New ranking shows the best places to live near Toulouse

Looking to move to the south of France, but still want to be close to a large city? Toulouse could be an option, and a new ranking lists some of the best nearby choices - by transport, safety, leisure, and more.

Known as La Ville Rose (the Pink City) due to its buildings in rose-coloured, traditional stone, Toulouse is in Haute-Garonne, the capital of Occitanie, and has more than 500,000 residents.

Around 6,000 people are moving to the city and its surroundings every year, attracted by its riverside location, strong industry, international airport, TGV station, university vibe, green spaces, buzzy nightlife and culture, good weather, and proximity to rural, picturesque villages across the departments of Haute-Garonne, Tarn-et-Garonne, Tarn, and Gers.

The city is also around two hours’ drive away from the Pyrenees, and the Spanish border.

Newspaper Le Figaro has ranked 265 communes located within one hour’s drive of La Ville Rose, according to what it calls 40 “essential criteria”. All of the top 10 are in Haute-Garonne, while number 11 is in Gers. 

See the entire table of 265 communes here.

The podium places: Top 3

1. Vigoulet-Auzil, Haute-Garonne

This growing-but-still-small commune of 1,003 residents has seen a 30% rise in inhabitants over the past 10 years, and is particularly attractive to families and couples. It won due to strong scores in leisure, culture (including annual piano, literature and history festivals) and sports facilities, as well as a strong horse-riding club culture, bike riding routes, and multiple green spaces. The only downside is the property market, with prices relatively high, at €400,000 to €600,000 for an average 100m2 house.

2. Martres-Tolosane, Haute-Garonne

Laid out in a distinctive, circular shape that strongly shows off its proud history as a fortified village, Martres-Tolosane is 40 minutes’ drive from the city, and is praised highly for its natural beauty and low pollution. It also scored well on supermarkets and local food shops, train station, and an abundance of healthcare (with six nurses and three doctors, a pharmacy, and several specialists).

3. Vieille-Toulouse, Haute-Garonne

Not to be confused with the main city’s historical streets, Vieille-Toulouse offers a countryside, rural-feeling location just 20 minutes’ drive away. Praised particularly for its leisure facilities and transport options, as well as many local clubs and community associations.

The best of the rest: The Top 20

The communes ranked in 4th to 20th place are:

4. Villefranche-de-Lauragais

5. Lévignac

6. Flourens

7. Lacroix-Falgarde

8. Vernet

9. Venerque

10. Ayguesvives

11. L’Isle-Jourdain

12. Labège

13. Boussens

14. Fenouillet

15. Samatan

16. Caraman

17. Montastruc-la-Conseillère

18. Rieux-Volvestre

19. Vacquiers

20. Saint-Geniès-Bellevue

All are in Haute-Garonne, with the exception of L’Isle-Jourdain and Samatan, which are in Gers.

Methodology

Le Figaro ranked the locations based on criteria with figures and data from sources including INSEE, and Google Maps, and considered:

Transport

• Towns/communes located within one hour’s drive of Toulouse, with a minimum 1,000 residents

• Transport links to the central Place du Capitole, with 5% bonus for a train station

• Transport links for leisure and commuting, including roads, bike lanes, and public transport

Leisure and facilities

• Leisure, culture, and sports facilities per inhabitant, including whether there is easy access to tennis courts, a golf club, public library, public pool, cinema

• Number of shops, including supermarkets, bakeries, butchers, fishmongers, delicatessens

• Number of schools and creches

Education and income

• Proportion of people with a baccalaureate education or higher, and/or a university degree

• Number of people in managerial jobs or higher

• Median disposable income among the population

Location and property

• Cost of property compared to other nearby towns, property taxes, proportion of second homes

• Proportion of forests and semi-rural green areas easily accessible, with 5% bonus if the town is considered to be a Ville or Village Fleuri

Health

• Number of doctors, nurses, dentists, and pharmacies per 1,000 residents

• Population density, activity rates for those aged 15-64

• Air pollution levels

Crime rates

• Crime rates - particularly violence, assault, and vandalism - per 1,000 residents

• Burglary rates per 1,000 residents

See the full methodology and source attributions on the Le Figaro website here

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