Part of the fun of visiting Toulouse is exploring the maze of narrow streets in the centre and the leafy boulevards along the banks of the Garonne. This is the best way to enjoy the historic heart of the city and see how it’s dominated by attractive buildings built with those distinctive rose-coloured bricks.

These central streets are compact enough for a walking tour but hiring a car in Toulouse helps you get around the old city and the more modern outskirts too, which spread far and wide across the Garonne Valley.

You’ll find it’s an easy city to drive around thanks to its road layout, with the A61, A62 and A620 creating a 21-mile-long ‘peripherique’ or ring road of motorway standard. This six-lane highway offers a quick route right around the city, avoiding the busy narrow streets in the centre.

If you do venture into the old heart of Toulouse look out for one of a good selection of secure underground car parks, like those in Place du Capitole or Allee Jean Jaures, that will save you searching for the limited on-street parking spots.

Motorways and trunk roads branch off from the peripherique in all directions - use the A68 to head west to Albi, the A61 heads southeast to Carcassonne and the A64 takes you south-west to Tarbes and eventually Biarritz. Smaller N-category roadslead into the more rural areas to the west of the city.

Toulouse is home to a number of high-tech industries and boasts modern, well-maintained roads. Drive further out from the city and you may find more rustic road surfaces, particularly to the south. The foothills of the Pyrenees start rising from the plain about 40 miles from the city. Look out for some fantastic views if you head down there but also take note of weather reports - snow can cause problems on small mountain roads in the winter.

If you’re driving a car around Toulouse and the Midi-Pyrenees the normal French rules of the road apply. You’ll find these are similar to the rest of continental Europe.

Toulouse has a fascinating split personality: it’s steeped in history while at the same time being one of the leading centres for high-tech industry in France. Wherever your travels take you, you’re sure to find this exciting blend of old and new.

The new stuff…

With its university and thriving scientific industries, Toulouse is a busy centre for modern engineering and technology. You’ll find plenty of references to its links with the famous Concorde supersonic jet as well as the European Airbus. The best place to delve into this side of Toulouse is at the purpose-built science theme park in the south-east of the city, just inside the ring road. Called Cite de l’espace – ‘the City of Space’ – it features a collection of real spacecraft and equipment, as well as space travel simulators to try out. It’s family friendly too, with planetariums, an iMax cinema and interactive displays.

…and the old

You’ll find the Old Quarter of Toulouse on the right bank of the River Garonne. It’s a great place for a wander, with plenty of pavement cafes, interesting shops and old landmarks to check out. The highlight of the Old Quarter is the 1,000-year-old Basilica of St Sernin. An important spot down the centuries for pilgrims from all over Europe, today it still attracts visitors from right across the world. See how the ornate pink coloured bell tower can be spotted from all over the city. Stepping inside the dimly-lit cathedral is like stepping back into the Middle Ages. It’s packed with ancient treasures and decorations that combine to create a spine-tingling atmosphere.

Where to relax

While exploring the history of the Old Quarter, don’t miss the city’s speciality shops selling traditional handmade chocolates. Then later you can enjoy the Toulouse nightlife as the city’s large student population comes out to play. But if it’s ultimate relaxation you’re after, head to Caliceo Toulouse. A large and luxurious ‘centre aquatique’, or aquatic centre, it’s got nothing to do with tropical fish. Instead it’s you who will enjoy warm indoor and outdoor spa pools, massage beds, whirlpool baths, jets, saunas, fountains, lazy rivers and current pools. It’s like a relaxing waterpark for grown-ups.

Further afield

It’s less than an hour’s drive east to Albi, so it makes the perfect day out from Toulouse.

Albi isn’t famous around the world but is well loved among the French. You’ll find it’s a picturesque old town on the River Tarn, with plenty of spectacular landmarks to see. Locals call it the ‘Ville Rouge’, or red town, because much of it is made of red bricks, much darker than Toulouse’s peachy pink ones.

One of the highlights is the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, an inspiring collection of the paintings of the homegrown post-impressionist artist who went on to become famous around the world.

Then stroll next door to the World Heritage Site comprised of the medieval Cathedral of St Cecile and the Berbie Palace. Built by the bishops of Albi, they are so well fortified that today it’s hard to tell if they are religious or military structures. Outside, wander the old cobbled streets leading from the cathedral to find viewing platforms over the river, terraced gardens and a thousand-year-old bridge built from red brick, naturally.