Toulouse. Christmas markets, ice rink, illuminations… everything you need to know about the festivities!

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Toulouse goes into mode Christmas festivities. The kick-off will be given at 6:30 p.m., Friday November 29, 2024, at the foot of the giant fir tree on the Ramblas, where young and old will be able to share a friendly moment in music with a children's choir and distribution of hot chocolate and gingerbread.

Christmas parades

At 7:30 p.m., after the countdown and switching on of the lightstwo Christmas parades will set off from the Ramblas to the Capitol, passing through the Jean-Jaurès aisles, the Franklin-Roosevelt aisles, Place Wilson and Rue Lafayette.

The Company Zizanie will invite us, through a musical journey punctuated by poetic scenes – snowstorm, cloud of bubbles, and rain of feathers – to discover the life of elves. They will seek to connect with the public through the magic of play and dance. The Company The other side of the world will offer a show entitled “Les chimères du vent”.

This show invites the public to follow cloud chasers in their quest for the origins of wind. Accompanied by muses dancing among the clouds and guided by immense soap bubbles, they cross storms and celestial tides to capture the winds and travel from one islet to another.

Christmas markets

Beyond the launch of the festivities, “the magic of Christmas extends throughout the city with the villages and markets at the Capitole (where 94 chalets await you), at the Charles de Gaulle square, on the Ramblas and along the alleys Jules Guesde, between November 28 and December 29, or even the end of the school holidays for certain activities (the ice rink and tasting chalets, the carousel),” announces the Toulouse town hall.

Many free attractions will be offered to children on Wednesdays and weekends.

Here is the Christmas village calendar:

• Place du Capitole and Square Charles-de-Gaulle : from November 28 to December 29 (Sunday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; December 24 and 29, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and December 25 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
• Ramblas : from November 28 to December 24 (Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; December 24, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
• Allées Jules-Guesde : from November 30 to December 22 (Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.).

The return of the ice rink

Attraction of the festivities, the ice rink will be back at Place du Capitole, from November 28 to December 29, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays), then from December 31 to January 5, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (and until 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays).

Over an area of ​​250m² with a glacier mat using the Ice World process, it allows everyone to learn about skiing. (Price: €5 for 45 minutes of sliding, skates included). “At a time of energy sobriety, particular attention is paid to the supplier's eco-responsible guarantees to maintain this popular activity,” assures the Toulouse town hall.

Like every year, chestnut and praline sellers are authorized to set up around Square Charles-de-Gaulle and at the entrance to Rue Saint-Rome. The little train, for its part, will liven up every day the space located at the entrance to the market, on the theater side, Place du Capitole.

An exhibition chalet in the courtyard of the Capitol

This year, the Toulouse town hall also decided to honor two Toulouse residents, Guy and Jeanine, by installing a chalet / exhibition which will be on view in the Henri IV courtyard of the Capitol.

“Driven by the spirit of Christmas, Guy became passionate about decorations, transforming with his wife Jeanine their house on the Côte Pavée into an enchanting place that amazed the neighborhood. For more than ten years, the octogenarian couple had the custom of opening the doors of their house to passers-by, offering children and visitors a magical spectacle,” indicates the town hall, which decided to call on students from the Gisèle Halimi high school. , “in order to transpose and stage the Christmas decorations of Guy and Jeanine in the form of an exhibition chalet open from November 29 to January 5, in the heart of the Capitole courtyard.

For the occasion, the Henri IV courtyard will once again be open to passers-by, facilitating passage from Square de Gaulle to Place du Capitole.

Illuminations!

As for illuminations, “Christmas lighting is provided 100% by LED lamps, which are more energy efficient and less expensive. It will operate from November 29 to the start of the sales (mid-January),” specifies the Toulouse town hall.

The street Alsace-Lorraine will unfold its 800-meter-long white luminous ceiling. The place Esquirol will be adorned with star beads “inviting the walker to walk with their eyes turned towards the sky when the Perseids return to Place des Carmes”. Completely renovated, rue Croix-Baragnon will also be in the spotlight during these illuminations.

And fir trees!

Moreover, six giant synthetic fir trees will be installed in the city center. The tallest measures 12 meters and adorns the Cardinal Saliège park which adjoins Saint-Etienne Cathedral. The other five, with a height of 10 meters, sit on the Places de la Trinité, Jeanne d'Arc, Saint-Georges, Dupuy and on the square in front of Saint-Sernin. The giant tree on the Jean-Jaurès aisles is also making a comeback.

On a structure – trunk and branches – hang “385 small eco-responsible Nordmann fir trees, grown especially for the occasion in the Morvan”. There are 1.6 km of garlands which will adorn this majestic set of 20 meters high ! The different districts of Toulouse are adorned with 90 fir cones.

Meet Santa Claus

Little Toulouse residents will be able to join Santa Claus’ studio at Square Charles-de-Gaulle. According to our information, the Santa Claus likes to make regular appearances at this venue, especially on Wednesdays (2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and weekends (11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Another children's star, the Christmas carousel will be installed from November 27 to January 14, rue d'Alsace-Lorraine, at Square Charles-de-Gaulle.

Also note: a large enchanted parade will leave from various places to reach the Place de la Daurade and the banks of the Garonne, on December 21, for an exceptional and free Northern Lights show!

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