Our B & B Les Loges de Saint-Sernin in Toulouse is the talk of the press

Financial Times, july 2009 :

" Cozy accommodations in Toulouse. The FT writes, "Toulouse has everything going for it: a privileged position between the Pyrénées and the Mediterranean, a beautiful site along the Garonne and the Canal du Midi, a magnificent semi-pedestrian historical centre, an extraordinary musical tradition going back to the medieval troubadours. It is also a gourmet’s paradise, the birthplace of cassoulet and of a famous sausage, the number one outlet for the region’s foie gras among other delights." Les Loges de Saint-Sernin is a beautiful B&B in Toulouse's historic centre run by Sylviane Tatin. "The tarte tatin we decadently sampled for breakfast was a tribute to the Tatin sisters, her husband’s late relatives and inventors of the celebrated tarte." [FT] For Toulouse sightseeing and fine dining tips, read the attached, July 2009 Financial Times review, Footloose in Toulouse.

Last Update: July 13, 2009 | Created: July 13, 2009"

Footloose in Toulouse

By Thirza Vallois

Published: July 11 2009 01:49 | Last updated: July 11 2009 01:49"

Toulouse has everything going for it: a privileged position between the Pyrénées and the Mediterranean, a beautiful site along the Garonne and the Canal du Midi, a magnificent semi-pedestrian historical centre, an extraordinary musical tradition going back to the medieval troubadours.

It is also a gourmet’s paradise, the birthplace of cassoulet and of a famous sausage, the number one outlet for the region’s foie gras among other delights. But France’s fourth-largest city is also alive with a contemporary buzz, home to its second-largest university (after Paris) and to cutting-edge industries and research centres, not least to Europe’s aerospace industry. In short, Toulouse is both traditional and forward-looking, regional and cosmopolitan, languidly Latin yet vibrant with youthful vitality.

We stayed at Les Loges de Saint-Sernin, Sylviane Tatin’s beautiful chambres d’hôtes (B&B), round the corner from Saint-Sernin basilica, an ideal location for a pedestrian exploration of historical Toulouse. The tarte tatin we decadently sampled for breakfast was a tribute to the Tatin sisters, her husband’s late relatives and inventors of the celebrated tarte.

The early morning was divided between the Marché du Cristal, a riot of fresh fruit and vegetables along Boulevard de Strasbourg, and a visit to the basilica, with its five-tiered octagonal belltower. Entrance is through the southern Porte des Comtes, referring to the counts of Toulouse who stood for an independent Occitania. The basilica boasts a collection of holy relics besides the remains of Bishop Saint-Sernin, who was martyred in AD250.

The nearby Sunday flea market adds local colour but not much by way of treasures. Rather, spend time at the producers’ market in the Saint-Aubin “village” and along rue de la Colombette, alive with cafés, notably Le Vers Luisant, where the bohemian crowd hangs out.

Rue du Taur runs south of the basilica along the ancient cardo maximus, the main north/south axis of Roman “Tolosa”. It is named after the bull that dragged Saint-Sernin to his death, where the church of Notre-Dame-du-Taur now stands. It is still a big artery, streaming with pedestrians and lined with an exciting variety of shops, notably Régals, specialising in violet-based delights, the city’s emblematic flower.

Ahead is Place du Capitole, home to city hall and the opera house. This is the city’s centre of gravity, where everyone and everything converges, from morning markets to the mass mourning in 2004 of Toulousain poet/singer Claude Nougaro, or the recent celebration of the local team’s victory in the French rugby championship. Enjoy the view from one of the café terraces; take in the huge Occitan cross in its centre designed by Raymond Moretti, who also painted the historical scenes under the arcade facing the Capitole. Note, too, the sculptures of the eight capitouls who once ran the city commemorated on the eight marble columns of its 18th-century façade.

Continue south along the cardo, now rues Saint-Rome, des Changes and Filatiers, to Place des Carmes – all gone, the banking and spinning activities as well as the Carmes convent. Even the 19th-century iron structure of the Carmes market is gone, replaced by hideous concrete. Don’t let this deter you from visiting the market (mornings only), where the best bounty of south-west France provides a feast for all your senses. It is hard to beat the foie gras of Maison Samaran, plain or with a dash of olive oil, or even married to onion chutney or vanilla. At Betty’s, the ripening of a cheese is both a science and an art, the tasting of it an act of worship. Try the charcuterie at le Porc Noir de Gascogne and discover the secrets of cassoulet at Le Baron de Roquette. Prolong the feast Chez Navarre, at 49 Grande Rue Nazareth, where you will mingle with locals around a buffet of regional fare.

A quieter atmosphere prevails in the courtyard of the fabulous Hôtel d’Assézat, where you could prelude your visit to the Bemberg collection, highlighted by an impressive number of Pierre Bonnards. Toulouse boasts dozens of splendid renaissance town houses, the homes of merchants who, like Pierre d’Assézat, owed their wealth to the pastel (woad) trade. You can still buy articles using this unique blue dye at the nearby Fleurée du Pastel. The Garonne is round the corner too.

Further north, the Hôtel de Bernuy is now part of the Lycée Pierre-de-Fermat. As the city’s most prominent pastel merchant, Jean de Bernuy marked his status with its tallest private turret. It is overshadowed by the neighbouring belltower of the Jacobins, the one-time Dominican monastery, complete with ravishing cloister and nave. Another wonderful cloister awaits at the Augustins convent, now a museum with an exceptional collection of paintings and sculpture. Architectural gems and fountains vie with upscale shops in the maze of streets around it.

Time to head for Quai de la Daurade on the Garonne, a lively spot by the Beaux-Arts school, and a great vantage point for river views. Bring the evening to a close on the nearby Canal de Brienne, which links the Garonne and the Canal du Midi, and treat yourself to one of the city’s best cassoulets on the barge of La Belle Chaurienne.