Top Rated Shopping in Toulouse

This charming little shop is dedicated to the art of tea. In a refined atmosphere, the owner offers, advises and encourages you to discover wonderful blends from China, Japan, India and South Africa. She also carries a few good coffee blends, specifically ground according to your type of coffee machine. The other goods offered have been carefully selected from small, specialized producers from all over France: jams sweetened with honey, caramels with Ile de Ré salt, calissons cakes and biscuits made from old recipes, re-editions of old porcelain sets, and, obviously, everything needed for making tea.

Right in the center of Toulouse, this skate/snow shop features street-wear from popular brands such as, Volcom, LRG, DVS, Burton and more. The shop also sells skateboard and snowboarding equipment including boards, footwear, snow jackets and pants, wheels, extra trucks and accessories. From time to time you can also find some autographed merchandise featuring stars of the skateboarding world.

The biggest covered market in Toulouse is located on the ground floor of a large 1970's building. With magret (duck breast) available at a fair price, it has the best poultry, meat and fish in town. There are also dairy products, greengrocers, cold meats, tripe, and bakery stalls, as well as a handful of small bars and florists. The produce is all top quality. On the first floor, tiny restaurants prepare food from the market produce; among these you will find the famous Atila, one of the best known in Toulouse. The five floors above contain a multi-storey car-park.

This shop sells a variety of items made from violets, the emblem of Toulouse. You will find violet sweets, liqueurs, tea, jams and perfume lining the shelves, as well as embroidered household linen and violet-decorated tea sets. The shop also has a line of house and bath accessories: potpourri, dried flowers, candles, oil lamps, incense and incense burners, soap and perfume. The friendly staff will make up baskets to order; filled with personal selections, that make great gifts for friends as well as acquaintances.

This little bookshop, with its discreet shop window, hides its light under a bushel. In fact it is one of the most important players in Toulouse's literary life with a choice of over 70,000 titles, including a full range of Human Science books. It is also a publisher: Editions Ombres brings out a monthly literary review and publishes novels, news, essays, theater and film scripts. It also holds regular lectures and readings. A second branch specializing in books on tourism can be found at 48, Rue Gambetta.

Masquerading as both a bookstore and a quiet café, Terra Nova invites an eclectic crowd. Visitors enter into a room with a large selection of internationally written and renowned books, and in continuing towards the rear and the children’s book section, they find themselves in a small café. Terra Nova’s café is well known for its world coffee and tea selection, excellent tartines, fruit and chocolate crumbles, and Algerian-style desserts such as baklava. Terra Nova also serves wine, beer, pressed fruit juices and artisan ice cream and lemonade. Though most of the literary offerings are in French, the café has something for everyone. With warmly colored walls and a peaceful ambiance, Terra Nova is the place to go to slip away from the busy streets of central Toulouse.