Toulouse. The Breughel, the unmissable party bar in the Ville Rose, has expanded again

HAS Toulouseeveryone (or almost!) knows the Breughel ! This festive bar has been established for many years in the Pink City.

A festive and unmissable “tavern” in Toulouse

” I resumed le Breughel, already 16 years ago. At the time, it had belonged to the Barrère family since 1972. Before them, the owners were Belgians, and even before that, it was called The White Horse Inn. But no matter what, it’s always been a tavern! », smiles Yannick Grabot, the manager of this emblematic bar in the Arnaud-Bernard district, located on the picturesque Place des Tiercerettes.

And resolutely festive bar became the landmark all kinds of people (students, young professionals, regulars, local residents, etc.), who come to drink a beer (or two, or even three), listen to music, attend a concert or simply party.

Yannick Grabot cultivates this state of mind, which is quite unique in Toulouse, and tries to make it last over the years.

A terrace with 120 seats

Because in 16 years, Breughel the Elder (his real name) has grown up well ! “When I started, we didn’t have a terrace. At the time, it was a bit of a party zone. Everyone bought drinks at the night grocery store on the square (which has since closed, editor’s note) and gathered there… There was even a time when we were the third black spot in the city. There was Saint-Pierre, Gabriel Péri and the Place des Tiercerettes. Being in the sights of the town hall and the police was not the best ad…but everything has changed since then,” says Yannick Grabot.

For 9 years, therefore, Breughel has acquired a beautiful terrace, which now seats 120 people. And according to him, this has partly changed the face of the square and the neighborhood.

“Occupying the outdoor space changed the dynamic”

“There was a period when it was frankly violent on the square. The fact of occupying the outdoor space led to another dynamic in the neighborhood. And above all, with this terrace, we didn’t make a mess of the place… on the contrary! We know our job, we provide a real service… And the town hall understood that we were doing the job since it ended up granting us the entire terrace,” says the owner of Breughel.

Who adds, regarding Arnaud Bernard:

“I often hear that Arnaud Bernard is in the process of gentrification. There is some truth, obviously, but there is also a lot more diversity than before in businesses. Before, there were almost no stores, and at one point, there were more storefronts closed than open… Small businesses bring life back to this neighborhood,” he believes.

Continue the momentum. This is also what motivates the talkative manager of Breughel! This is why he created, after the Covid crisis, the Breughell’s Kitchenan annex of Breughel which prepares quality tapas and homemade! So when The Cornerthe square’s emblematic Spanish restaurant, has permanently closed its doors, it is quite natural that Breughel has replaced it.

A new bar to replace Esquinade

The Esquinade therefore became “ In the Middle, it’s fabulous!“, a bar which opened in November 2023 and which links the two other establishments managed by Yannick Grabot.

“The days when you had an aperitif in a bar, you went to a restaurant, then you came back… it’s over! For us, it was a great opportunity to develop the kitchen area, further expand the terrace and offer new products. It was a win-win! “, he rejoices.

It’s also an opportunity to go all out on two drinks that are on the rise: cider and wine. “Here, we wanted to develop wine and cider, which we didn’t do much in Breughel. The advantage is that we work with Les Assembleurs, who are based in Lyon. Instead of bottling the wine, they put it in barrels. This allows you to have the wine always at the right temperature, and never oxidized! The wine also keeps much longer. There are many single grape varieties. When you are a bit new to wine, it allows you to assimilate certain tastes like Grenache or Pinot. We also have some blends,” he explains.

A “cozier” place

“In the summer, everyone is outside. But as soon as it gets cooler, here, it’s an airlock between the kitchen and the Breughel, without being in the hubbub. It’s a little cozier, easier to chat than at Breughel. The place can also be privatized, and has a capacity of 25 to 40 people maximum.

No question, assures Yannick Grabot, of expanding further! “I don’t want to play Monopoly!” The real challenge for us is to keep the state of mind from this bar. We have a good reputation, whether from employees, artists or customers. In 16 years, we have become professional, we have had to adapt to the fact that there are people, to the fact of working on the terrace… We have evolved in the organization, but the framework of the party, we guard: we continue to do concerts, DJ evenings, lively evenings. We stay the same! »

And that’s how we like Breughel, right?

The Elder Breughel
30 rue de la Chaîne, 31 000 Toulouse

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