Car and Van Hire in Toulouse

For hatchbacks that are economical on fuel, larger saloon cars built for comfort and ease of motoring, people carriers, sporty SUVs, luxury vehicles and of course, vans of all sizes, Enterprise does them all. There is no penny-pinching on the fleet either; every car is from a leading manufacturer and undergoes a regular maintenance check to make sure that it goes out to the customer in tip-top condition. Whether you are a couple who want to drive slowly around the back roads of Haute-Garonne, or someone who fancies a four-wheel drive challenge in the Pyrenees in an SUV, Enterprise can meet your needs.

Check the Enterprise website to see what is available; the best deals can be found online. The website is interactive, so you can make your booking online 24/7, and paying for your vehicle at the time you reserve it is a sure way to save money. There are no hidden extras with Enterprise; you get what you pay for, including unlimited mileage and a great backup service from a professional team. Taking all of this into account, you will be hard pressed to find a better deal.

Two airports serve the Toulouse area; Lasbordes is non-commercial, so it is to Blagnac that over 8 million passengers fly from destinations all over Europe and North Africa. The airport is situated just over six miles northwest of the city centre. Collecting a pre-booked hire car from the airport at which you land can shorten your onward journey significantly, with no taxi queues or public transport issues to navigate. Why haul heavy luggage to buses when your car can be ready just outside the terminal building? Enterprise has a branch at Blagnac Airport.

There is a lot to see and do in Toulouse, which is, after all, a major city with museums, galleries and theatres. Of particular interest is the cathedral of St Etienne and its 15 side chapels. It is not known when building commenced; there has been a church on the site since the ninth century. However, this Gothic masterpiece, with some earlier Romanesque elements, was completed in the 13th century, when a Rose Window was added. In Toulouse, ancient blends in with the very modern; there is a Roman amphitheatre and a space theme park. Jardin des Plantes is a large park in the city incorporating a museum, botanical gardens and a playground for children.

Grenade, 20 miles northwest of Toulouse, is somewhere to get away from it all and perhaps take a walk by the river and enjoy the pleasures this part of rural France has to offer. A drive 27 miles south on the SA-64 will take you to the market town of Carbonne on the Garonne river. Saunter though the market hall, built in the 19th century with an ironwork roof, and pay a visit to the museum close to the church of Saint Laurent. A little further south is Rieux-Volvestre, a fairy-tale village with a quaint town square in front of which is a 15th-century building currently playing home to the town hall and local museum.

The A-68 comes into Toulouse from the northeast, the A-62 from the north, the NI-124 from the east, and the A-620 and A-61 the southwest and southeast respectively. Driving outside the city is largely unproblematic; however, if one is planning to take a car into Toulouse, it is essential to have at least an idea of the best route to your destination, avoiding the Old Town. Street parking in Toulouse is restricted during the normal working week between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., and in any event, street parking is time-restricted. There are numerous underground car parks in Toulouse and visitors are advised to park at the Place du Capitole, which is close to the centre.