It was during the very last session of the municipal council of the term, on Friday, February 6, that the elected officials of Toulouse made these changes official. Among the most notable modifications: Lyon Avenue, a well-known artery in the Matabiau district, will change its identity to become Olivier Guichard Avenue (1920-2004), named after this politician. This new name reflects a clear intention to "mark the new identity of the road and enhance the attractiveness of the Grand Matabiau Quais d'Oc area," according to the city hall. In total, about fifteen names have been approved during this session. The community emphasizes one point: these new names shine a light on "as many women as men, artists, historical figures, politicians, and scientists."
Scattered tributes across the city
From north to south, east to west, these new names touch every corner of Toulouse. In Carmes, walkers will soon discover the pr...
omenade François Gauzi (1862-1933). In the Saint-Pierre district, the esplanade of the Université welcomes a Bernard Belloc Alley (1948-2025). Around the Halle aux Grains, two new streets are making their debut: the Madeleine Malraux Street (1914-2014) and the Michel Guy Street (1927-1990). On the Ramier Island, there’s a lovely Michel Viala Alley (1958-2025). In the Fer-à-Cheval district, near Avenue de Muret, the pedestrian walkway alongside the embankment between the Saint-Michel Bridge and the Croix-de-Pierre Square will now be called Monique Pelletier Alley (1926-2025). At Mirail, the Azul Street officially comes to life, replacing the former dead ends of Mirailhon and Azur which have now merged into a single road.
.
Montaudran, Lespinet, and Rangueil Honored
Some neighborhoods are brimming with new features, like the Montaudran area and its surroundings. Around the Giant's Track, a Jeanne Ligonnet walkway pays tribute to this iconic figure of the Aéropostale, while a new space is named the Place de la Fusée Postale, filling a previously nameless spot. Right nearby, in the Montaudran-Lespinet neighborhood, a new road at 137 Avenue de Lespinet has been named Dr. Jane Goodall Alley (1934-2025), honoring the renowned ethologist, primatologist, and anthropologist. Still in the same area, facing the Philippe Struxiano stadium, the public space has been named Place Berthe de Puybusque (1848-19...
26). In Rangueil, the pedestrian way between the avenues de Rangueil and des Écoles Jules-Julien is now called allée Michel Sicard (1932-2025). To the west, in the Fondeyre neighborhood, we have rue Osna Kogan, which connects 105 avenue des États-Unis to rue Cervantès. Lastly, in Pradettes, between avenue du Docteur Maurice Grynfogel and chemin de Gaillardie, there's the lovely allée Claudine Picardet (1735-1820).An Embraced Feminization of Public Space
These new names are part of a rebalancing policy that has been in place since 2020. The result? During this term, 117 women have had their names honorably placed on Toulouse streets, compared to 67 men. That's 64% of the names attributed to female figures, a figure that the community proudly highlights to address decades of imbalance in urban toponymy. Because, let’s be honest, it was high time to move away from the all-male dominance that has ruled the street signs until now.