Marché Victor Hugo

The Marché Victor Hugo is the main covered market of Toulouse, a large hall in the middle of the city that has been feeding the people of the pink city for well over a century. It stands on the Place Victor Hugo, a square named in honour of the poet in 1886, a few minutes' walk from the Capitole, and its market hall, built in the late nineteenth century, replaced an older market on the same site. In the morning the hall fills with more than eighty stallholders, selling the produce of the Garonne valley and the whole of the south-west.

The cuisine of Toulouse and its region is among the richest in France, and the market is the best place to see its ingredients. Butchers and charcutiers sell the Toulouse sausage, a coarse pork sausage that is the classic element of cassoulet, the slow-cooked casserole of white beans, sausage, pork and duck confit that is the city's signature dish. Duck and goose products are everywhere, with foie gras, confit, magret and rillettes. Fishmongers offer fresh fish and seafood brought from the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Fruit and vegetables are abundant in season, with pink garlic from nearby Lautrec, melons and cherries in summer and mushrooms and chestnuts in autumn, and cheese stalls display the sheep's milk cheeses of the Pyrenees and the blue cheese of Roquefort. Many stalls sell wine from nearby appellations, including Gaillac, Fronton and Cahors, and the violets that are the city's emblem appear in candies and sweets. There are also bakers, spice sellers and stalls with prepared dishes.

What makes this market special is the row of small restaurants on the first floor. They serve lunch based on what is sold downstairs, so you can buy ingredients in the morning and eat a meal made from the same products, often with a simple menu of grilled meat or fish and a glass of wine. The bistros fill quickly at lunchtime, especially on Saturdays and Sundays, so arrive early or reserve a table. Guided food tours of the market are also offered by local guides, usually lasting several hours with tastings.

The market is open every day except Monday, in the morning and early afternoon, and the exact hours differ between the stalls and the restaurants. The hall is accessible for people with reduced mobility, and it is easy to reach by metro, tram and bike hire.

It suits food lovers, travellers who want a taste of local life and anyone planning a meal. Allow an hour or two. The Place du Capitole, the Basilique Saint-Sernin and the Musée des Augustins are within walking distance.