Merville: Labyrinth, Church Art and Nature

Merville brings together a large garden labyrinth, church art, historic buildings and protected natural areas. If you are looking for a hotel in Merville, these different attractions can help you plan your visit: they range from a landscaped garden to religious art, nature watching and walks. The sights differ both in their history and in their scale.

Château, Boxwood Garden and Labyrinth

The Château et Labyrinthe de Merville was built in 1734 by the Marquis de Chalvet Rochemonteix, who was the royal seneschal of Louis XV. The estate includes a protected boxwood garden. A six-kilometre-long labyrinth sits within an area of five hectares and is described as the longest in Europe. The area and length refer to two different measures: five hectares for the garden and six kilometres for the labyrinth. This makes it possible to consider the size of the garden and the extent of the labyrinth separately.

Church Art and Sacred Objects

The Eglise Saint-Saturnin is dedicated to Saint Saturnin, a martyr and the first bishop of Toulouse. Inside, trompe-l’œil paintings by the Pedoya brothers, in the Neo-Empire style, depict the Evangelists and Apostles. Trompe-l’œil uses painted forms to create the impression of spatial depth; in these works, both the figures depicted and the painting technique are therefore part of the artistic subject.

The church also preserves a liturgical treasury with objects dating from several centuries. These include a 17th-century processional cross, an incense vessel and an altar cross from the 18th century, as well as sacred vessels from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The dates give the collection its own span across time: individual objects come from specific centuries, while the sacred vessels span several eras.

A Pigeon House and a Chapel

The Pigeonnier de Beillard is an octagonal 17th-century pigeon house and is protected as a Historic Monument. Tours are available on request from the Office de Tourisme des Hauts Tolosans. If you are planning a tour, contact this tourist office to make your request.

The Chapelle Saint-Dominique was built in 1973 by the property owner, who said they had received graces from the saint. An inscription recalls that Saint Dominic often visited the Premonstratensian canons of Notre-Dame de la Capelle in the 13th century. The chapel thus brings together a 20th-century construction history and an inscription with a historical connection to the 13th century. A mass is held in the Chapelle Saint-Dominique every year on August 8.

Protected Nature and Green Spaces

The Ramier de Bigorre lies in a bend of the Garonne and is a protected natural area of around 33 hectares, with diverse animal and plant life. An educational trail with explanatory signs introduces visitors to the local ecosystem. In this way, the Ramier offers a different focus from the boxwood garden: here, the signs draw attention to the ecosystem, while at the garden, the connection between the boxwood area and the labyrinth can be understood through their measurements.

To find your way to the Ramier de Bigorre, follow the D2, then take a road branching off to the right towards Ferme de Bigorre; a sign is posted by the roadside. From there, the route continues for about 1.5 kilometres to the visitor car park. The Parc du Bois de Bayler offers a different setting: this three-hectare green space is in the town centre and invites visitors to stroll, take a break and enjoy nature. Compared with the protected natural area, the park is smaller, and the activities described there focus on a walk, a break or spending time outdoors.

When choosing where to stay in Merville, you can weigh up its cultural and natural attractions: the Château combines a garden and labyrinth, the Eglise Saint-Saturnin focuses on religious painting and sacred objects, while the Ramier and Parc du Bois de Bayler represent different kinds of green space. This lets you plan your trip around the places that interest you without treating the different sights as interchangeable.

Discover more destinations: Issus, Pointis-Inard, Verfeil, Lanta, Cazeneuve-Montaut, Ganties, Antichan-de-Frontignes, Balma

For the main travel overview: Haute-Garonne.