We spent nearly 7 hours getting to Toulouse via Lyon. The first train was a regular (local) train which was extremely comfortable, and the second was a TGV which reached speeds well in excess of 300kms an hour. Australia really needs to get some of these trains!

Toulouse is a bustling city set on the river Garonne, and it also has the Canal du Midi running through it . The canal has a very long bike path that heads up towards northern France. At the centre of the city is the City Hall (Capitole) and a number of palaces converted into useful buildings such as theatres. In the evening, the Capitole Square filled up with several vans full of riot police, which did not appear to worry the locals at all. Perhaps a show of force is the police's way of ensuring the citizens know who has the upper hand!

We hired our car in Toulouse, a very uninspiring and bland Ford Fiesta, despite us booking a VW like we have at home (and Garth was very slightly huffy about us never ending up with the car we order!). He spent considerable time yesterday perusing a couple of apps and a paper rule book showing the French road rules, then proceeded to quiz me (and I'm not even driving!) about any signs we passed on the street. I could get good at blue square signs, blue round signs, red triangles with white backgrounds, red triangles with yellow backgrounds, red circles, green circles...

First stop with the car was the town of Castres for lunch. Castres has some fabulous houses hanging over the river which used to be the homes and businesses of leather tanners. I bet when the gunge from the tanning flowed into the river, and the smell of the animals and the tanning process pervaded the area, no one would have believed that the rows of houses along the river would become such a tourist attraction!

Castres has a neat church, a theatre and a decent sized town square. We sat in the square soaking up the sun and ate quiches and salad for lunch (a local speciality). The town also has a Goya museum which we stayed well clear of!! And I went to my first 'hole in the floor' toilet since being on holidays. Hopefully it is my last!

Final stop for the night was Albi, a small town with two claims of fame: it has an absolutely huge cathedral, and it is the birthplace of Toulouse Lautrec. It is also the birthplace of La Perouse, which doesn't get as much airplay in the tourist paraphernalia, but is of interest to us Aussies! The B&B is very nice, but it has the squeakiest floor boards I have ever heard, which makes it tricky to be quiet if one needs to get up in the night!

We went to an amazing restaurant, L'Epicurian, for dinner. It made the Michelin Guide, and the food was SUPERB. So good in fact, that we are going there for dinner tomorrow as well!!