Gardens, parksand green spaces
Green spaces in the Ville Rose.
Whilst Toulouse may be famous for being rose-coloured, it’s also a green city. With the banks of the Garonne and the towpaths of the Canal du Midi, you can take advantage of real natural spaces in the heart of the city. The city's parks and gardens offer real havens of peace for relaxing breaks with a countryside feel. The city of Toulouse has been awarded the 3 flowers label by Villes & Villages Fleuris.
The great landscaped gardens
In the « Grand Rond » quarter you can find the great landscaped gardens of the XVIII Century.
The Jardin des Plantes, Jardin du Grand-Rond with its charming musical kiosk, the Jardin Royal and its little lake; they form one vast ensemble of great public gardens. These are the three most important meeting places for locals. We love to walk above the busy road on the footbridges that connect these gardens. Here and there, classical statues, ducks and the murmur of water punctuate our walks.
Two other havens of peace in the middle of the city are Compans-Caffrelli Garden and the Japanese Garden. The latter is undoubtedly the most Zen of all, with its river of pebbles, its water lilies, its cherry trees and its little red bridge: the ideal setting for a lunch break - this lunchtime, we're ordering sushi to go!
Another exotic garden awaits you in the peaceful Busca quarter: that of the Musée Georges Labit. Free to enter, right next to the Canal du Midi, this garden, made up of palm trees and oriental species, surrounds a Moorish-style villa which houses the Museum of Asian Arts and Egyptian Antiquities, and invites you to go on a journey.
Games for children
For children in search of adventure, the Jardins de la Ligne, opposite the Hall of La Machine and the Flight of the Pioneers, offer a landscaped area on the theme of 3 continents.
It’s worth noting that the first Aéropostale flights took off from here. Saint-Exupéry, Mermoz and all the intrepid pilots of this formidable adventure saw the clouds fly by as well as these re-created landscapes far below!
Green spaces and leisure facilities
The Argoulets green space borders the east of Toulouse and is very accessible from the city centre as it has a metro station. If you don't mind the climb, get there by bike! There' a path for jogging, a cycle track and a large shaded area for picking daisies or having a picnic.
For those who like to clock up the kilometres on their pedometer, we suggest extending the walk to Grande Plaine Park, not far from the Cité de l'Espace, or even, to the banks of the Canal du Midi if you’re feeling sporty.
The La Ramée leisure centre is a veritable space dedicated to relaxation. It extends over 243 hectares around a large lake. The lake is not currently open to bathers, but lounging on a towel is a perfect way to relax. An area has been set aside for barbecuing, the ideal place to combine gastronomy and relaxation around a well-prepared or improvised picnic.
The Sesquières base also has a lake but this one favours fun and sports activities. At Wam Park, which has just reopened, you can enjoy inflatable games on the water, wake-boarding and water-skiing. Guaranteed to be fresh and fun!
The Quinze-Sols centre is a little more modest in size and is the least well-known of the leisure centres; two real advantages when you have to respect social distancing! Situated along the banks of the Garonne, in the commune of Beauzelle, it promises a quiet walk in the heart of a wild nature.
A meadow on the water’s edge
Right in the city centre in the Saint-Cyprien quarter, the Prairie des Filtres is the ideal place to enjoy the cooling shade of the weeping willows.
With your feet in the water, on the banks of the Garonne, you can enjoy the magnificent view of Toulouse, the Pont-Neuf and the beautiful bricks of the Quai de Tounis.
This vibrant place comes alive from June onwards with the Rio Loofco Music Festival, which sets up camp there and runs all summer long on the sands at Toulouse Plages.
The fountain at the Jardin du Grand Rond; the statue of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and his Little Prince at the Jardin Royal; the Japanese Gardin.
