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In Toulouse, everything starts with the
Capitol, the very heart of the city. However if you have a wander through
the areas round about, which stretch north, east, south and west all the
way to the city boundaries, you'll discover just what makes them tick.
Visited this way, the city gradually unveils its many faces, its treasures
and contrasts: reminders of the past coexist with modern developments,
small quiet streets with busy shopping thoroughfares, lively areas with
dormitory suburbs, parks with buildings.
The Capitol
An impressive building with an imposing façade, the Capitole, marks the
very heart of the 'Ville rose' (Pink city.) Today it houses the town hall
and the Théâtre du Capitole. Its vast square is brought to life by the
markets that take place there in the mornings (the main market and the
marché biologique du Capitole, market selling organic produce), as well
as the crowds that meet on the terraces of Toulouse's best-known cafés
(Bibent, Grand Café de l'Opéra, Florida and Mon Caf''). All around, the
colourful streets in the old part of the city provide an insight into its
rich and vivid past, with their town houses, fountains and pretty squares,
museums and churches.
Arnaud-Bernard, Amidonniers, Saint-Pierre
A picturesque and cosmopolitan area, Arnaud-Bernard's distinctive
character is all down to its lively nightlife, original boutiques, the
closeness of the university (situated on the south side) and the grand
boulevards (to the north). Reaching the Canal du Midi through the vast
Jardin Compans-Caffarelli (Compans-Caffarelli park), it's an area that
benefits from the activities that take place in the sports stadium and the
surrounding shops. Towards the west, the pleasant areas of Saint-Pierre
and Amidonniers take it to the Garonne, while eastwards, it borders on the
historic area of Saint-Sernin.
Saint-Sernin and Wilson
Rue du Taur, a partly pedestrianized street, links the Capitol to the
magnificent basilique Saint-Sernin (Saint-Sernin basilica). Surrounded by
old buildings (église Notre-Dame-du-Taur, Notre-Dame-du-Taur church), the
marché aux puces Saint-Sernin (Saint-Sernin flea market) is a pleasant
historic area. Close to big secondary schools, the university and
libraries, it has a large student population and is dotted with
specialized bookshops, student cafés (Simpson Café, Le 7 place
Saint-Sernin) and cultural spots (such as the musée archéologique
Saint-Raymond - Saint-Raymond archaeological museum -, the Toulouse
cinémathèque - Toulouse film library - and Cave Poésie). To the right
of here, the Place Wilson area and its grand boulevards give the city a
modern feel.
Chalets
A continuation of Saint-Sernin, this is a quiet, comfortably off area. You're
bound to see its charming old houses at some point as the city's main
roads (Lascrosses, Arcole and Lazare boulevards) come through here .
Matabiau
Close to the station of the same name, this area, the continuation
northwards of Wilson, is busy day and night due to the main railway
station and surrounding shops.
Pont-Jumeaux and Sept-Deniers
Continuations northwest of Arnaud-Bernard, these are residential areas
nestling at the mouth of various waterways (Garonne, Canal du Midi and
side canal.)
Minimes, Salade, Raisin, Bonnefoy
Mentioned in one of the songs by singer and local boy Claude Nougaro, who
sings nostalgically of the "brique rouge des Minimes" ('Minimes'
red façades'), this area that runs along the Canal du Midi from the other
side of Chalets is mainly an administrative and residential one, just like
neighbouring areas Salade and Bonnefoy. Close by, the Raisin area is
constantly busy with traffic generated by its bus and railway stations.
Saint-Georges
Built around historic Place Saint-Georges, this pretty area's appeal is
down to its picturesqueness and colour. Many shops, restaurants and bars
have long been established here. Carry on further eastwards and you come
to Saint-Aubin.
Saint-Aubin
With its beautiful Saint-Aubin church around which each Sunday the
Saint-Aubin market takes place, this colourful area leads a rather
village-like existence, much coveted by its inhabitants. The people who
live in Rue de la Colombette have even declared their street as
"commune dans la ville", or 'the village in the city', and have
a big party to celebrate this fact every autumn.
Saint-Etienne
The city's greenest area is a good place for a stroll. First of all you
can explore its cultural side, through the magnificent Saint-Etienne
cathedral, which has remained unchanged since it was built, the Monument
aux Combattants de la Haute-Garonne (Haute-Garonne War Memorial) and the
Halle aux Grains (Corn Exchange), which stands on Place Dupuy. Or there's
a more relaxing walk that takes you through the area's pleasant streets
and large adjoining parks (Grand-Rond Boulingrin, Jardin des plantes and
the Jardin Royal), which show to advantage the fine buildings overlooking
them (Palais Niel, the former Faculty of Medicine...) Going southwards,
the area touches Saint-Michel.
Jolimont, Roseraie, Soupetard and Argoulets
It's by climbing up through these areas towards Gramont, Balma that you
realize that Toulouse is built in a "cuvette", or hollow. These
residential areas overlooking the city have many interesting places to
offer: Observatoire de Jolimont Observatory (Jolimont Observatory), the
Science and Environment Centre...
Guilhemery, Montplaisir, Pont des Demoiselles, Côte Pavée,
Terrasse
The areas of Guilhemery and Montplaisir link the Canal du Midi to Côte
Pavée, which is a particularly well-off area whose large, beautiful and
very finely built houses with huge shaded gardens sit on a hill
overlooking the city. Moving away further south-east, you come to the
outlying areas of Montaudran, l'Ormeau et la Terrasse, where the Cité de
l'Espace (Space City) and Montaudran airfield are situated.
Les Carmes and antique dealers
A bohemian and somewhat old-fashioned atmosphere reigns in les Carmes,
this old area very close to the Capitol. Its pretty, pedestrian streets
are pleasant to wander through as you admire its small squares, towers and
fine buildings. It will take you to an area filled with antique shops -
always a favourite with visitors - or towards the banks of the Garonne
with their beautiful buildings.
Saint-Michel and Busca, St Agne and Rangueil
Close to the Saint-Michel area of the city, whose north side is marked by
Place du Salin, the Busca area is joined on the south side by the
Saouze-Loung and St Agne areas to Rangueil, which adapts to the comings
and goings of its mainly student population. The university and schools
here make it a city within a city. The huge splendour of Château Bellevue
close by offers a striking contrast between the city's classical and
modern influences.
Ramier, Recollets, Empalot, Pech-David
Level with Saint-Michel bridge, the Garonne divides, creating two branches
that surround Ramier island. In the middle, huge complexes have been built
there, taking advantage of the wide-open space available: the parc des
Expositions (Exhibition Centre), the stadium, Ramier park. The two
branches of the river come together again level with the Empalot area,
which is close to the Science faculties and Pech-David hill.
Saint-Cyprien and Bourrasol
In tune with the river, life in these areas is more carefree. Joined to
the very heart of Toulouse by Saint-Pierre bridge and pont Neuf, they
offer magnificent views over the Garonne, which you can also enjoy from
Jardin Raymond-IV, from Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques or even from the
pleasant prairie des Filtres. Wonderfully transformed, places such as
these are today much sought-after areas in Toulouse, where unusually,
private clinics old and new exist alongside arts centres and museums
(Espace Saint-Cyprien, Espace d'Art moderne et contemporain - Modern and
Contemporary Arts Centre -, centre municipal de l'Affiche, de la Carte
Postale et de l'Art Graphique - city arts centre devoted to posters,
postcards and graphic arts.)
Purpan, Casselardit, Croix-de-Pierre, Arènes, Mirail
These are the industrial areas of Casselardit and St-Martin-du-Touch.
Saint-Cyprien takes you towards the hustle and bustle of the shops in
Patte-d'Oie, and then towards the areas of Arènes and Croix-de-Pierre,
where Rapas cemetery and the Ecole Normale (teacher training centre) are
situated. To the south-west, after Fontaine-Lestang, the industrial and
residential areas of La Faourette, Bagatelle, Bellefontaine, Reynerie,
Papus and le Mirail open onto the greenery of the Ramée sports and
recreation park. |