359 liO bus service (+ 322 bus service)
- Toulouse
- Montesquieu-Volvestre
The 359 liO bus tracks the Chemin Des Écoliers (schoolchildren's route) along the Garonne terraces then the Volvestre hills: it's well worth getting off the beaten track to explore a land that's in both Haute-Garonne and Ariège and looks out onto the Pyrenees.
- Period: all year round.
- Days: Monday to Sunday, including bank holidays.
- Recommended start point from Toulouse: Gare routière.
Recommended stops
Places to eat and sleep at each stop.
Muret
45 min from Toulouse. Stop: Niel. Muret may be part of Greater Toulouse, but that doesn't mean the city's residents know about all it has to offer.
The aviation pioneer Clément Ader was born here and has his own museum and park in the town. You can also take a stroll along the banks of the Garonne or relax at Aqualudia pool. Find out more.
NB: You can only reach Muret and Carbonne by train.
Carbonne
1 hr 15 from Toulouse. Stop: La Barre. Carbonne lies on the edge of Volvestre in one of the Garonne's river bends, where you'll also find the Arize River.
Whether you fancy a stroll by the river, a trip back in time with Tourist Information or you just want to see where the wind blows you in this 20th century bastide town... you don't want to miss your stop here. Find out more.
Rieux-Volvestre
1 hr 25 from Toulouse. Stop: Stade. Fortified cathedral, pretty market hall, bridge over the Arize (more like a work of art!): the radiant orange bricks in this medieval village glow with joy.
You can walk the Via Garona (GR®861) trail from Rieux-Volvestre to Martres-Tolosane (22.4km stage) and then take the train to catch the Pyrenees service. Find out more.
Montesquieu-Volvestre
1 hr 35 from Toulouse. Stop: Place Brindejonc. This medieval bastide is bursting with heritage (information boards and booklet available from Tourist Information),
including the stone-pillared market hall where traders flock on Tuesdays and Saint-Victor Church, which the Count of Toulouse founded in 1246. The Castera hike starts in the village and has fabulous views of the Pyrenees mountain range. Find out more.
Connection for Le Mas d'Azil.
You can catch the 322 bus to visit Mas d'Azil Cave from Carbonne, Rieux-Volvestre or Montesquieu-Volestre.
NB: only one round trip per day, Monday to Friday. Mas d'Azil Cave is integral to Occitanie's prehistoric and geological heritage. Find out more.
