Violet candy, 'brick' cheese & artist-style canned cocktails—discover the best foodie souvenirs to bring home from Toulouse, France.
Toulouse, France Remi Deligeon
Think Paris, but with better weather, more rosé, and way less attitude. Home of the AirBus headquarters, Toulouse recently nabbed Lonely Planet’s top city to visit in 2025—and trust me, it’s earned it. From its pink-brick charm to its laid-back canalside vibes, “La Ville Rose” is where culture and cool collide. It’s also easier than ever to get to Toulouse. No more stop overs in Paris as the first non-stop direct flight from North America to Toulouse on AirCanada from Montreal, Canada recently launched.
This year, the city’s musical soul is on full display. As a newly designated UNESCO City of Music, Toulouse hits all the right notes—especially in June, when the legendary Rio Loco festival brings global rhythms to the banks of the Garonne. It’s world music meets world party.
Summer keeps the tempo high with Tangopostale’s sultry tango dance vibes and the ultra-chill Siestes Électroniques electronic fest in the Compans-Caffarelli Garden. Add in museum reopenings (hello, Musée des Augustins in late 2025), Gothic grandeur, and a thriving food scene—16 restaurants with Michelin distinction—, and you’ve got a trip worth booking yesterday.
And when you’re ready to roam, the dreamy Occitanie region is right on your doorstep—think Albi’s Toulouse-Lautrec vibes, fairy-tale villages like Cordes-sur-Ciel, Carcassonne—the oldest medieval fortress in Europe dating back to the Roman era and namesake for the crazy popular Carcassonne board game—and vineyard-dotted countryside perfect for lazy day trips. You can even captain your own houseboat with Le Boat—think AirBnB of houseboats worldwide—and tour the countryside via Canal Du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Rent a houseboat for a unique view of Occitania!
When it comes to edible souvenirs, American expat Jessica Hammer of Taste of Toulouse is a connoisseur of the authentic, the unexpected, and of course—delicious. With her deep local knowledge, she’s your secret weapon for shopping like a savvy gourmand in the pink city. So next time you head to Toulouse, bring an empty suitcase and a curious palate. Your taste buds (and lucky friends back home) will thank you. Here are the best food souvenirs in Toulouse and the broader Occitanie region:
One of B. Authié's specialties, a Paris-Brest filled with violet cream and topped with sugared ... More violets.
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Toulouse Violets
Toulouse is famously fragrant with violets, and Hammer’s favorite way to bottle that floral magic? Crystallized violets—“real flower petals crystallized in sugar syrup.” They’re not just pretty and packable; she drops them in sparkling wine for a delicate purple hue. “So pretty,” she sighs. Her go-to source is Pâtisserie B. Authié, but these sugar-dusted blossoms pop up everywhere from pastry shops to airport kiosks.
La Maison de a Violette, a gift shop in a barge for all things violet. © Rémi Deligeon
For the full violet experience, she recommends a pilgrimage to La Maison de la Violette, a ‘floating’ shop—or barge on the canal—devoted to all things purple and petaled. “The owner, Hélène, has dedicated her life’s work to promoting violet products—not just food, but also perfumes and bath items.”
Sold at Fromagerie Xavier, Pave Toulousain cheese or brick cheese is a specialty cheese from ... More Toulouse. It's a great Toulouse food souvenir to bring home because it comes in a box.
Best Toulouse Cheese Souvenir
When asked what cheese to bring home, Hammer doesn’t hesitate…
Pavé Toulousain: Created by the famed François Bourgon of Fromagerie Xavier, this cube-shaped cheese is a loving nod to Toulouse’s iconic brick architecture. “It personifies Toulouse’s mix of tradition and innovation,” Hammer says, noting it travels well and comes in a stylish wooden box..
Mont d’Or: Available from October through March, this creamy cheese from the Jura region, just a few hours from Toulouse, comes in its own wooden box. It’s perfect for baking into a fondue-like dish. While soft cheeses can be tricky to transport, Mont d’Or’s packaging makes it a feasible option. If you bring it home, try David Lebovitz’s—the most famous American food writer that lives in Paris—Mont d’Or fondue recipe!
Fénétra is an apricot and lemon 'travel cake'—a traditional baked good from Toulouse, France. Desman31, via Wikimedia Commons
Toulouse Pastries
While baguettes may tempt you, they’re better left behind. Instead, Hammer loves gâteaux de voyage—“travel cakes” meant to journey. The standout cake to bring home from Toulouse? Fénétra, a local tart filled with apricot jam and candied lemon peel, topped with almond meringue takes the cake.
A highlight for a spirit lover, reserve a armagnac tasting and tour at the high-design tasting room ... More at Chateau Arton in France's Gascony region. Oenologist Fabrice Saramon leads the tasting here.
Toulouse Spirits & Snacks
For something truly unique, try a bottle of Armagnac—Toulouse’s more rugged cousin to Cognac and France’s oldest brandy, more than 700 years old. If you have time in your schedule, visit Château Arton— a certified organic vineyard producing award-winning Armagnac for a tasting. Located in the beautiful countryside in a town called in Lectoure, Château Arton was the first Armagnac to receive the Prix d’Excellence‚ like the Oscars for French food. Make sure to ask about the magic mold that works in happy partnership with the spirit as it ages.
Papilles' bottled cocktails are a super hip gift to bring home for the craft cocktail lover on your ... More list. This one especially screams the region.
Gin fans should hunt down Le Point G, flavored with violet and spirulina—a cheeky French nod to the G-spot. Don’t miss the Rainbow canned cocktail, a pack-friendly tribute to artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s original 19th-century recipe. Crafted by Alexis Taoufiq, a "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" and award-winning mixologist, this ready-to-drink cocktail is artful, aromatic, and effortlessly chic. Pick up a few at Papilles, his boutique bottle shop in Toulouse and also in the nearby town of Albi.
Violet liqueurs, found at the airport, are great to bring home too.
Grocery store food souvenirs are all the rage, right? Hammer is gleefully obsessed with “goat cheese with Espelette pepper” flavored chips. Feeling brave? Try anise-flavored potato chips as well.
Although Castelnaudary is most credited as the home of cassoulet, Toulouse hosts the annual World ... More Championships of Cassoulet annually.
Best Chocolate Shops in Toulouse
“You don’t find chocolate shops like this back home,” says the American expat, now food tour guide. She admits it was very hard to choose favorites—“there are so many great chocolate shops in Toulouse, France”—but ultimately highlighted Criollo, Bello & Angeli, and Cacaofages for their exceptional chocolats enrobés (covered chocolates). Whether you're craving bars or bonbons, these elegant, easy-to-pack treats make perfect gourmet gifts.
Best Cassoulet in Toulouse
Of course, no conversation about Toulouse food is complete without cassoulet, the region’s slow-cooked, bean-and-meat pride. Hammer’s top pick? Last year, she put her palate to the test at Le Genty Magre, a local cassoulet competition she likens to “a chili cook-off contest but for cassoulet.” Among five entries, her standout favorite was the one from Émile’s, which also clinched the audience choice award. Another go-to she recommends is La Colombière, a beloved family-owned spot serving up a fan-favorite cassoulet year after year.
Where to find the best canned cassoulet in Toulouse: Maison Garcia in Victor Hugo market. © Rémi Deligeon
However, for cassoulet to bring home? Maison Garcia, which she swears is “the real deal” when paired with a baguette. Find Maison Garcia canned cassoulet and other incredible meat-based products, like the most rare Spanish jamón ibérico, at the incredible Victor Hugo market.
Best Gourmet Food Shop in Toulouse
“For gifts, I don’t really recommend going to grocery stores in France— the good stuff is at épiceries or specialty food stores,” says Hammer. Her go-to? Cafe Bacquie, a speciality shop across the street from Victor Hugo Market. “They have great gifts like preserves, salts, mustards, even chocolate.”
Jessica Hammer prepares an incredible wine-paired tasting of Victor Hugo Market delights on a Taste ... More of Toulouse tour.
Best Things to Do In Toulouse
In addition to taking Jessica’s in depth (and delicious!) Taste of Toulouse food tour, here are the best things to do in Toulouse:
Book a ride on Minotaur, Halle de La Machine's most famous machine. Toulouse, France
Machine Museum
Get ready for your jaw to be on the floor at Halle de La Machine—the entrie time. This performance theater-meets-Tinkertown museum is a marvel—perfect for any age. Engineering at its best using upcycled parts to create otherworldly animals, tectonic shows, and interactive art using fire, automation, sound and actors. If you have time and love theatrical dining, book a “Lunch of Little Machines” where performers (ie. your servers) partner with machines to deliver the most entertaining culinary adventure. And don’t miss the The Manège Carré Sénart across the street—it’s like no other merry-go-round you’ve ever seen before.
Space Museum
Cité de l’Espace is where space nerds and starry-eyed dreamers unite! Touch real moon rocks, walk through a life-size Mir space station, and even try your hand at astronaut training. It’s part science museum, part intergalactic playground—perfect for kids, grown-ups, and anyone who’s ever looked up at the stars and said, “What if?”
At her boutique AHPY, Annette Hardouin is reviving the ancient art of dyeing with pastel (Isatis ... More tinctoria) one workshop at a time. Toulouse, France
"Blue Gold" of Toulouse Workshop
Step into a world where history and fashion intertwine at AHPY Créations Bleu de Pastel boutique in Toulouse. Led by master artisan Annette Hardouin, this workshop revives the ancient art of dyeing with pastel (Isatis tinctoria), the plant that once brought immense wealth to the region during the Renaissance. You’ll learn the meticulous process of transforming natural fabrics into stunning shades of blue using time-honored techniques. A pastel dyed scarf sold at the AHPY shop is also a winning Toulousian souvenir.