how the Jean-Jaurès avenues of Toulouse have changed in 200 years

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It was December 23, 2019… Five years ago, the mayor of Toulouse, Jean-Luc Moudenc inaugurated the “garden ramblas” of the Jean-Jaurès alleys. A real event after several years of major work.

Changes to come

Five years later the vegetation has grown a little thicker, but the development still gives rise to mixed opinions.

Return of Quick a few weeks ago, change of brand and facade renovation for the Pullman Hotel and announced reconfiguration of the ex-Flunch building: the aisles continue to evolve and will continue to move in the months future.

Ultimately, in line with the last 200 years. A little throwback…

First a walk

Inaugurated in 1824, the avenue was first called “Allées d’Angoulême”. It was then located on the outskirts of Toulouse.

Bordered by 280 abalone trees, it was then a cul-de-sac which served as a walk for the people of Toulouse from the North-East of the city, like what had been done in the South-East with the Grand-Rond (1750 ). The paths led to the Canal du Midi, a stop on the promenade at a time when the Matabiau station did not yet exist.

The Allées d'Angoulême then became the Allées Lafayette in 1830.

A bridge over the Canal du Midi

With the opening of the Toulouse veterinary school in 1834, the town hall built a bridge to cross the Canal du Midi. The aisles now have an outlet. But above all, the paths remain a very pleasant walk.

After being briefly renamed Cours Louis Napoléon (1850), Allées Lafayette became Allées Jean-Jaurès in 1916. This was to honor the memory of the former deputy assassinated two years earlier.

“Urban highway” in the heart of Toulouse

It was at the beginning of the 1960s that the mayor of Toulouse, Louis Bazerque, decided to redevelop the alleys to make them an “urban highway”. Mr Prat, the chief engineer of the City of Toulouse, then carried out this project which provided for “the creation of two nine-metre wide roadways, separated by a flowered median and parking areas”. This redevelopment aims to respond to the increase in traffic in the city.

Some of the old houses lining the alleys were destroyed and replaced, near the Canal du Midi, by the large buildings that we know today. This project is then completed with the construction of the underground car park and modified with the creation of lanes for buses.

Engineer Prat above all proposes extending this “urban highway” towards Jolimont, while there is already talk of moving the veterinary school located in Marengo.

The paths were inaugurated in June 1962 in the presence of the mayor of Toulouse Louis Bazerque.

The avenues extended towards Jolimont in 1965

It was in 1965 that the veterinary school was destroyed and the Jean-Jaurès avenues were extended towards Jolimont. A major penetrating route from the North-East is thus born.

Exit the central promenade: in the 1960s, the Jean-Jaurès alleys encouraged automobile traffic with six road lanes to which must be added the side alleys on each side. The photo from the 1970s, below, allows you to visualize the extension towards Jolimont.

In the 80s and 90s

Ramblas from 2019

Since 2019, with the development of the “ramblas-jardin”, 565 meters long and 17 meters wide, in the center of the Jean-Jaurès alleys, this axis has returned to what it was when it was created 200 years ago .

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