Every summer, the inhabitants of Lauragais and the Toulouse region make the road to Thésauque Lake to find their break of freshness, their share of thrills and great moments to share with family or friends. The leisure center Aquapark Toulouse has welcomed them there since 2016 around a free and secure swimming beach and numerous fun and innovative infrastructures. Nicolas, its owner, does not hide his pride in offering happiness and laughter to his visitors and his attachment to this remarkable natural setting.
A great attachment
Why did you choose to settle in Lauragais?
My first memories of Lauragais go back to adolescence, when I was involved in horse riding. I spent a lot of time at Domaine de Montgay and in his riding stable, in Nailloux. My walks often took me to Gardouch and Villefranche-de-Lauragais.
Later, in 2008, when I was a young engineer specializing in the inspection and repair of bridges, I assessed the structure downstream of the dike of Thesauque lake. I discovered this magnificent place and ate at the famous Farm Champreux, a true institution of local gastronomy!
My journey then took me to the Basque Country, where I had my first exhilarating experience of managing a leisure center, in 2014. But with my wife, we wanted to get closer to the Toulouse region. So I thought about this lake again, did some research and came back to see it. I went around it, and despite the swimming ban, I was attracted by the water and bathed in the exact location of the current slides.
I knew that the construction of this lake was intended to development of tourism and leisure in Lauragais, that the water quality was good since a Triathlon takes place there every year, and that the depth was sufficient for water activities.
I then went to meet the former Community of Communes CoLaurSud (today Lauragais lands), owner of this space, to find out why swimming was prohibited. It turns out that it was a problem of liability and that the Community of Communes was looking for a service provider to take over the dormant leisure center.
I came back later with a project to present, based on water sports and leisure activities for the whole family : walking, bouncing and sliding, but no motorized activity. I proposed to set up a free swimming area and to ensure monitoring in return for the installation of these paid activities, but at very affordable rates.
My project was finally chosen by the Community of Communes, and I was able to start enlivening the lake in the summer of 2016 thanks to the installation of a inflatable playground. This 2024 summer season will be the first fully consistent with the original project presented in 2015.
All around, a remarkable natural heritage
Introduce us to Thésauque Lake
Le Thesauque lake is above all a public space. Parking and access to the lake are free and the place is full of life to spend a busy day. There are several catering options (the Farm Champreux, pizzeria at Albert and Bittersweet), as well as the Flower Camping ***. Finally, the leisure center also has a snack point (drinks, ice creams, fries, homemade paninis, hotdogs, pancakes, waffles, etc.) with a terrace at the water's edge.
Un 5,5 km bank path allows you to tour this 33 Ha lake. He is renowned for the fishing, carp anglers even come from all over Europe to bivouac! We can come across a lot of animals : donkeys, goats, sheep, deer, geese, ducks, moorhens, herons, and even seagulls and cormorants. The green spaces are remarkably maintained and flowered, large wooded meadows with a few picnic benches and tables allow visitors to enjoy nature about twenty minutes from the Toulouse metropolitan area.
Aquapark Toulouse
The first recreational activity that visitors can find is the equipped swimming area (with its paddling pool). Access is free and we monitor it every day during the summer holidays, from 13 p.m. to 18 p.m.
Other activities are nearby. There is something for all tastes and all ages!
La Marina
The leisure center offers kayak rentals, stand-up paddleboards and pedal boats equipped with slides. Nothing better to enjoy the calm waters of the lake.
The Watergame
This is a real floating adventure course. This inflatable games park from the brand Wibit is made up of obstacles, trampolines, diving boards, slides, a human catapult and a trapeze. It can accommodate up to 100 people, from 6 years old provided they know how to swim, and have a minimum of balance and a maximum of humor!
The Splashgame
This activity is dedicated to little ones who do not need to know how to swim. Those are land-based inflatable games with fountains and water cannons. Between the paddling pool and the water game, it's the right compromise to cool off up to forty children from 2 to 8 years old.
Waterjumps & Slides
The facilities are accessible from 8 years old and provided they know how to swim. There are 17 straight trails starting from three levels (discovery, sensation and extreme). At each level it is possible to indulge in 4 types of skiing:
- 5 basic slides to descend into a sitting or lying position.
- The bodyboard descent on these same slides, to try to beat the world distance record in freshwater surfing!
- 4 slides to sit peacefully in a soft buoy and check that gravity leads to humidity!
- The famous water jumps : 8 slides with springboards for Superman apprentices! The smallest of 30 cm allows you to test your abilities, then the heights gradually increase to the rhythm of the acrobatics, up to the craziest of 180 cm, specially designed to land the moon!
A new identity
What are your projects and new developments for the 2024 season?
The 2024 season will ultimately be the first season of the leisure center in its final state. After 8 years of adventures, adaptations and work, the places and activities proposed finally correspond to the initial project.
It is therefore the year of renewal and this is why the base is adopting a new name: AQUAPARC TOULOUSE. It must be said that its influence now extends beyond the borders of Lauragais. There is no equal in Occitanie in terms of welcome, security, and quality of facilities.
Over the years, the leisure center of Thesauque lake has become the favorite of families, groups, leisure centers, works councils and sports clubs from the Toulouse region. Many people trust us, and over the last 3 years a friendship has even been born with the Stade Toulousain ! It is a form of recognition, a guarantee of seriousness and quality.
For those who have not been to the lake for several years, there will be many new things. And for those who were curious last summer, they will have the satisfaction of finding a leisure center which is no longer under construction, a more advanced snack bar and a lake which has returned to its usual water level.
The satisfactory water level will allow our visitors to enjoy three activities that were not possible last summer: free paddling pool, slides to go down on a bodyboard and those for buoys. These three new features are sure to be very successful, especially the buoys, a sensational and fun ride accessible to all!
PRACTICAL INFORMATION & ACCOMMODATION
Openings
- In May – June – September: weekends and public holidays from 13:30 p.m. to 18:30 p.m.
- In July & August: every day from 11:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m.
Supervised swimming
Swimming area equipped and supervised free of charge in July and August, from 13:00 p.m. to 18:00 p.m.
In summer, the quality of the lake water is checked every two weeks by the ARS (Regional Health Agency).
On-site amenities
- Large, partly shaded car parks
- Bathroom installation
- Large changing rooms with showers and lockers
- Help station
- Picnic tables
- Catering point: drinks, ice creams, fries, homemade paninis, hotdogs, pancakes, waffles, etc.
Contact the leisure center
- Website: www.aquaparctoulouse.com
- By phone: 07 68 50 18 00 (during opening hours only)
- E-mail: contact@aquaparctoulouse.com
- On Facebook : @aquaparctoulouse
- On Instagram: @aquaparctoulouse
- On TikTok: @aquaparc.toulouse31
