Bonjour! Welcome to Toulon, a laid-back port city on the Mediterranean coast that often flies under the radar of travelers exploring southern France. But those who decide to stay are rewarded with beautiful coastal scenery, colorful markets, rich maritime heritage, stunning beaches, and a wonderfully local feel. If you’re looking for a unique French Riviera destination without the crowds of Nice or Cannes, Toulon might surprise you. Ready to explore? Let’s dive into the best things to do in Toulon, France.
Interesting fact. The history of Toulon spans more than two millennia, stretching from ancient Roman times to its present-day role as France’s most important Mediterranean naval base.
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Toulon, France FAQ
Toulon is a coastal town located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in the Var department in southern France. It sits on the Mediterranean coast, roughly halfway between Marseille and Saint-Tropez. Thanks to its excellent location, Toulon also makes a great base for exploring the region.
Of course! Toulon is worth visiting, especially if you’re looking for a French Riviera experience without the crowds and high prices of more touristy destinations. The city offers an amazing blend of naval history, beautiful beaches, charming old town, and spectacular views. Toulon is definitely one of the most underrated cities on the Cote d’Azur.
Toulon is best known as France’s main naval port. Beyond its military significance, the city is also famous for its scenic setting between the Mediterranean Sea and Mont Faron, Mont Faron cable car, lively markets, and beautiful Mourillon sandy beaches.
You can visit the main Toulon attractions in just one day. However, if you want to visit all sites and museums, or simply soak up the city’s charm without rushing, we recommend staying 2-3 days. But if you’re short on time, a day trip to Toulon is absolutely worthwhile. If you’re using Toulon as a base to explore nearby destinations like Marseille, Cassis, Hyers, or Bandol, a week wouldn’t be too much.
Things to do in Toulon Old Town, France
Port of Toulon
Toulon’s Port is the heart of the city, divided into the military arsenal (not open to the public) and the civilian harbor. The area is perfect for a leisurely stroll along the waterfront promenade, where you can admire yachts and traditional boats. Sometimes you can even spot French Navy vessels, including the impressive Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
Along the quayside, you’ll also find many restaurants and cafés serving fresh Mediterranean dishes. And don’t miss Le Génie de la Navigation, a marble statue pointing toward the sea, humorously nicknamed “Cul-vers-ville” by locals, which translates to ‘buttocks towards town’.
You can also appreciate Toulon’s maritime heritage by taking a boat tour. Several companies offer cruises around the harbor, giving you views of the military installations, forts, the picturesque peninsula, and the city. Tours typically last around 1 hour.
Whether you choose to explore the port on foot, admire it from the water, or do both, visiting the port is without a doubt one of the best things to do in Toulon and an experience you shouldn’t miss.
Sightseeing tip. Are you a naval history enthusiast? Then you can’t skip the Maritime Museum housed in a former arsenal, right in the port. The museum showcases Toulon’s rich maritime history from the 17th century to the present day. Inside, you’ll find detailed ship models, navigational instruments, paintings, and historical artifacts that highlight the city’s long-standing role as one of Europe’s most important military ports. For more information, visit the musee-marine.fr website.
Toulon Old Town streets
Toulon old town is a charming area filled with elegant streets, cozy squares, colorful markets, and beautiful fountains. You’ll also find boutique shops, art galleries, restaurants, and cafes – perfect places to pause, unwind, and enjoy the local vibe. Thanks to its compact size, you can easily explore Toulon old town on foot.
In Toulon Old Town, you’ll find points of interest like: Place de la Liberté with Fontaine de la Fédération, Place Victor Hugo with Opera House, Cours Lafayette market, Cathedral, Rue des Arts, and Place Vatel with a unique Boat Sculpture. There are also interesting places like Place Raimu with a Raimu’s Card Game sculpture, Musée D’art De Toulon, Place Pierre Puget, colorful building of Hôtel des Arts – Mediterranean Center of Art. We’ll take a closer look at some of these places shortly.
With so many picturesque spots packed into a walkable area, strolling through the historic centre is definitely one of the best things to do in Toulon, France.
Toulon Tourist Office is located on Place Louis Blanc, just a few steps from the port. It’s a great place to pick up maps and get helpful sightseeing tips.
Toulon Cathedral
The Cathedral is located in the heart of the Toulon old town and is a curious example of architectural eclecticism, reflecting over 900 years of construction history. Building work began in the 11th century and wasn’t completed until the 18th century! In result, today you can admire a mix of styles, including Romanesque, Baroque, and Gothic.
While Toulon Cathedral may not be the most spectacular cathedral in France, its long history and central location make it worth a quick visit while exploring Toulon old town. Entrance is free during opening hours.
Place de la Liberté
Place de la Liberté is the most beautiful square in Toulon old town. In the centre it features an impressive fountain, Fontaine de la Fédération, crowned with three statues symbolizing Liberty, Strength, and Justice. The square is surrounded by elegant historic buildings and lined with cafés and restaurants with outdoor terraces, making it a pleasant spot to pause and people-watch.
Here, you’ll also find one of Toulon’s most iconic landmarks, Théâtre Liberté, which adds to the square’s cultural appeal. Spending some time at Place de la Liberté is one of the most enjoyable things to do in Toulon, especially while exploring the city centre on foot.
Place Victor Hugo
Place Victor Hugo is another elegant square in Toulon old town best known for the impressive Opera House, one of the largest opera houses in France outside Paris. It’s surrounded by beautiful architecture and lively cafés, all making it a lovely place to stop while exploring the city.
Rue des Arts
Rue des Arts, or actually Rue Pierre Semard, is one of the most creative and colorful streets in Toulon’s Old Town. Lined with independent boutiques, art galleries, studios, and small cafés, it’s a great place to experience the city’s artistic side and local energy.
Cours Lafayette Market
Cours Lafayette is the beating heart of Toulon old town and one of the best Provençal markets in France! This kilometer-long market operates every day except Monday, from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm. The market runs along Cours Lafayette, Rue Paul Lendrin, Place Louis Blanc, Rue de Lorgues, and Place Paul Comte.
Here, you’ll find dozens of stalls overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, cheeses, charcuterie, olives, spices, flowers, and a wide variety of local specialties. Wandering through Cours Lafayette market is one of the most authentic things to do in Toulon, especially if you want to experience everyday life in the city.
Tour Royale
Located just 2.5 kilometers from Toulon’s old town, you’ll find Tour Royale, a circular fortress built in the early 16th century by King Louis XII at the entrance to the port. It’s one of the oldest structures in Toulon and offers a glimpse into the city’s defensive past. Later, it served as a prison and a storehouse, and now houses a small exhibition.
From the Tour Royal area, you get beautiful views over the harbor, city, and the Mediterranean. Spending some relaxing time here is definitely one of the best things to do in Toulon, France. Opening hours are seasonal – to learn more visit the provence-alpes-cotedazur.com website. Parking is available on site.
Mourillon Beaches
We don’t think anyone needs convincing that the French Riviera is a true beach paradise, so it shouldn’t be surprising that one of the best things to do in Toulon is hitting the beach!
Mourillon Beaches are Toulon’s pride and joy – four long, sandy stretches with calm, shallow waters perfect for a refreshing dip in the azure waters. The beaches are well-equipped, with restaurants, bars, sunbed rentals, showers, toilets, playgrounds, and even mini-golf or a volleyball pitch. Best of all, beaches in Toulon are known for being relatively quiet and there’s a large free parking lot right behind them!
The beaches are easily accessible – you can walk from the Toulon old town in about 30 minutes or take public transport for convenience.
Mont Faron Cable Car
Taking the cable car up Mont Faron is without a doubt one of the most thrilling things to do in Toulon. In just 6 minutes it will take you to 584 meters above sea level, offering breathtaking views over the city, harbor, and sea. The cable car departs every 10-20 minutes and features a transparent floor section for those brave enough to look down!
At the summit, you’ll find spectacular viewpoints, hiking trails winding through pine forests, picnic areas, and a few restaurants where you can enjoy the scenery.
Mont Faron is also home to the Mémorial du Débarquement et de la Libération en Provence, a museum dedicated to the liberation of Provence in August 1944. Nearby, there’s also a zoo focused on the conservation and breeding of large predators, including tigers, cheetahs, leopards, as well as hyenas, bears, and wolves.
A round ticket to Mont Faron Cable Car costs €9 for adults, €8 for kids 12-25, €7 for kids 4-11, and is free for those under 4 (February 2026). You can also buy one way tickets, or combined passes with a zoo or memorial museum. To check out all the options, as well as opening hours, visit the telepherique-faron.fr website.
Explore local attractions
How to get to Toulon, France?
Toulon is located about 15km from Bandol, 40km from Cassis, 65km from Marseille, and 70km from Saint Tropez. The most convenient way to get to Toulon is by train or by car.
Airports near Toulon
The closest airports to Toulon are located in Toulon/Hyères (25km away) and Marseille (85km away). From each airport, you can get to the town by public transport. You can check connections that might interest you on rome2rio.com website. At each airport, you can also rent a car for a faster and more comfortable journey.
Where to park in Toulon?
In Toulon we recommend leaving a car in one of the city’s paid parking lots, like Q-Park Lafayette or Q-Park Place d’Armes. Both of them are located close to the port and old town.
To Toulon by train
You can get by train to Toulon from many nearby places like Marseille, Cassis, Hyeres, Saint Raphael, or Montpellier. To learn more about train connections that interest you visit sncf-connect.com or rome2rio.com website. Toulon train station is located within walking distance of the old town and port.
To Toulon by bus
You can also easily get to Toulon by bus. For example, the trip from Marseille will take around 1 hour, 2 hours from St Tropez, and 35 minutes from Bandol. To learn more about bus connections that might interest you visit rome2rio.com or Flixbus website.
Camping Cassis
If you’re traveling by camper, places like Camping la Lezardiere or Camping Mas de Pierredon might interest you. They are located close to Toulon.
Things to do in Toulon Old Town – Summing up
From scenic viewpoints and seaside walks to colorful markets and sandy beaches, Toulon proves that underrated destinations often deliver the biggest surprises. It’s a great place to slow down, experience everyday life, and explore a less popular corner of southern France. Whether you’re visiting for a day or staying longer, Toulon has plenty to offer. So don’t wait and add Toulon to your bucket list and discover this French Riviera hidden gem. Enjoy!
Our opinion about Toulon
For us, a visit to Toulon was a day trip from nearby Bandol where we lived for a few weeks. We visited in late October, and during that time there were just a few other tourists around. Exploring everything we wanted to see at a relaxed pace took us around 5 hours.
We really enjoyed our short visit to Toulon. In some ways, it reminded us a lot of two Polish cities: Gdynia and Wroclaw! It’s beautiful, elegant, laid-back, and authentic. We especially loved strolling along the port and through the old town, as well as admiring coastal views from the Tour Royale and Mourillon Beaches. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we had to skip the cable car ride up Mont Faron – but that’s definitely on our list for next time!
All in all, Toulon is one of the most underrated cities on the Côte d’Azur and deserves more attention. It quickly became one of our favorite hidden gems on the French Riviera – and we’re really glad we discovered it!
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Check out various recommended places below.
Where to eat in Toulon?
Here are your best, high-rated options in Toulon:
