Les Carmes

A small village in the heart of the big city, the Carmes district is organized around a very lively and colorful market, the most important in Toulouse.

It is located between the Place du Salin and the Place d’Esquirol, and is one of the most popular districts in Toulouse.

This district takes its name from the convent of the Grands Carmes which is composed of the Carmes church, a chapel, a cloister and a garden. Inaugurated in 1892, the metal market of Carmes, former halls was built according to the plans of Charles Cavé, it was demolished in 1964 and replaced by the market-park of Carmes signed by the architects Georges Candilis, Shadrach Woods, Alexis Josic, Jean-Marie Lefèvre.

Rue des Filatiers and rue Bouquières are the most important streets in the district. Pedestrian, they are lined with small stores with flowered fronts and pretty animated cafés. You can admire the facades of houses in corundage, Renaissance style windows such as the house of the goldsmith Hélie Guéraud or the Lamothe house.

Classée au Patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO depuis 2016, la Cité Frugès été conçue comme cité jardin moderne avec une volonté de transformer l’habitat ouvrier en œuvre d’art. Édifiée entre 1924 et 1926 par Charles Édouard Jeanneret dit Le Corbusier et Jean-Pierre Jeanneret, La Cité Frugès a été commandité par Sucrier Henri Frugès pour y loger ses ouvriers. Véritable utopie architecturale pour l’époque, les 51 maisons contenues dans le lotissement ont brisé tous les codes de l’architecture traditionnelle de la région, mettant en œuvre les premiers principes du célèbre livre “Vers une Architecture” ou l’architecture comme une machine à vivre. Ces formes géométriques sont construites sur un module de 5m par 5m afin d’optimiser la construction et intègrent des innovations pour l’époque telles que salle d’eau, chauffage central et espace de stationnement. Les maisons “Gratte-ciel” sont des maisons groupées par deux et accolées dos à dos. Elles sont reparties sur 3 niveaux et surmontées par un solarium semi couvert, accessible depuis un escalier suspendu en façade. Tout comme les autres modèles se trouvant dans le lotissement, les fenêtres en bandeaux, la polychromie des façades, les terrasses panoramiques et leur forme géométrique font de cet ensemble un lieu unique.

Le Corbusier

Né le 6 octobre 1887 et décédé le 27 août 1965,
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris plus connu sous le pseudonyme Le Corbusier, est un architecte du mouvement moderne. Aux côtés notamment de Robert Mallet-Stevens et de Mies Van Der Rohe, il est un artiste complet opérant également en tant qu’urbaniste et designer. Fondateur de principes tels que le Modulor ou l’Unité d’Habitation, son œuvre comprend 17 sites – 10 en France – classés au Patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco tandis que de nombreuses de ses réalisations sont classées Monuments Historiques.

Parmi ses œuvres emblématiques on compte La Cité Radieuse à Marseille, La Villa Savoye à Poissy, la ville de Chandigarh en Inde et la chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Haut à Ronchamp. Il signe également des pièces de mobilier phares tels que le fauteuil LC2 et la lounge chair LC4.

Les Amidonniers

Nestled between the Garonne River and the Brienne Canal, Les Amidonniers is a neighborhood in the northwest of the city. Formerly a working-class neighborhood, it has now become a residential area with a young, family-oriented population, in a wooded area that is very pleasant to live in.

The district is composed of both Toulousaines, old renovated farmhouses, and more recent buildings such as the Espace EDF Bazacle, which is one of Toulouse’s most important cultural sites. Well served, it is linked to the city by numerous bus lines that run frequently every day, as well as by the VélôToulouse network.

Education is at the heart of the district’s concerns, which is oriented towards youth and its development, with several day care centers, an elementary school and several schools of higher education. Various sports facilities and green spaces punctuate its landscape, allowing it to combine both sports and leisure. The green corridor that crosses the entire district is probably one of the most beautiful walks in Toulouse. The landscaped dyke is also very popular with families and runners who can go from the city center to Blagnac on a beautiful route along the Garonne.

There are also many restaurants, cafés and bars that allow for meetings with friends or family throughout the year. This district offers many friendly places and beautiful walks and is ideal for those who like calm and “good living” close to the city center.

Jeanne d’Arc

The historic district of Jeanne d'Arc is located in the north-east of the city centre of Toulouse.

Just a stone’s throw from the Place du Capitole, it is served by numerous public transport links and is close to the train station.

It is a lively district with friendly markets on Boulevard de Strasbourg, but also with the Place Jeanne d’Arc with its cafés and restaurants. On this square stands the equestrian statue of Jeanne d’Arc in bronze by Antonin Mercié installed in 1922.

Further south, the Jean Jaurès alleys, laid out like ramblas, are a privileged access to enter the hyper-centre of the Pink City from the boulevards and the Canal du Midi. Large esplanades dedicated to walks and games, as well as spaces allocated to the activity of terraces, should see the light of day in the next few years.

Esquirol

Esquirol is a district of the hypercenter of the city. It is organized around the Esquirol square, and connects the street of Metz to the Pont Neuf, while passing by the place of the Stock Exchange, and the place of the Trinity.

The square was named “Esquirol” in 1893, in homage to the alienist doctor Jean-Etienne Esquirol, whose birthplace was located nearby.

It is a very lively district, where small stores and monuments line the streets. It is mainly composed of buildings. The architecture is very rich, between Haussmannian buildings, facades in corondage and pedestrian lanes.

The district is well connected to the Toulouse public transport network, especially thanks to the Esquirol square: it hosts a metro station, an important stop for many bus lines, as well as several Vélô stations. The square also houses an underground parking lot.

Croix de Pierre

Located in the south of Toulouse, the Croix de Pierre district takes its name from a stone cross formerly located at the crossroads of the avenue de Muret and the boulevard Déodat-de-Séverac.

The Croix de Pierre is now embedded in the wall of a house at the corner of rue Lafage.

Thanks to the many activities, events, and festivities organized by its inhabitants, it is a lively and very animated district: there are many small shops useful for daily life, and a market is held there twice a week.

Geographically, it is also well located: a stone’s throw from the banks of the Garonne, the Ernest Wallon Stadium, the art deco Nakache swimming pool, designed by the architect Jean Montariol, as well as many other cultural venues such as the Théâtre de la Digue. A large public transportation network links it to the city center: streetcar, bus, VélÔ Toulouse.

Croix de Pierre is a neighborhood in constant evolution, where many urban projects are expected in the coming years. It is therefore a very popular neighborhood for families, quiet and dynamic, where life is good.

Côte Pavée

A family residential neighborhood par excellence located in the eastern heights of the city, Côte Pavée is highly prized for its townhouses with gardens and its proximity to downtown.

The heights of the district are occupied by large villas built between the two wars.

The neighborhood is built around the green lung that is the park of the college of Caousou, and many other school groups complete the educational offer.

Life is lively in the neighborhood, with numerous facilities such as the Alex Jany swimming pool and skating rink, cultural centers, the Argoulets leisure center and libraries.