The day started out with the mundane (but things I like). I walked over to the St. Aubin’s market in the morning to do my fruit and vegetable shopping. It is definitely cheaper to buy fruits and vegetables at the open air markets rather than the stands at Marchè Victor Hugo. If I did my research correctly, the peaches I bought were 1 euro per kilogram cheaper at St. Aubin’s than at Victor Hugo.

I needed to go to St. Aubin’s as I needed olives from the market for my lunch. I have become “acquaintances’ with the olive sellers. I was happy that they remembered me. They have great olive oil as well. I love that they sell it in cans that look like old car oil cans. They are gold and do not let any light in to persevere the quality of the olive oil.

From there I stopped at Chez Pillon and bought my first chocolatine (chocolate croissant which is called a chocolatine in Toulouse rather than a pain au chocolat). I like the quality of the ones at Chez Pillon even though I could get some cheaper elsewhere. They are 1.50 euros at Chez Pillon and generally 1.30 euros elsewhere.

Last stop was at Marée Toulousiane a seafood stand at Victor Hugo for some seafood for dinner. I bought Filet of Dorade (sea bream). It is good and easy from me to cook. I had to make an additional stop as I forgot to buy a lemon at St. Aubin’s. Lemons in Toulouse are not sold by individual price but by the kilo which is interesting.

After unloading the things I had bought and storing them. Luckily, I had bought plastic containers on a previous visit and they are still all here so I was able to store things easily. Actually, all the kitchen items I have bought over my various visits are still here which helps.

In the afternoon, I decided to participate more in the Les Journées Européennes Du Patrimoine (European Heritage Days) and visits some of the places that are not generally open to the public or cost to visit but were free this weekend.

The first stop was Chappelle de la Grave. This is a 19th century chapel that was built in one of the old hospitals (as the information said hospital, prison for the poor, sanitarium for the insane and other purposes). I had run through the chapel on the Urban Trail I ran this past spring but did not get to really appreciate it as I ran through it. It is magnifient. I did not realize it had a reflecting pool in the middle that reflects the alter and the dome. I am glad I got to see it today. I had seen there was a 5 euro fee to go in previously and had skipped paying it.

The nexts stops were the courtyards of some of the renaissance hôtels in neighborhoods that border the rivers. In France, hôtel is the word for the old mansions for the renaissance that were build and owned by the city elites. Many of these in Toulouse have been turned into office and apartments and so are private. One of the ones that had been turned into apartments amused me as there was a diagram of how residents were supposed to park their cars in the small courtyard. It was similar to assigned parking in U.S. complexes but there was a map to show how to do the jigsaw for the cars.

Next stop was the Église du Gesu, again I had run through this on the Urban Trail but did not get to appreciate the beauty of it. It is more of a concert venue now and not a church as there is a charge to visit it. It has a beautiful organ and they have organ recitals there. I will have to attend a concert while I am here.

Another place I ran through was the Musée de Departmental de la Resistance et de la Deportation. This is a museum to the resistance and deportation of Jews and others during World War II. It is a brutalist monument build underground. There is not much information in the museum. There are three areas where videos play and show images of the era. Running through it gave me the same impression as walking through it.

One place I would never have gotten to see if it were not for the special visits was the Palais Niel. This is the headquarters of the French Parachute regiments so is not open to the public. The palace was built for Marshall Adolphe Neil, Marshall of France (military rank) from 1863-1868. It is built in the Paris Haussmann and Renaissance style. It is not of pink brick as the usual building in Toulouse. It is very rococo and ornate inside. On the grounds the parachute regiments had their equipment and other information set up.

The guide told me when she learned I spoke English that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip had stayed there when visiting different military sites during the 1980s in France. She pointed out the dining table to make sure I knew that the Queen had eaten at that exact table.

Next up was Prefecture de la Haute-Garonne. This would be similar to a state capitol in the United States. Haute-Garonne is a one of 83 departments of France. Toulouse is the main city or capital of the Haute-Garonne. It is a fairly modern building I believe but build in the traditional style. We could see the various reception rooms, the legislative chamber and the Prefet’s (governor’s) office. This is another place I probably would never seen other than today.

Last stop was the Bemberg Foundation and museum. I tried to do some research on who George Berberg (founder) was but could only find out that he was an Argentine of German heritage that was a publisher, musician and art collector. This was even after finding the French Wikipedia entry. He collected art from many eras but was mainly focused on Pierre Bonnard. There are 30 Bonnard’s in the collection. He has other famous Impressionist works by Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and Mary Cassett. His collection also includes Paul Dufy, Pablo Picasso and a lesser known English painter Sickert. It is a very doable museum as it is small and does not overwhelm you. It is housed in the Hôtel d’Assézat. It was free today so that made it nicer. There was a chamber group playing in the courtyard.

After all the walking, I stopped at Les Pescheurs de Sable cafe in the port of the Daurade for a beer. It is always a place to enjoy sitting, reading and people watching.

I made dinner in the evening and read after a great day! To top it off there was a lovely sunset.