Compare Toulouse Airport car hire

Toulouse, the capital of France’s Occitanie region, is big – but when it comes to driving, it’s less challenging than many other big French cities. Hiring a car will help you make the most of the surrounding countryside, including the Garonne valley and the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Language: French | Currency: Euro (€) | Avg. Flight time: 1 hrs 50 mins

It’s easy to pick up a hire car from Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS), and the city centre is only around 15 minutes away by car. Major companies offering car rental in the airport include Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Enterprise and Sixt, so there's plenty of scope to shop around for a cheap deal, too.

If you're picking up your car at Toulouse Blagnac, you'll find the car rental desks in Hall C in the arrivals area. When driving from the airport, take the A621 road for the most straightforward route into the city centre, following signs for Toulouse Centre.

You can also find rental companies in the city centre, with brands including Europcar, Hertz and Avis based near the main railway station, Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau.

Car rental companies that have desks at Toulouse Blagnac Airport include:

• Goldcar (Tel: +33 5 34 36 91 41)
• Sixt (Tel: +33 5 61 49 73 95)
• Hertz (Tel: +33 8 25 80 10 31)
• Europcar (Tel: +33 8 25 82 55 14)
• Avis and Budget (Tel: +33 8 20 61 16 78 and +33 8 21 230 499)
• Enterprise (+33 5 61 30 00 01)

Most visitors won't need a car in the historic centre of Toulouse – it's small and easy to explore on foot, and there’s a good public transport network. Driving in the centre can also be tricky; traffic can be an issue and parking is limited.

If you're based outside Toulouse and want to drive in, a good option is to drive to an outlying metro or bus station and catch public transport into the city centre.

If you do drive all the way, be prepared to pay high prices – it isn't as steep as central Paris, but that isn't saying much. While it may not be easy to find available parking bays, you can opt for a paid parking lot in the centre of Toulouse instead. There’s a secure, 24-hour car park by Toulouse-Matabiau station, giving you easy access to the rest of the city and its public transport links, not to mention other destinations in France too.

All of that said, Toulouse is a pleasure to drive in when compared to similar-sized and larger French cities. The roads are well signposted, well maintained and easy to drive on – though it’s worth brushing up on a few French words before you travel, as very few signs outside the airport are in English.

Bordeaux

Driving time: Two hours 30 minutes

The beautiful port city of Bordeaux may be most famous for wine, but it has much more to offer, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux, where you can see notable works by great European artists from the 16th to the 20th centuries. If you are in town for wine, however, head to the Cite du Vin museum to learn more about the past and present of viticulture.

Carcassonne

Driving time: One hour 30 minutes

Take a trip back in time by visiting the hilltop town of Carcassonne. The remarkable La Cite, a sprawling medieval citadel with remarkably well-preserved fortifications and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of France’s most visited spots.

Montauban

Driving time: One hour

The capital of the Tarn-et-Garonne region is so pretty you won’t be able to put your camera away. Head for the town’s central square, Place Nationale: here you’ll find a daily market surrounded by attractive arcaded buildings. The pedestrian streets that radiate from the square are lined with cute local shops.

1. The roads in Toulouse can be very narrow, so be prepared to stop and start to let other cars pass. There are also a lot of one-way streets in the heart of the city, so plan your route in advance or bring an up-to-date satnav – and watch out for one-way signs once you're on the road!
2. It’s forbidden to use a speed camera detector in France. You could face a hefty fine if you break this rule, so make sure you’ve disabled alerts on your satnav.
3. If you plan on listening to music or talking on the phone while you drive, make sure you do it through your car speakers. It’s forbidden to use any kind of headphones while driving.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.