Jardin de la Plage de la Pointe du Zouave

The garden of the Pointe du Zouave is hard to pin down, and what visitors to Toulon most often find is the city's best-known public garden, the Jardin Alexandre Ier, which lies in the centre of town between the railway station and the port. The beach and point of the Pointe du Zouave are part of the Mourillon district on the eastern side of the roadstead, where the seafront promenade and small beaches offer a quieter setting, and small green spaces along the shore give shade. The Jardin Alexandre Ier is the larger and more historic garden, and it is the one that makes a worthwhile visit.

The garden covers about two hectares and has a long history. It was created in the age of sail as a garden for the navy, a botanical garden where plants brought back by ships from distant places could be grown and studied, which explains why it was once called the Jardin du Roy, the king's garden. Toulon is the main base of the French Mediterranean fleet, and its sailors collected plants on their voyages. In the nineteenth century the garden became a public park, and in the twentieth century it was given the name of Alexander I, king of Yugoslavia, who was assassinated in Marseille in 1934 during a state visit, with the French foreign minister Louis Barthou. The garden has been renovated in recent years to combine its heritage with modern ideas of sustainable design.

The planting is a pleasure. The garden contains around 350 trees and thousands of plants of Mediterranean and exotic origin, including palms, pines, plane trees and flowering shrubs, laid out along paths that wind between lawns and flower beds. Water is a feature, in the form of stepped water cascades, ornamental ponds and fountains, which refresh the air in summer. A restored bandstand recalls the time when brass bands played on Sunday afternoons, and the oldest tree in the town, a venerable specimen, grows here. Information panels and QR codes along the way explain the history of the garden and its plants. The paths are accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs, and there are playgrounds for children and a dog park.

The garden is free and open during the day, and it is a calm break from the busy streets nearby. It is close to the port of Toulon, with its warships, ferries and quays, the Marché de Toulon, where a colourful market is held on the Cours Lafayette, and the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire. The neighbourhood of Chalucet is a district of new cultural and educational buildings. For a seaside walk, go to the Mourillon, where the Promenade du Mourillon runs along the coast, and the Fort Balaguier lies across the bay.

The garden suits families, walkers and those who enjoy planting and quiet corners.