At the heart of île du Ramier and along the Garonne lies a history closely linked to the river and the city’s transformations.

ALONG THE GARONNE: A TERRITORY IN FLUX

The Île du Ramier in Toulouse is a river archipelago shaped by its transformations. Its industrial character became established as early as the 17th century with its gunpowder mills, followed by the establishment of the Poudrerie nationale in 1852.

At the start of the 20th century, the site underwent a transformation into a venue for popular leisure and sport. The local council created the Parc Toulousain, a large green space featuring open-air cafés, which was then transformed into a sports venue under the leadership of Jean Montariol. In 1931, work began on the Municipal Stadium, which was inaugurated after the war. The island is also the birthplace of the Dauphins du TOEC, a legendary swimming club which once trained directly in the Garonne and which produced champions such as Léon Marchand.

Today, through the Grand Parc Garonne project, the island is seeking to reclaim its wild nature. It is being transformed into a vast 260-hectare eco-park dedicated to biodiversity, leisure and sustainable transport.

A major river in south-western France, the Garonne flows through several regions, from the Spanish Pyrenees to Occitanie and then Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The island and the river thus form part of an ecosystem that is home to a wealth of aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, but they also face significant environmental challenges and disturbances due to pollution.

A LANDSCAPE TO EXPLORE WITH LE NOUVEAU PRINTEMPS

The festival will take over the island’s public spaces and parks: the Parc de la Poudrerie, the Parc Picot de Lapeyrouse, the Anita Conti and Robert Poujade footbridges, the Alfred Nakache summer swimming pool, the Maison du Grand Parc Garonne, as well as Decoset’s new hall dedicated to reuse. 

Across the island, the banks of the Garonne will also host the festival’s programme thanks to long-standing partnerships with the Théâtre Garonne, the Les Abattoirs FRAC Occitanie museum, the Château d’eau gallery, the Hôpital de la Grave, the isdaT, the Museum de Toulouse and the Quai des Savoirs.

Le Nouveau Printemps is delighted to engage with this history of industry, sport and nature, and with the cultural and scientific ecosystem that unfolds across the island and along the Garonne. Together with the Centre Pompidou and Maylis de Kerangal, the festival aims to transform this area into a space for encounters, where the stories of the past intersect with those yet to be imagined.

LISTEN TO THE ÎLE DU RAMIER

To extend this exploration of the area, four audio clips produced by Les Vidéophages invite you to explore the Parc de la Poudrerie, on the Île du Ramier, through its history and biodiversity.

These clips were created by Christophe Jacquemart and produced by Les Vidéophages / La Trame, based on an original idea by Les Vidéophages to mark the 25th edition of the Faites de l’Image festival, with the support of Toulouse City Council and Casino Barrière, in June 2026.

Listen to: Four audio walks to discover the Parc de la Poudrerie – Grand Parc Garonne