Ambarès-et-Lagrave (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃baʁɛs e laɡʁav]; Ambarés e La Grava in Gascon dialect) is a commune in the Gironde department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. Twinned with Midsomer Norton in the BANES area of the United Kingdom.
Contents
Geography
Ambarès-et-Lagrave is part of the Bordeaux urban area located to the north of the Bordeaux conurbation between the Garonne and Dordogne. The A10 autoroute passes down the eastern side of the commune from north to south with Exit 42 → Ambarès-et-Lagrave, Saint-Loubès in the commune. The commune is mostly urban with small areas of forest in the north and south and farmland in the west and north.
Ambarès-et-Lagrave is part of the Bordeaux Métropole.
Transport
TER Aquitaine
The commune is served by two railway stations: the Grave-d'Ambarès station and La Gorp station which have regular links with Bordeaux.
TBC Network
Trans Gironde Network
History
In the 12th century the city of Ambarès belonged to a vast feudal domain comprising a large part of the marshes of Entre-deux-Mers (Between two seas). Later this area became the Barony of Montferrand.
The ancient parish of Ambarès was almost entirely under the jurisdiction of the Lords of Gua who levied tithes from the 15th century.
The Lagrave district was attached to the commune of Ambarès in 1818.
Administration
List of Successive Mayors
Twinning
Ambarès-et-Lagrave has twinning associations with:
Kelheim (Bavaria, Germany) since 1989.
Midsomer Norton (Somerset, UK) since 1985.
Demography
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ambarésiens or Ambarésiennes in French. The population of Ambarès-et-Lagrave has more than doubled between 1962 and 1999. This significant increase in the population is probably due to its proximity to the city of Bordeaux.
Economy
Although the tertiary sector (services) is predominant in Ambarès-et-Lagrave, the town also has many jobs in industry (secondary sector).
Allocation of Workers (2009, INSEE):
Unemployment rate: 9.8% (2009, INSEE)
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage
The commune has many buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
A Lavoir (Public Laundry) at La Gorp (1893)
The Château Beauséjour (19th century) was probably rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century but as farm buildings it may be older. The old house was listed as Pouyau on the Belleyme map and in the old Land Registry.
The Château du Tillac (17th century) was the noble house of the Joly de Bonneau family. It was probably built in the 17th century perhaps at the site of an old house as it is located on one of the peaks at the end the peninsula.
The Chauvette House at 10 Rue de la Commanderie des Templiers (18th century)
A House at 27 Rue Edmond-Faulat (20th century)
A House at 6-8 Rue Edmond-Faulat (19th century)
The Charron House at 9 Rue Edmond-Faulat (17th century)
The Château de Formont (19th century) was a former noble house on one of the peaks of the end of the peninsula and is shown on the Belleyme map. The building may have been built in the early 18th century as indicated by the date it bore of 1723 which is now destroyed.
The Café Duthil at 11 Avenue de la Gare (19th century)
A House at 7 Rue Guillaume-Peychaud (18th century)
The Château du Gua (1866) was a former noble house of the Laroque, Donissan, and Pineau families. It was known early in the 15th century and mentioned on the Belleyme map. The house was completely destroyed and rebuilt in 1866.
Religious heritage
The commune has several religious sites that are registered as historical monuments:
The Parish Church of Saint Pierre (11th century) The church contains a large number of items that are registered as historical objects.
The Chapel of Saint Denis (19th century)
The Cemetery at Rue Victor-Hugo (19th century)
The Presbytery at 3 Rue Victor-Hugo (18th century)
The former Church of the Templars Notre-Dame-de-la-Grave at Rue de la Vierge (12th century)
Monumental Crosses (19th century)
Sports
The Ambarésienne Sports Association (ASA) was founded in 1970 and is a sports association affiliated with the French Federation of Omnisports Clubs (FFCO). Its purpose is to provide sport for all. The ASA had more than 2,500 members and 23 sections in 2012.
Notable people linked to the commune
Members of the musical group Noir Désir recorded part of their debut album at Ambarès near La Blanche (water point) and one of the members of the group lives in Ambarès.
André Lignac, born in Ambarès and was deputy mayor of the town for over 50 years.
Marc Oraison (1914–1979), born in Ambarès, priest and doctor.