December 2013 saw an army of Connacht fans descend upon the Stade Ernest Wallon and storm the fortress. Can we repeat the feat on our third visit to the city?
Date and Venue
Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse, Sunday January 22nd, 16.15
Getting there
Dublin to Carcassonne. Ryanair flights leave Dublin at 1355 and arrive 1715. These are now very expensive so probably best to go indirect if you haven't booked yet.
The Clan have organised a bus from Carcassonne airport to Toulouse and also arranging a group booking for match tickets. You can sign up match tickets (with or without bus transfer) in the travel section of the Connacht Clan shop.
The Sunday kick off is tricky as the return flight from Carcassonne with Ryanair is at 1445 and there are next one isn't until the following Friday. You can fly back indirectly from Toulouse via various UK and French airports (see some options below).
Below are suggested itineraries
Out: Ryanair DUB-CCF Friday 1400-1715
Back (Monday Flights):
TLS-LGW Easyjet 1805-1900
LGW-DUB Ryanair 2010-2135 or 2130-2250
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TLS-MAN FlyBe 1440-1545
MAN-DUB Ryanair 1730-1835 or Aer Lingus 1745-1840
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TLS-STN Ryanair 1035-1120
STN-DUB Ryanair 1340-1505
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TLS-BHX FlyBe 1415-1510
BHX-SNN Aer Lingus 1655-1835
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TLS-ORY Hop/AirFrance 1530-1650
ORY-DUB Transavia 1815-1910
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TLS-LTN EasyJet 1350-1440
Not great connections from Luton
If you find better options, use the comments section below to let us know.
Accommodation
There are a range of accommodation options in Toulouse, from budget friendly options like Le President and Hotel Victor Hugo (conveniently located next to The Melting Pot) to the more upmarket Le Grand Balcon, Grand Hotel de l'Opera and Crowne Plaza, overlooking the historic Place du Capitole.
Hospitality
The Melting Pot Pub on Boulevard de Strasbourg was the Clan HQ last time out and we will be back in there again. They have confirmed that Happy Hour prices will be available to the Clan all weekend, so pints start from about €4.30. Toulouse has a thriving nightlife scene too so there should be no shortage of establishments to wet your whistle and get in some adventures.
Le Huit, the Toulouse Supporters' Club, have invited us to lunch at their clubhouse near the stadium on match day. You can book here for €14: http://www.connachtclan.com/component/eshop/travel/toulouse-lunch-2017
More info on getting Le Huit and the stadium here.
Tickets
We are in Tribune Est, Porte 12, Rang 1-3, Seats 184-213 or thereabouts.
Essentially the front 3 rows between the halfway and 10m line (opposite side to the player tunnel).
For those without tickets left there are about 20 available behind us in rows 4-5 (and a good few just the other side of halfway if those sell out). Get those direct from Toulouse website.
For those who got tickets through us, these have now been emailed out. If you haven't received yours or have any problems, please contact us: travel@connachtclan.com
Sights
There will be plenty in Toulouse to keep you occupied apart from the Stade Ernest Wallon, from historic buildings such as Le Capitole and the imposing Saint-Sermin Basilica to the more futuristic Cite de l'Espace theme park on the edge of town.
More information
Keep checking here or follow the conversation on the Clan Forum.
