Mérignac, Gironde

Mérignac
Commune
Castle of Bourran
Coat of arms
Location of Mérignac
Mérignac Location within France Mérignac Location within Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Coordinates: 44°50′19″N 0°38′37″W
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Gironde
Arrondissement	Bordeaux
Canton	Mérignac-1 and 2
Intercommunality	Bordeaux Métropole
Government
• Mayor (2025–2026)	Thierry Trijoulet (PS)
Area 1	48.17 km2 (18.60 sq mi)
Population  (2023)	78,090
• Density	1,621/km2 (4,199/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	33281 /33700
Elevation	12–53 m (39–174 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Mérignac (French pronunciation: [meʁiɲak] ^ⓘ; Occitan: Merinhac) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.

It is the largest suburb of the city of Bordeaux and adjoins it to the west. It is a member of the Bordeaux Métropole.

Mérignac is the site of Bordeaux International Airport.

Etymology

The name Mérignac derives from the Gallo-Roman word Matriniacus, name of a villa rustica (countryside villa) that was the origin of today's town.

History

The Hôtel de Ville

The town council acquired the Château Le Vivier in 1972 and subsequently converted the main building for use as the Hôtel de Ville (town hall).

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1793	2,511	—
1800	2,427	−0.48%
1806	3,039	+3.82%
1821	2,764	−0.63%
1831	3,097	+1.14%
1836	3,034	−0.41%
1841	3,276	+1.55%
1846	3,264	−0.07%
1851	3,648	+2.25%
1856	3,910	+1.40%
1861	4,284	+1.84%
1866	4,450	+0.76%
1872	4,265	−0.71%
1876	4,967	+3.88%
1881	5,162	+0.77%
1886	5,735	+2.13%
1891	6,159	+1.44%
1896	6,713	+1.74%
1901	7,052	+0.99%

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1906	7,421	+1.03%
1911	7,594	+0.46%
1921	9,515	+2.28%
1926	11,939	+4.64%
1931	15,363	+5.17%
1936	17,034	+2.09%
1946	21,417	+2.32%
1954	23,050	+0.92%
1962	32,355	+4.33%
1968	45,951	+6.02%
1975	50,652	+1.40%
1982	51,306	+0.18%
1990	57,273	+1.38%
1999	61,992	+0.88%
2007	66,002	+0.79%
2012	66,660	+0.20%
2017	70,105	+1.01%
2023	78,090	+1.81%

Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2023)

Sights

• Tour de Veyrines : Veyrines Dungeon.
• Château Bourran : Bourran Castle
• Château Le Burck : Le Burck Castle
• Château or Maison Noble du Parc or d'Espagne : Parc Castle or Spain Castle
• Fontaine d'Arlac : Arlac Fountain
• Immeuble Gillet : Gillet Building
• La glacière : the icehouse
• La vieille église : the old Roman church
• Maison carrée d'Arlac : Peychotte's folly (Square House) in Arlac

Parks and gardens

• Parc de Bourran :
• Bois du Burck : Burck wood
• Parc de Mérignac :
• Parc Saint-Exupéry :
• Parc du Vivier : the wood around the city hall

Education

The commune has about 5,000 students in the primary and secondary schools in its city. Schools include:

• 15 public and private preschools
• 15 public and private elementary schools
• Four junior high schools: Collège de Bourran, Collège de Capeyron, Collège Jules-Ferry, Collège des Eyquems
• Two senior high schools: Lycée Fernand Daguin and Lycée professionnel Marcel Dassault

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Mérignac is twinned with:

• Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
• Kaolack, Senegal
• Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain

See also

• Aéroport de Bordeaux Mérignac
• Communes of the Gironde department

Notable inhabitants

• Albert Dupouy (1901 - 1973): player of rugby to death in Mérignac
• Jean Samazeuilh (1891 - 1965): French tennis player dead in Mérignac
• Nicolas Canteloup, born on November 4, 1963, in Mérignac in the Gironde, is a comedian, French imitator.
• Émile Rummelhardt former professional player and French football coach.
• Robert Étienne (1921–2009): French historian of ancient Rome, was born in Mérignac.

External links

• Official website (in French)
• Official website (in French) (Archive)