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Mortagne-sur-Gironde | |
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![]() The falaises mortes, close to the port | |
Coordinates: 45°28′56″N 0°47′16″W / 45.48222°N 0.78778°W | |
Country | France |
Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
Department | Charente-Maritime |
Arrondissement | Saintes |
Canton | Saintonge Estuaire |
Intercommunality | CA Royan Atlantique |
Government | |
• Mayor (2020–2026) | Stéphane Cotier[1] |
Area 1 | 18.87 km2 (7.29 sq mi) |
Population (2022)[2] | 911 |
• Density | 48/km2 (130/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
INSEE/Postal code | 17248 /17120 |
Elevation | 0–64 m (0–210 ft) |
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. |
Mortagne-sur-Gironde (French pronunciation: [mɔʁtaɲ syʁ ʒiʁɔ̃d]) is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.
Bordering the banks of the Gironde estuary, this small town was for centuries a principality, a title it acquired after the Hundred Years War, but ended up losing by escheat. Being an important military stronghold, it also became a leading port in the 18th century, with the Gironde port ranked third (after Bordeaux and Blaye) in the middle of the 20th century, before declining gradually. The town now relies mainly on tourism, and remains a relatively active fishing port.
The city is divided into two distinct entities: the old city, camped on a cliff, is organized around its church and some shopping streets, while the port, below, is lined with old mills. Part of the houses have been converted into bars, restaurants and shops, making this part of the city an active economic center in the summer. Not far away stands a monolith hermitage dating back to the early centuries of the Christian era.
Mortagne-sur-Gironde belongs to the Communauté d'agglomération Royan Atlantique, an intercommunal structure involving 83,661 inhabitants (2019).