Toulouse Walking Tours

22/08/2024

🗝 Searching for those aha moments that will transform your trip to Toulouse into a magical experience?

💚 Wanting those insider tips and tricks that elevate a city break into the start of a special love affair with SW France? Then you have so much in common with the happy folk in these photos!

AND are you also:
✅️ Flexible with tour dates
✅️ Keen to meet others
✅️ Happy to be in a group
✅️ Travelling to a budget

🗝 Then my public tours have you covered! Whilst these are not private tours you will leave armed with everything you need to have the time of your life in 'la ville rose'. Which are my preferred courtyards in town to avoid the crowds? My pick of the temporary exhibitions in town? Where can you buy award-winning-melt-in-your-mouth fudge à la Toulouse? Best rainy day activities? My 18 year-old daughter's favourite café to hang with her friends?... and the list goes on. All questions are welcome on tour and it's always a pleasure to share my tips with you.

💚 These have been carefully curated from over 20 years of living here, having 2 kids-now-teens (so I know what youngsters at all ages like) + 14 years of guiding. These have been, hands-down the best years of my life!

🗝 I'm on a mission to ensure my clients leave Toulouse having had the BEST stay ever AND are already planning their next trip back.

💚 2 remaining public tours in August with spaces:
Saturday 24th
Saturday 31st
Both at 9.30 a.m. - 12 noon.
No remaining slots for private tours in August.

💚 Link in bio to book. Look forward to hearing from you 😘 Penny Dickinson

22/07/2024

💚 Jumping up and down with joy to announce that my walking tours have been recognised in Trip Advisors Traveler’s choice awards for 2024. The award honours businesses that consistently earn great reviews placing them among the top 10% of Trip Advisor’s listings around the world.

💚 Currently ranked ‘number 2 of 96 activities in Toulouse’ by Trip Advisor I am honoured to be among Toulouse’s visitors’ favourite things to do.

💚 A huge heartfelt thank you to all of my clients who took the time to leave a review – I do appreciate the time it takes & that online reviews are not everyone’s cup of tea. So much of my work enjoyment comes from the wonderful folk that I meet who have chosen to explore Toulouse with me. Your support means the world.

💚 Thank you to Mr D & the kids who are my biggest supporters and never complain that they share their life with a small business owner & all that means…

💚 Congratulations to all my fellow Toulouse tour guides who have been recognised with an award too – yay to us for our contribution to making Toulouse the unique destination it is!

💚 This achievement is even more special to me as I don’t sell my tours through the Trip Advisor platform. This year’s award compliments prior Trip Advisor accolades going all the way back to 2013 (excluding the covid-challenging year of 2021).

💚 Thank you for being part of my business journey & here’s to many more exciting adventures together! Penny Dickinson

18/06/2024

💚 And that's a wrap for school trip tours for the 2023-2024 school year!

💚 Yesterday's group were 14 year olds from a local collège's class 'Euro' and they rocked it! Curious, interested + keen to use their excellent language skills, we had such fun!

💚 It's always an honour when a walking tour with me is chosen as an end-of-year trip for the pupils. Knowing that the extracurricular events and time out of the classroom are often the memories of school life that keep forever makes me even more passionate about ensuring the pupils have a great time + tour with me.

💚 To me, learning is a 2-way process + I always have so many takeaways from connecting with the youth of today. Yesterday's was a reminder of the spirit of teamwork + contribution - many of the pupils had been busy baking tasty treats to share with their classmates for their post-tour picnic in one of Toulouse's gardens. Lucky enough to get an advance taste of the chocolate chip cookies, I know they will have enjoyed a delicious feast!

💚 What are your takeaways from yesterday?

Penny Dickinson

05/06/2024

Thank you for the shout out Tournesol Travel LLC ! It was such a pleasure to share my passion for Toulouse with this group of friends from Wisonsin on their bespoke private tour. Such a wonderful group + I hope their travel memories live long in their hearts.
Penny Dickinson

28/05/2024

💚Excited to be providing my 'Women of Toulouse' tour to this amazing group of attendees as the post-summit cultural get-together.

💚The agenda looks fab + if you're keen to join the summit I have a discount code. PM for details. Penny Dickinson

19/05/2024

Mais oui! The return of scratch + sniff!

The celebration of French heritage in the run-up to the Paris Olympics was unveiled on the feast day of Saint Honoré, the patron saint of bakers.

16/05/2024

💚 When you take something you love + turn it into your business it never feels like a job.

💚 When clients comment on my passion for Toulouse I'm always so pleased that it came across.

💚 20 years of living in SW France + 14 years of helping clients fall under Toulouse's charm have only increased my love for this corner of the world.

💚 I appreciate every single review that people give me. Especially when I know that not everyone is a tech-lover That they have taken the time means the world.

💚 When are you visiting? It's such a hidden gem, don't take my word for it, here's what my clients say. And here's a little request - if you're reading this as a client thinking oh I didn't find time to leave a review then it's never too late 😘 Penny Dickinson

03/05/2024

It's a blue sky afternoon in Toulouse 😍

This photo is your reminder to always look up - it's where the architectural gems can be found. What can you see when you look right now from where you are?

Have a lovely weekend folks wherever you are!

01/05/2024

Happy 1er mai / May Day / fête du travail!

Want to know why lily of the valley are a thing in France on this date? It's all in my post below. Enjoy 😘

☔ Happy rainy May Day!

🇨🇵 Now it was a few years living in France before I ‘got’ how big the whole May Day muguet (lily of the valley) thing is! I will never forget the ‘Mum-shame’ moment of dropping my then-3 year old daughter off (on the first school day after 1st May) to find she was the only pupil in her class to have not brought the teacher a wee sprig or flowers 💐💮🌸 from the garden… Mortified didn’t even begin to cover it, fortunately super-kind teacher ensured our daughter was not upset about this and gave her the special job of feeding the class fish. Trust me, we remembered every year after that!

🤴 A tradition that dates back to the mid-16th C when Charles IX offered them to all the ladies in court and it became an annual event surpassing the previous informal giving of the sprigs that had been around since medieval times. In the 1930s it became associated with the Fête du Travail or Labour Day.

💝 Now people offer them to loved ones to bring happiness and bonne chance in spring.

👵 Before moving to France I’d considered Lily of the Valley purely as a slightly dated fragrance that my Gran favoured for soaps, now though I’ve rather fallen for the charming, scented wee bells.

❓ What does lily of the valley mean to you?

19/04/2024

The Pyrénées in all their glory this morning! Penny Dickinson

12/04/2024

Stunning reflection this morning! Happy Friday everyone 😘

08/04/2024

🍽 There are a few questions clients will invariably ask me as they get to know me on a tour. One of the most frequent ones is where Mr D + I would dine out for an evening 'sans les teenagers'.

💚 Those of you with teens will be very familiar with the concept of parental taxi drivers. Socials, sport clubs, life appointments, school runs - it's something that becomes more than a part-time job! I would add it's a privilege to have this responsibility but sometimes you need to make time to not do it!

🍽 All that to say that Mr D + I are not out every evening painting the town red! So when we do go out we like to find those special places, intimate, conversation-inducing, with local fare cooked with love. With the school holidays in full force and end of high school exams starting in May we're enjoying a little staycation chez nous. One of our non-negotiables was an evening out for D + I.

💚 We'd booked a table for Saturday evening at Les Passionnés - a great spot along the Canal de Brienne. 3-4 options for starters + mains + 2 for dessert. The food as always was delicious, full of surprises and just that little bit different. The added bonus here is that they are also a 'cave' selling wines for every taste. Simply choose the bottle you want + they will apply a small corkage.

🍽 I was wowed by the smoked haddock rillettes + salad, followed by sardines on a bed of vinaigrette-dressed wheat, olive + broccoli. Hubby raved over his pulled duck + then his beef, cauliflower+ mushroom extravaganza. I'm not a massive dessert fan but I adored the 'cedrat' ensemble. If you're not familiar it looks a bobbly lemon. Accompanied by a gaillac + cedrat wine it was sublimely refreshing.

💚 Hope the pics don't make your mouth water too much. Bon appétit!

📸 ©️ Penelope Dickinson + Toulouse Walking Tours. Penny Dickinson

29/03/2024

Bonjour!

💚 Have had a few new followers on here so wanted to share a bit about myself! Coincidently, a lovely lady who had booked a private tour with me on Monday afternoon whilst visiting for , sent me this photo she'd taken of me. Serendipity in action! Sunny day, squinty eyes!

💚 My Yorkshire roots are strong, rivalled by my husband's Manx ones, we moved here in 2003 + have fallen in love with this special part of the world. It's a unique destination - full of culture, history, plus close to the Pyrénées and the Med.

💚 13 years ago I left a corporate career behind + launched my business combining a love of history, meeting people + walking. I ignored the naysayers who questioned my judgement of leaving a secure senior role behind + haven't looked back since!

💚 My mission now is to help peoole fall under the charm + magic of Toulouse through my walking tours. My tours are carefully curated, intimate, personal affairs to help you experience Toulouse your way. Mostly these are private groups of 1-10 people though I will take upto 30 on request. A couple of times a week I schedule public tours which you can book onto individually. As well my tours in Toulouse, I also offer private tours of Auch + Condom in Gascony.

💚 Our kids were born here - now they're 17 + 15 with dual British + French nationality - so they have grown up with the business. They can occasionally be found helping out behind the scenes and are my 'why'. They inspire + encourage me every single day.

💚 As a one-woman band I do everything myself, helped by the hugely patient Mr D on the tech side, Miss D the photo queen + Master D the always willing cake-taster. Did I mention my cakes?! Which leads to my partner in crime - my green wheels carrying flasks of hot tea + fresh cakes. Clients have previously called it my Mary Poppins bag!

💚 When I'm not meeting fascinating folk, you'll find me curled up with a good book (usually historic fiction), slow jazz on in the background + with a good cuppa or a crisp white wine. Ok, so that bit is a little bit in my dreams though I do try to make a reality once a week!

💚 Thank you for reading this far + I look forward to sharing more of my journey with you! I would love to know more about you all, so please do share something from your story - we all have one!

💚 Finally from me to you, Happy Easter!
Penny Dickinson

24/03/2024

Investing in myself this afternoon with some reading + reflecting. Forsythia from the garden, green tea in my favourite cup + business inspiration from the world's best.

19/03/2024

Note to self : it's always better to get someone else to take the photo 😅

Anyone else lacking in selfie skills?!

Penny Dickinson

11/03/2024

⚜️ I so get it.

🧳 You arrive in Toulouse + breathe out. You made it, but what now?

⚜️ You wander around aimlessly with no clear plan. You see the sights but wish you could experience the city like all the locals who are having such a great time.

🧳 You packed in a rush, those life curve balls that always happen just before a trip ate up all your travel planning time. You landed at the airport, hoping for some lucky inspiration on arrival.

⚜️ Don't leave Toulouse with regrets...

🧳 SW France has been home for over 20 years + since 2010 I have helped thousands of clients fall under the spell of Toulouse's charm + magic. Unlocking it's secrets. Visitors + locals alike.

⚜️ Together we say aurevoir to vacation-FOMO + bonjour to their best trip ever!

🧳 Experiencing Toulouse their way. With tips + tricks from my little black book.

⚜️ Let's enhance your Toulouse trip! When are you visiting? How long for? Who with? Priorities?

🇨🇦 3 generations of this lovely Candian family wanted to get off the beaten path in Toulouse in a kid-friendly way. They were celebrating a birthday. They booked a private bespoke 'Beyond the Postcard' tour, complete with plenty to keep the kids entertained. As we explored they made wish-lists of shops cafés + things to do. Aha moments aplenty on our adventure.

🧳 So, don't let missed opportunities or rushed planning hold you back. Together we'll ensure your trip is unforgettable for all the right reasons. Let's fill it with fun, insider knowledge, endless possibilities + make it stress-free.

⚜️ Book a private tour today + let's make amazing travel memories!

📷 ©️ Penelope Dickinson + Toulouse Walking Tours
Penny Dickinson

27/02/2024

💚 Hola, G'day, Yassas, Bonjour, Hey! Hello!

💚 Every group that books a private tour with me is different + that's why your experience when on a private tour is 100% unique. Whether you want access to my little black book, whether you're after historic bling, whether you want the Romans, the Renaissance, the Resistance, or to find the best independent stores, or parks for your kids I will help you uncover your Toulouse.

💚 Yesterday with this wonderful group of Mexicans in Toulouse on a business trip we laughed a lot! Only in Toulouse for the day in between flights they booked a 3-hr tour to max their experience. As we finished they were heading for a cold beer, followed by a lazy lunch SW French style.

💚 A few days ago with this Australian + Greek couple visiting their dear Toulousain friends who'd booked me to showcase the city's fasinating history. We went deep with our conversations + made philospohical, legal, business links aplenty. I met them after their coffee + croissants, then post-tour they were zipping off to their airport for onward travels.

💚 Or the Candian group of good travelling buddies who popped to Toulouse after a week's skiing in Andorra that I posted about previously. Their review made my day.

💚 What binds these clients together though, is their desire to return to Toulouse for more. One taste + we're smitten, the magic + charm of the city gets under your skin. They realise that Toulouse is truly Europe's best kept secret + such a hidden gem.

💚 What keeps me coming back for more is how I thrive daily through the amazing clients that I connect + exchange with. Helping them experience Toulouse their way. With over 13 years experience as a local guide in Toulouse + 20 years living here I honestly can't imagine ever doing anything else.

Penny Dickinson

08/02/2024

✨️ It's been a week of helping groups fall under Toulouse's spell! Revealing secrets, peeling back hidden codes + symbols, allowing our rich history to shine through.

✨️ It's winter, the weather has been misty + damp - that only added to the mystery + intrigue! AND it makes the streets quiet, making for a magical atmosphere!

✨️ Some travelled from afar. Some took the plane, some came by train. Some were my age, some were much younger + oh yes, school trips are back with a bang - no pics mind to fit with their rules 😉

✨️ All left with smiles on their faces and choices to make! Armed with the knowledge from 'Penny's black book' Toulouse was unlocked.

✨️ Fun on tour, fun after tour. PM me if you'd like to experience Toulouse through my 'always sunny' glasses on one of my private tours!

📷 ©️ P Dickinson, Toulouse Walking Tours Penny Dickinson

22/01/2024

💚 A hearty 'Bonjour' to you all!

💚 Have had a few new followers so just wanted to introduce myself a little.

💚 As well as the snippets above, I'm married to a wonder and we have 2 teenagers, a 17 year-old daughter + a 15 year-old son.

💚 I blooming love my job - helping people fall under the charm and magic of through my award-winning English-speaking walking tours. Leaving a corporate career behind in 2010 to create my business was such a pivotal decision in my life + one I celebrate daily.

💚 I'm also incredibly proud to be an 'Ambassadeur de Toulouse' supporting l'agence d'attractivité de Toulouse in their mission.

💚 It's a privilege when people invite me into their free-time in Toulouse to help them experience Touliuse à la Penny.

💚 Am forever grateful of the support from clients, followers, friends + family on this journey.

15/01/2024

💚 Memories of a wonderful - if very chilly - weekend.

💚 Saturday with this fabulous group of local ladies on my 'Women of Toulouse' tour. Always a privilege sharing the stories of pioneers + heroines whose achievements pave the streets of Toulouse.

💚 Sunday private tour with a father + son duo of Saracens fans visiting Toulouse before the match in Bordeaux last night. At their request their bespoke tour focussed on history, architecture + culture + was of course peppered with rugby facts - given we are

💚 It may be winter, it may be cold, but I guarantee a tour with me will warm you up - plus my en-route tea + homemade cakes help 😉

💚 If you would be interested in a private tour then drop me a DM.

📷 Photo copyright - Penelope Dickinson + Toulouse Walking Tours.

Penny Dickinson

31/12/2023

💚 That's a wrap for 2023 tours folks!

💚 Ended on such a high with a private tour for this family group celebrating New Year in Toulouse with friends. It is always such a privilege when people choose to share their precious holiday time with me and let me into their inner world.

💚 et mais oui yesterday's weather was that glorious!

💚 Off for a few days now. Next public tour is a Key Sights, Highlights + Hidden Gems tour on Wednesday 3rd January at 9.30 - 11.45 a.m. Come join me for health, history and a dash of Yorkshire humour!

💚 May your New Year celebrations be just as you dreamed!

toulouse Penny Dickinson

24/12/2023

✨️ Wishing you + your loved ones a peaceful and joyous Christmas, done your way.

✨️ Thank you to everyone who has supported me in 2023. Whether by coming on a walking tour, telling others about me, engaging with my social media or just checking in with my business back of house. It means the world to a small business owner + I truly appreciate it.

Penny Dickinson

22/12/2023

💚 22nd December - celebrating 21 years of married life with Mr D today! Where did that time go? We spoilt ourselves earlier in the week with a delicious lunch at one of our fave special spots Le Saint Sauvage

💚 Started with a mandarin aperitif and then taste sensations aplenty followed.

💚 Heaven on the senses, from start to finish.

21/12/2023

💚 Any jigsaw fans out there?

🧩 My teenagers know that my passion for Toulouse is closely rivaled by my love of jigsaws. Especially, this time of year, under a blanket with a warming mug of hot chocolate.

💚 Back in 2019 they combined those, snuck down to the Garonne, snapped a picture of Toulouse's red brick in all its glory and then made me a bespoke jigsaw challenge.

🧩 Hands down my favourite gift ever. That my kids had spent time creating this still brings the biggest smile to my face.

💚 What's the most thoughtful gift you have ever given someone?

Penny Dickinson

04/12/2023

💚 Connection + joy. 2 of the things that my job brings me + that fill my cup.

💚 Yesterday this was in abundance on a private walking tour for a special couple - Margaret + Jack - celebrating their wedding anniversary.

💚 With hotel pick up, coffee + homemade madeleines en route, recommendations were tailored + the tour was pitched at a level to match their needs. As locals they had some pieces of the jigsaw which we decoded, fitted together + fleshed out, being curious along the way.

💚 As we explored + connected it was then even more of a delight to discover that they own a stunning holiday venue - Manoir Mouret - in the tranquil rural Tarn. A beautiful manor that sleeps 10-24 guests, they also offer a variety of enticing Retreats. Such genuine, salt-of-the-earth people, I already know that Margaret + Jack would be the perfect hosts + attentive to their guests' needs.

💚 This photo for me says it all - the joy the connection, the smiles. It may not be perfectly centred, it may not have the lighting right...but it's real authentic fun on one of my tours and that you can't fake.

14/11/2023

🌲 Festive fun time!
💚 My Christmas party private tours are always popular and offer a wonderful way to kick off your festive celebrations.
🌲Makes the perfect bridge between your work day in the office and your restaurant reservation.
🌲Bespoke routes concluding at your chosen restaurant.
🌲Start times to suit your needs.
🌲With plenty of fun and laughter along the way!
🌲Let’s make this holiday season a memorable one for your team!
💚 Some slots remain for December so contact me now to book your end of year team event! Penny Dickinson

11/11/2023

Remembrance. Seems more poignant than ever with the current wars in the world. Talking to our children so they know what happened before, what is happening now so so important.

Lest we forget. Remembrance in the Dickinson family. So important to pass this message onto future generations.