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What You Need to Know
Bootcamp News, March 13, 2023
The Bootcamp is only 69 days away! Woohho!
Given the situation with SNCF strikes, Elyse and I have decided to it would be safer to do our afternoon trips by bus rather than train. I found a great local company that will take us around. This is a big red tourist bus, not a city bus!
There 3 major advantages to taking a bus:
#1 We won’t be as rushed because the bus driver is not going to leave without us.
#2 Buses don’t strike.
#3 We can now can stop at a wine production chateau in the countryside and we’ve selected Château Lastours near Lisle-sur-Tarn. This will be on Wed, May 24 instead of going to Gaillac. We will also visit the historical bastide of Lisle-sur-Tarn that afternoon.
BUT, because we’re taking a bus, I need to make a 50% down payment to the bus company ASAP, that is why I would appreciate you making your final payment now. Here is the button you need to make your final payment of $300 per person. Please make this payment by Monday, March 27, 2023. Merci !
Your Contact at Langue Onze
Yarina Moreno is our contact at Langue Onze. Her email is yarina@langueonze.com. You can also call the school at +33 5 61 62 54 58 during French business hours.
Bootcamp week in Toulouse
The Bootcamp starts on Sun, May 21 at 10 AM and ends on Sat, May 27 late evening. French kids will be on vacation that week. We can expect a busy week in museums and at cafés / restaurants. We can also expect the warmest part of the day to be as high as 90F (32C). I wouldn’t expect cool temperatures and rain or a heat wave, but you never know with the weather.
Lunches On the Go
On Tues, Wed and Thu French class ends at 1 PM and we’ll be taking the train at 2 PM or soon after. There will not be time for all of us to queue up at the sandwich place, get served and make it to the train on time.
Get your lunch in advance! There are two places you can get lunch to go near the school:
- Monoprix on Place Esquirol. They open at 7:30 AM. You can buy something on the way to school and store it in the fridge at the school.
- Go to Le Fournil de Pierre during your break between 11:15 and 11:30. They sell a variety of sandwiches and pastries and it’s really close to the school as well.
There are other options that you can explore when you get here, but don’t plan on stopping anywhere for lunch on Tues, Wed and Thu. We won’t be as rushed on the other days.
Dinner on Your Own
Most restaurants in Toulouse cannot take a group of 40 without advanced reservations and a sizable down-payment. But many can take groups of 6 or more without difficulty when the weather is nice and we eat outside. I will provide a list of restaurants that small groups can go to, but anywhere that has room for your group should be pleasant.
Toulouse Restaurants that are great for groups of 10
As you probably know, France is full of really small restaurants that can’t really handle even a group of 10. I am testing restaurants that I think would be good for groups of 10 (or so) and could be reserved with a couple of day’s notice. Here are the ones I like so far (I’m testing them first!):
- La Compagnie Française. Despite the name, this is an Italian restaurant. The food is tasty, staff friendly, they have a big terrace and it’s a good value. Reserve here if you’d like to organize your own small group.
- Ma Biche sur le Toit, this is the rooftop of the Galeries Lafayette in Toulouse. You don’t need reservations to go there for a drink, but they take reservations for up to 8 people here.
- Le Pavé des Minimes. This is not in the city center, but it’s right by the metro stop Barrière de Paris on line B, only 15 minutes from the city center. Beautiful terrace and lovely local favorites. This restaurant was a “lunch joint” a long time and they’ve developed into a great place for dinner as well.
- O Cent Couverts Toulouse. This is at the edge of the city but easy to get to by city bus. This is a big buffet with a fixed price of 31€ including drinks. They have French and Asian specialties. We like it because they have a “plancha to order” where you put what you want on your plate and the chef cooks it in front of you. You choose from a selection of vegetables, meats and fish and it all gets cooked on the hot plate. Lots of appetizers, desserts and also classic French specialties like Boeuf Bourguignon. Big room, if we decide to all go one night, they can reserve a room just for us.
- Brasserie des Beaux Arts near the Pont Neuf. Classic bistro with fish specialties. Reserve in advance for more tha 3 or 4 people.
- Brasserie de l’Opéra, on Place du Capitole. My go-to place for a nice lunch, white tablecloth, classic service. Reserve in advance for more tha 3 or 4 people.
- Les P’Tits Fayots on 8 rue de l’Esquille. Small place, must reserve even for 2 people.
- Cassoulet restaurant in Toulouse. I will try it soon, but Elyse says it’s nice, so it goes on the list: Le Colombier on rue Bayard close to the train station.
- And for those of you who are in the mood for a crêpe, go to Crêperie du Sherpa on rue du Taur.
Extra Costs not Included in the Price of the Tour
Some of the things we’ll be doing are not included in the price of the tour but will need to be paid for (in part or in full) when I make the reservation.
Not included in the tour price is the wine tasting in Gaillac and tickets to the museums we’ll visit. I will advance the money and will collect this amount in cash when you arrive. I will tell you the exact amount as soon as I get prices from all the providers, but I expect it’ll be around 100€ per person.
I am working on this, the exact total will be announced soon.
Travel Tips
- Always carry an extra battery pack and cable so you can charge your phone on the go.
- Install WhatsApp and save my cell number. If you don’t have it, email me.
- Install the CityMapper App and download the maps for Toulouse. CityMapper makes it easy to find your way around the city.
Day-by-Day Schedule
I will add details to this schedule as they become available. Questions? Email annie.sargent@gmail.com or ping me on our WhatsApp group. If you are not in the WhatsApp group email me!
Sun, May 21
9:45 AM and 10 AM
We will meet at the Florida Café on Place du Capitole. I’ll be at one of the tables outside.
10 AM until Noon
Food walk around the Victor Hugo Market with Elyse.
Noon until 2 PM
Lunch at one of the restaurants above the Victor Hugo market. There are several restaurants to choose from and they don’t take reservations. We’ll have to split up into several small groups.
2 PM until 6 PM
Get to know the Toulouse city center. This is an orientation walk, it might be as much as 3 miles long, but we’ll play it by ear. We plan on enjoying the city center without giving much commentary.
6 PM
Apéritif dînatoire at the Florida on Place du Capitole. Apéritif nibbles and 2 glasses of wine are included in the price of the tour. There is a bar and a full restaurant for those who want more. My brother will come with his digital piano and we’ll have a sing-along of your favorite French songs. Send me the list so we’re ready with lyrics for everyone! My brother’s name is Henry-Charles and he doesn’t speak a word of English. But he’s friendly and he takes requests!
Mon, May 22
- Class 8:45 until noon
- Lunch on your own
- Afternoon: Grand Toulouse Tour with Elyse
- Dinner on your own
Tue, May 23
- Class 9 until 1
- Lunch on the go
- Bus to Albi. Bus pickup near Langue Onze at 1:30 PM. We plan to be back in Toulouse by 7:30 PM.
- Dinner on your own
Wed, May 24
- Class 9 until 1
- Lunch on the go
- Afternoon: Lisle-sur-Tarn and Wine tour by bus. Bus pickup near Langue Onze at 2 PM. We plan to be back in Toulouse by 7:30 PM.
- Dinner on your own
Thu, May 25
- Class 9 until 1
- Lunch on the go
- Afternoon: Foix by bus. Bus pickup near Langue Onze at 2 PM. We plan to be back in Toulouse by 7:30 PM
- Dinner on your own
Fri, May 26
- Class 9 until 1
- Lunch on your own
- Afternoon: TBA. We’ll stay in Toulouse, details TBA
- Dinner on your own
Sat, May 27
- 9 AM: Carcassonne by bus. Meet the bus near Langue Onze at 8:30 AM, return to Toulouse by 5 PM.
- Farewell dinner
Favorite Hotels in Toulouse
For those of you who haven’t chosen accommodations yet. Don’t wait too long!
Grand Hôtel de l’Opéra: location can’t be beat (Place du Capitole), service is great too!
Ibis Styles Capitole: also on Place du Capitole, plush at a reasonable price.
Hôtel des Grands Balcons: Place du Capitole, lovely hotel at the heart of the city.
Hôtel Croix Baragnon: In a lovely part of town (near Saint Etienne Cathedral) a simple B&B / small hotel (14 rooms) at a fantastic price. No elevator, no AC.
Hôtel des Arts: right by Place Saint Georges which is a favorite around Toulouse. A small boutique hotel.
La Cour des Consuls: By the Pont Neuf and the Garonne River. The area might be loud at times.
I’ll schedule a couple of video chats in March when I can address any questions, in the meantime check the WhatsApp group for updates.
Merci, à bientôt !