victoriainwanderland

My friend has expressed interest in visiting Nice and Tolouse while we are in France next year.

At this stage it looks as though we will base ourselves in Avignon as our gateway to Provence and from what I have initially researched, being that it is tricky to travel by TGV east-west or west-east, it would be difficult for us to visit both Nice and Tolouse (by train) without backtracking to Avignon or spending an extensive period going from one to the other.

Obviously Nice and Tolouse are very distinct from one another and cannot be compared but what I wanted to find out is, for a first time visit to the South of France, would Fodorites recommend one over the other?
I personally am leaning more toward Tolouse but would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on the two before we decide between one or the other!

bilboburgler

I'd not go to the big city much but the interesting places, Narbonne, Cahors, Arles, Nimes, Avignon. You can see big cities everywhere.

Some are more used by tourists but having spent days in Toulouse and Nice I could have been in Bordeaux, Lyon, Rheims any large Fremch city. Nothing wrong with that but why?

victoriainwanderland

Avignon and Lyon (or Dijon) are both on our lists so we will already be visiting some of those hence trying to narrow things down between Nice and Tolouse.

With that said, in my lunch break I googled both and just looking at Albi and Carcassonne near Tolouse makes Tolouse the right pick for me – now just to convince my friend about it.

kerouac

Between the two cities, I would choose Toulouse. It is less overrun by foreign tourists and is less dependent on the tourist economy, so prices are cheaper. And of course it is a very lovely city.

aliced

Both different -- in Toulouse, you'll walk all over the city and have the most marvelous Cassoulet anywhere. You can easily reach Albi for the fabulous Lautrec Musee and in Carcassone walk through that wondrous fortress. But in Nice you'll be dayhopping along the Med to lots of beautiful hilltop villages (Eze, St Paul de Vence for two of my faves), perhaps Monaco. We did them separately over a few trips. For the Riviera, you'd probably want to go late summer/early Fall, not in the Spring when it may well be chilly and rainy. Not sure how it'd be in Toulouse.

gooster

Between the two, I'd pick Nice. The seaside cities and towns will make it different than the other places you mentioned on your itinerary, along with some distinctly different cultural influences.

I can always tell when I'm in the coast and that area east of the Var. It is other places in France where towns and villages start to blend together (village fatigue)

balthy

It's Toulouse, not Tolouse. And for a first time visit, Nice is the city to go for.

TPAYT

Love Toulouse but for a first time visitor Nice is a more stunning choice. Especially if you can get to either Eze or St. Paul de Vence (similar to each other)along with Nice.

As stated, we loved Toulouse, but it is more of a big city feel, where Nice has such magnificent views everywhere. And either Eze or St. Paul de Vence are the towns dreams are made of.