ESPACE EDF BAZACLE

On the right bank of the Garonne, the Bazacle jetty or causeway cuts across the width of the river, between the Pont Saint-Pierre and the Pont des Catalans. A former Roman and medieval ford allowing the river to be crossed during low water, the Bazacle is part of the original Tolosa. From the wheat mills, which contributed to the city's development in the 12th century, the site was transformed into a hydroelectric power station in 1888, using the force of the current to produce electricity. Modernised over the years and converted into a cultural space in 2010 by the electricity company EDF, the building, which stands next to the thousand-year-old causeway, rests on a forest of wooden piles to ensure its stability. Exhibitions, a hydroelectricity museum, a tour of the power station in operation and a fish pass for migratory fish (visible through a porthole with a lot of patience) enhance the visit. Don't miss the view from the panoramic terrace overlooking the river, the causeway and the waterfall. On the opposite bank, the Hôtel Dieu-Saint-Jacques, located on the Jacobean route, and the dome of La Grave, both of which were once hospitals, stand out.