Toulouse's parks and gardens, nature in the city

If Toulouse is indeed the "pink city", it could also be called a "green city". With its parks and gardens, its local or exotic tree species and its well-distributed landscaping, you can take refreshing or relaxing breaks, wherever you are in this metropolis.

Classified as "3 flowers" by the Organization of " Cities and Villages in Bloom ", with its " Remarkable Gardens" and its " Remarkable Trees of France ", Toulouse is recognized and rewarded for its green spaces. We take you on a stroll through the heart of the pink and green city of Toulouse.

The historic gardens of Toulouse

We begin our loop with a first green lung in the city. It is made up of three parts, its first three large parks, designed in the 18^th century : the Jardin des Plantes, the Grand-Rond and the Jardin Royal.

• The Jardin des Plantes is the oldest, dating back to 1730. It is emblematic because it includes the Henri Gaussen botanical garden. Created by the Société des Sciences, it allows you to discover many tree species and plant species. It also houses two old gates and the remains of a castle. Today, it is above all a friendly and family place which offers many activities for children : playground, rides, little train, pony rides, and even small shows on certain days… It is located right next to the Natural History Museum. The Allée des Justes des Nations crosses it, then you can walk along it to the Jardin du Grand Rond.

The entrance to the Jardin des Plantes, next to the Toulouse Museum

• In the 18^th century, cities gave themselves a countryside feel and wanted to offer "nature" walks to city dwellers. If the Jardin des Plantes had a botanical vocation, the Jardin Grand Rond, born in 1754, was for the sole pleasure of the people of Toulouse. Originally, it was called the "Boulingrin" square, a distortion of the English term: "Bowling-green", the spaces reserved for English bowls games. But, it became more beautiful over time, until it was recognized as a " Remarkable Garden ". Today, pétanque is still played there. You can also admire its beautiful trees, planted like a crown around its fountain , its flowerbeds, its statues and its bandstand. We climb its suspended footbridges to span the boulevards and move from one garden to another... This giant roundabout is located in the center of the large avenues Jules Guesde, Serge Ravanel, Frédéric Mistral, Paul Sabatier and François Verdier. After this large tour of the roundabout, we finish this route with the Royal Garden.

The Grand Rond garden

• The Royal Garden's main attraction is its very old exotic trees and its beautiful statues by Fabre. It is also labeled a " Remarkable Garden." It is a very pleasant walk in this pretty English-style garden, embellished with a duck pond and a small bridge.

The Royal Garden of Toulouse

• Opposite the Jardin des Plantes is the small garden of the Georges Labit Museum. The whole point of this garden is to enter the exotic world of this museum in a different way. It is a succession of exotic scenes, with this Moorish villa as a backdrop. The atmospheres follow one another to allow you to discover Georges Labit's travels to the four corners of the world : the Mediterranean, the Orient, Australia and even Asia.

• The Jardins de la Ligne are part of the large “ Piste des Géants ” complex, which also includes the “ Halle et la Compagnie de la Machine” and the L'Envol des Pionniers museum. You will travel along this legendary runway, which saw the first Latécoère and Aéropostale planes take flight. It is a true journey through time and space. As you walk along the runway, you will return to 1918, with the first Toulouse-Barcelona flight. Fly over the landscapes of these distant countries crossed by Aéropostale, which have been recreated in the form of gardens.

The Compans-Caffarelli Garden and its Japanese space

A little further north, in the heart of the Compans-Caffarelli business district and its park, you enter the Pierre-Baudis Japanese Garden. This " remarkable garden" is the other green lung of the city center. It is inspired by the Katsura villa in Kyoto and you will find traditional Zen spaces there: a tea pavilion, a small typical bridge over its body of water...

It is a real immersion in the Japanese universe, with its colorful decorative elements, its dragons and Tsubukaï, bonsai, sea of sand...

The Japanese gardens of Compans Caffarelli

The gardens on the banks of the Garonne

The Garonne offers a bucolic setting for the parks that border it: the Raymond VI Garden and the Praire des Filtres.

• We cross to the other side of the Garonne by the Catalans bridge, to get to the Raymond VI Garden, next to the Museum of Modern Art. Ideal for extending the visit after the museum, its breathtaking view of the river and its small guinguette make it a friendly place. You will also discover different species of wild and medicinal plants, in a fun way with their stories, advice and their uses. You can also appreciate the Garonne from a new angle, on a footbridge, perched barely two meters above the water.

• The Prairie des Filtres is located between the Pont Neuf and the Pont Saint-Michel. It was originally a flood control area. To occupy this beautiful space in the heart of the city, many large-scale events are held there. Its location on the banks of the Garonne is particularly pleasant for walkers. It also allows it to host " Toulouse Plage" on its fine sandy bank, by the water, during the summer.

• Crossing the Garonne by the Croix de Pierre bridge, you reach the island of Grand Ramier. The Parc de la Poudrerie is located opposite the island of Poudrière, accessible by the small path of the Loge. On the former production site of black powder, this " eco-park " was created. Integrated into the "Grand Parc Garonne" project, its purpose is to educate about the environment and ecology, thanks to shared gardens, "nature" leisure activities and educational activities.

The gardens that surround the city

• We move away a little from the historic center of the city to reach the Jardin de Barry. Located between the A620 motorway and the TOEC road, it brings a breath of refreshing fresh air. It is renowned for its beautiful shaded paths, ideal for joggers. Its lake, which is home to ducks, moorhens and herons, is also a great success for family outings. Its lawns, with tables, benches and barbecues, await you for your picnics.

• You have to cross the motorway to access the Parc de la Reynerie. Around its "Folie", the sweet name given in the 18^th century to a "pleasure house", a space reserved for leisure and celebrations, a French-style park is laid out. It is home to tree species, but also rare bird species. This garden has been preserved and has retained its poetic period charm.

• On the other side of the Garonne, on former farmland, the Parc de la Maourine brings together walking trails that cross the Borderouge district. Its main asset is its lake, around which different spaces are arranged. It is home to the Museum's botanical garden, with species classified by theme: garrigue and the Mediterranean, vegetation typical of the banks of the gaves, marsh flowers, vegetable gardens of the world, arboretum... A labyrinth of meadows allows the observation of biodiversity. This natural space is home to protected endemic toads and many birds.

Leisure and sports centers

• Continuing along the highway, opposite the aerodrome, you will come to the Parc de la Grande Plaine. This is a leisure center that offers all kinds of games and sports activities : bike park, skate park, children's playground, ping-pong tables, a soccer field and jogging tracks.

• Moving north, the green zone of Argoulets is more dedicated to sport. It is framed, on one side by a large municipal sports complex and at the other end, by the swimming pool. Inside, you have a gymnasium, a playground, a tennis court, cycle and jogging paths, football pitches, rugby and skate park.

Outside the city…

Around the city, you will also find something to satisfy your "nature" desires. " Green corridors " like the Touch or the Amidonniers allow for beautiful hikes and family walks. The leisure centers of the Côteaux de Pech David or that of Sesquières and its large lake offer numerous activities. The banks of the Garonne are also developed into very bucolic Greenways.

This concludes our extensive loop of Toulouse's green spaces. All you have to do is choose where to exercise, which park to visit to enhance your travels in the heart of the city, or simply take a stroll and admire the beauty of nature. We hope we've inspired a relaxing break during your stay in the dynamic and lively city of Toulouse.

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Article written by Stéphanie Tempier for the Toulouse Pyrenees Guide.