I just returned from a trip to Toulouse France, a small city that amazed me with it’s cultural offerings. We visited the Saint Sernin Basilica the largest Romanesque building in the western world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This monument is considered an essential stop on the Saint-Jacques-de ‑Compostelle pilgrimage. Then the Marche Victor Hugo covered food market which is open daily from 6AM to 1PM except Mondays will absolutely astound you. Inside you will find over 100 stalls selling fresh food ranging from salami, to cheeses, fruit preserves, fish, meat, foie gras, chocolates, breads, pastries and lots more. This market is must see in this city and is considered one of the most prestigious food markets in France. If you like violets, you will love to visit La Maison de la Violetta small shop dedicated to violets located on a barge on the Canal du Midi. Inside you will find all sorts of products made from these violets which are cultivated and grown outside the city of Toulouse. Try sampling violet candies, violet liquor, violet preserves, violet salt, violet sugar and much more. Hand soaps, creams, perfumes, and room fresheners are also for sale. The Canal du Midi runs thru Toulouse and is another UNESCO World Heritage site. This waterway which was engineered by Pierre-Paul Riquet during the Reign of Louis XIV is one of 469 World Heritage Sites and runs 240 kilometers connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Toulouse is also the home of Airbus and the public is invited during scheduled 
Marche Victor Hugo Salumi Stall
times to visit the assembly line of the A380 the world’s largest and newest airplane.