
When spending Christmas in France, one must eat fromage. There are two winter cheesy specialties that the French need little excuse to partake in, fondue and raclette. Raclette is both the name of the cheese from Savoy and the action of scraping – “racler” – as the edge of the half-wheel of cheese is warmed, melted, and scraped onto a serving of boiled potatoes, vegetables and sausage.
Try Le Grenier de Pépé for various fondues including fondue savoyarde – a melted mixture of Comté, Beaufort, Emmental, white wine, and fresh garlic from the neighboring Tarn department.
Make your way to the south of the city to La Friche Gourmande for a night of street food and entertainment, and most importantly, their skiing chalet winter wonderland pop-up. Rent an igloo or a parked (don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere!) cable car and tuck into fondue or raclette. These sharing dishes are the best excuse to take the whole family, as you melt cheese on a personal grill and prepare your perfect plates.
If you can’t get enough of this cheesy goodness, we have many more ideas on where to eat raclette and fondue in Toulouse!
A must-try this Christmas in Toulouse is aligot. It is a silky, stretchy potato purée and was the traditional fare of pilgrims walking the Santiago de Compostela as they made their way up the Aubrac plateau. As it is the perfect accompaniment to Toulouse sausage, the city has adopted this pommes purée, traditionally made with generous amounts of tome fraiche de l’Aubrac, a mild, creamy cheese. Visit Aligot Bar to try their specialty or try it at one of the Toulouse Christmas markets.
Chestnuts hold a beloved place in many hearts of the French – just try the gold-wrapped marrons glacés available at any épicerie or chocolate shop over the holiday period. Vendors selling freshly roasted chestnuts set up their braziers next to Place du Capitole and Place du Charles de Gaulle for the whole month of December, so buy yourself a bag of châtaignes grillées to snack on as you meander the streets.
Toulouse’s Winter Warmers: Drink
Aside from the hearty, savory delicacies, Toulouse celebrates the sweet side of life with its numerous salons de thes catering to tourists and locals alike. At Christmas, cozy spots are all we crave, along with a mug of hot chocolate. We’re talking about rich, thick chocolat chaud with a consistency of melted chocolate.
Visit Flower’s Café, both at their premises in Place Roger Salengro and in the Place du Capitole Christmas market for chocolat chaud viennois (hot chocolate topped with whipped cream); Bello & Angeli, an artisanal chocolate shop, for their range of single-origin hot chocolates; and try something new at Cacofages, a chocolate boutique with a salon à chocolat chaud, specializing in imaginative flavors, including four spices, coconut, and jasmine tea. If you need some other ideas about where to warm up with hot chocolate in Toulouse, look no further!
An essential part of French Christmas traditions is vin chaud (mulled wine). Its history goes back to the ancient Romans and has since spread throughout much of Europe as a festive tipple to keep our hands warm as we peruse the outdoor Christmas markets. Many stalls sell it in reusable mugs which can be returned at the end of your evening. Flavored with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and star anise, the drink smells of Christmas and, in Toulouse, often includes a hearty splash of Armagnac, our local grape-based spirit from neighboring Gascony. Compare various cups of vin chaud at all the Toulouse Christmas markets – every recipe is different!
When thinking about what to do in Toulouse at Christmas, the amount of activities can be overwhelming! The magic of Christmas in la ville rose spreads far beyond its incredible Marchés de Noël: a simple stroll through the twinkling dusk is enough to give you goosebumps at the sight of the illuminated city. Enjoy the family activities and performances, the kilometers of decorations, and the winter food that will warm you from the inside out; Toulouse invites you to join its Christmas celebrations with a mug of vin chaud in hand!
Before you go, please be sure to explore our selection of Food Tours in Toulouse. Take a stroll through the city’s culinary landscape, sampling its wines and first-class produce, in the company of an expert local guide.
