Ambarès-et-Lagrave (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.

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 → 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

The commune is served by two railway stations: the Grave-d'Ambarès station and La Gorp station which have regular links with Bordeaux.

Neighbouring communes and villages

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.

Heraldry

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Twinning

Ambarès-et-Lagrave has twinning associations with:

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). Unemployment rate: 9.8% (2009, INSEE)

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has many buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious sites that are registered as historical monuments:

Picture Gallery

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