I. Population and Area

Total Area: 28, 85 km2 (11.14 sq mi)

Population in 2017: 3 128

Population Density: 108 /km2 (280 /sq mi)

 II. Natural Geography

The town of Ambès, crossed by the 45th parallel north, is therefore located equidistant from the North Pole and the Earth's equator (approximately 5,000 km).

Location: Commune of the extreme north of Entre-deux-Mers, its peninsula is formed by the confluence between the Dordogne and the Garonne. This extends into a language of alluvium which today still continues to accumulate deposits, the "Bec d'Ambès"; the tip of the latter, however, is part of the town of Bayon-sur-Gironde, Ambès not bordering on the Gironde estuary. The town is also located in the north of the urban area of Bordeaux.

The altitude of the city hall of Ambès is approximately 4 meters. Its area is 28.85 km². The latitude and longitude are 45.013 degrees North and 0.529 degrees West. The towns and villages close to Ambès are: Prignac-et-Marcamps (33710) at 3.65 km, Bourg (33710) at 3.82 km, Tauriac (33710) at 4.63 km, Saint-Gervais (33240) at 5.22 km, Saint- Laurent-d'Arce (33240) at 5.28 km.

Hydrography:

1. The Garonne separates Ambès (right bank) from Ludon-Médoc and Macau (left bank).

2. The Dordogne separates Ambès (left bank) from Saint-Seurin, Bourg and Prignac-et-Marcamps (right bank).

3. The end of the Bec d'Ambès is actually located in the town of Bayon-sur-Gironde.

Communications and transport:

1. The Transport Bordeaux Métropole (TBM) network serves the town through bus lines 91, 92 and 93. In the evening, the town is served by the Flexo 50.

2. The TransGironde network does not serve the town.

III. Economy

Employment income (%): 75.7 (2016)

Poverty rate by age group of the tax advisor(%): 15 (2017)

Average employment income (€):2 127 net per month (25 529 net per year)（2014）

IV. Industrial Characterisitics

In Ambès, three petroleum refineries linked to the 70,000 m3  fuel depot located at the tip of the peninsula are established, a former EDF thermal power plant and one of the three factories in France for the production of carbon black. At Bec d'Ambès Ambès has a large industrial area that can accommodate heavy industries. It is served by a dual carriageway, the departmental road D 113, known as the Bassens-Ambès expressway which leads south to Bassens and connected to the A10 motorway access no 41, known as Ambès-Saint-Vincent-de -Paul-ZI Bassens-port area, 5.5 km; it can also be by sea and rail. This area is part of the autonomous port of Bordeaux.               Maritime terminal of Ambès

Small and medium enterprises:

1. Decout l'Estuaire (school transport and tourism / garage)：

L’ESTUAIRE, a limited liability company, has been active for 46 years.

Established in AMBES (33810), it specializes in the activity sector of the trade in other motor vehicles. Its workforce is between 3 and 5 employees.

In 2015, it generated sales of € 1,446,800.00.

The balance sheet total increased by 6.27% between 2014 and 2015.

Societe.com lists 1 establishment and the last notable event of this company dates from 05-22-2007.

Patrick DECOUT is manager of the company L’ESTUAIRE.

2. Lomagne embroidery Embroidery (textile prints)：

3. Atlantika (manufacture of swimming pool shelters):

ATLANTIKA, a simplified joint stock company, has been active for 17 years.

Located in PARIS 8 (75008), it specializes in the wholesale trade sector (business-to-business trade) of various specialized foods. Its workforce is between 1 and 2 employees.

In 2015, it generated sales of € 3,910,200.00.

The balance sheet total decreased by 43.47% between 2014 and 2015.

Societe.com lists 2 establishments and the last notable event of this company dates from 11-12-2014.

Pascal GUENNEUGUES, is president of the company ATLANTIKA.

4. GD Industries (manufacture of stainless steel tanks):

GD INDUSTRIE SARL, a limited liability company, has been in business for 33 years.

Located in AMBES (33810), it specializes in the activity sector of the manufacture of other tanks, cisterns and metal containers. Its workforce is between 20 and 49 employees.

In 2018, it generated sales of € 3,390,700.00.

The balance sheet total increased by 7.22% between 2017 and 2018.

Societe.com lists 2 establishments and the last notable event of this company dates from 04-09-2014.

Bruno DAVID, is manager of the company GD INDUSTRIE SARL.

Commence:

1. Restaurants, cafes, mini-market (general food), newsagent, bakeries

2. Estheticians, hair salons, pharmacy, medical offices, lawyer

 V. Attractions

1. Le château Sainte-Barbe (The Sainte-Barbe castle)

History:

18th century residence (1760-1770) representative of the buildings, it was constructed on the banks of the Garonne by the Bordeaux notables. Extension of the outbuildings, alteration of the interior decor and creation of the park were realized at the end of the 19th century (1884-1886). A wrought iron gate closes the entrance to the main courtyard, framed by two 18th century gardener's pavilions. The chateau is made up of a long, one-storey main building with a low projecting pavilion in its center, framed by flat pilasters and terminated by a triangular pediment. The building rests on vaulted cellars forming kitchens and outbuildings. 

Château Sainte-Barbe is a sumptuous estate existing since 1601 and its typical Bordeaux Chartreuse built in 1760 by French architect Victor Louis, who himself built the Grand Theater of Bordeaux. Located on the banks of the Garonne, this property is ideal for enjoying a quiet and authentic moment. The vineyard of Château Sainte-Barbe currently covers 30 hectares of vines, (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot). It offers a tasting tour: the history of Château Sainte-Barbe and the wine trade thanks to the Garonne; the discovery of the vineyard and the know-how. Duration 1h30, tasting of two wines.

A witness to a rich agricultural and wine-making past.

Protected elements: Castle, its park and its fence with its two pavilions (cad. AX 10): registration by decree of December 23, 1996

Tel: 05 56 77 49 57

Address: chât Ste Barbe, 33810 AMBÈS

2. Château de la Prairie (Prairie Castle)

The first church reported the parish registers was certainly Romanesque: a pediment with a cross at the top. It was dedicated to Saint Roch. The second church was built in 1768. On a written report to the prefect, it was stated that this building offered “no interest” : “tiling to redo” , The “stained glass windows white are to be renewed was it indicated in 1846. This church will be maintained, a priori, until 1898. A new bell was baptized in 1859 in this place and this one still tingles nowadays in the bell tower.

In view of the state of disrepair of the church, the City Council decides in 1891 to proceed to the construction of a new building. Under the aegis of Mr. Escarraguel, then mayor of the commune, the steps are companies with different interested for allow funding. By presidential decree as of September 08 1897, Félix Faure authorizes construction of Notre Dame Church. The style of the church is more common in Gironde, what had authorized Prefect Haussmann (prefect of Gironde de 1841 to 1849) to say to Cardinal of Bordeaux (Ferdinand François Auguste Donnet) that with so much church with such a bell tower, he would "Make Gironde a hedgehog".

The organ: Built in 1880 in one of the workshops of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (great organ builder from the 19th century century), it was bought by Madame Ruaud who after several years had him transported to his godson, Vincent Tessandier. It's in 1914, that she offered it to the church. This organ, originally designed for a living room, has some combinations that reduce the sound. The sideboard is in oak solid and pipes in apparent tin are only that decorative; the sounds come from many other small pipes stowed inside the buffet and from the sound box.

The small sailboat: This model suspended in the left nave of the church is a present offered in Notre-Dame by the sailors who after a storm over the estuary were all returned healthy and safe. She must date from the early twentieth century and is called " Our Lady ".

Stained glass: All the stained glass windows have been executed by Henri Curcier (glass painter). The round stained glass windows at the top of the nave represent the life of Mary. The front window represents eight characters: Jesus Christ, the four evangelists: Jean, Luc, Mathieu and Marc; and three fathers of the church that lived in the 4th century: Saint Ambroise, Saint Augustin and Saint John Chrisosthome.

 VI. History

Today, the notoriety of the town is mainly due today to the oil refineries installed on its territory. In the past, the name of Ambès was known when the department of Gironde was renamed into Bec-d'Ambès by conventional mountain dwellers to make the Girondins "forget" between 1793 and 1795. Before 1793, the territory of Ambès was made up of the parishes of Notre-Dame d'Ambès and Saint-Jacques-du-Bec. The parish of Notre-Dame d'Ambès and that of Saint-Jacques were united in 1793. The oil port annexed to that of Bordeaux was created around 1930.

Heraldry : The weapons of Ambès are emblazoned as follows:

From Vert to Beef broaching on a high-voltage pylon broaching itself to an oil tank, all of gold, mantled in azure with four wavy fasces of silver and the vessel of broaching gold; silver chevron on the score.

Currency: like our rivers, united to be strong

 VII. Other information

The François-Mitterrand media library and library has expanded while enriching its services. In addition to books, magazines, comics available, it now offers DVDs and a multimedia room with a facilitator. It is open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday. This building is the old school complex. Carved in stone, you can still see the sign of the compass and the square. With high-quality acoustics, the Espace des 2-Rives, a performance hall dedicated to culture and large evenings with renowned artists, such as Manu Dibango, Michael Jones, has established itself over time, as a prime location for companies and artists.

Adresse :

François Mitterrand Media Library

5 avenue G. Couaillac

33810 AMBES

The Odyssey Festival of Ambès:

1. Each year, at the end of August, in Cantefrène Park, a big free show takes place for two days. This show is intended for all audiences and is intended to be a moment of meetings. During these August evenings, the Cantefrêne park lights up and becomes a land of culture, exchange and conviviality. The Festival d'Ambès is the big event on the right bank. This is an important cultural event in the Gironde region, since the festival is part of the program of the Scènes d'été in Gironde and Aquitaine on stage.

2. After 10 editions devoted to large-scale street art and pyrotechnic productions, Les Odyssées undertook a change of guideline as regards artistic content in 2014.

The festival, which has so far been spread over two evenings, has been reduced to a full day. In place of a company to which the artistic content of the festival was usually entrusted, more than a dozen artists and companies are now scheduled. The objective of this program is to bring together all audiences (young audiences, adolescents, adults, the elderly, distant audiences ...) on the same site, the same day, the same event.

The Odyssey is now a festival around different disciplines of the performing arts: music, theater, dance...

Its next edition will take place on Saturday August 24, 2019 in Ambès (33), in an exceptional natural setting, that of the Parc de Cantefrêne.

The Odyssey, the festival of the living arts!

Free Festival and ALL PUBLIC

Each year, at the "Espace des 2-Rives", around June, the Marius Petipa dance club organizes a dance gala with all the dancers who have worked all year.

CULTURAL SEASON:

The Espace des 2 Rives is a place dedicated to culture: live performance halls, exhibitions, dinner shows and many other meetings ...

The set of technical tools offered offers artists and spectators a high quality of representation (quality sound equipment, light, stage structure, effects).

It is also a warm and friendly place, thanks to all the facilities it offers (bar, spacious dressing rooms, large fitted catering kitchen).

The Ambès carnival takes place every year at the end of March.

The local festival takes place the first weekend in May. Next to a fun fair, there are various activities and games for children with, among other things, cycling, shows, bodegas, ballroom, the traditional fair of the peninsula and, at the end of the festivities, the fire artifice.

The "Water Festival" takes place in June at the nautical stop. This day begins with an open-air mass, followed by the holiday meal (traditionally "shad on the grill"). Activities follow: jet ski, boat ride, entertainment for children (cotton candy, inflatable structure).

In the musical show of the association "La Clef des chants", the artists revisit the hits of yesterday and today and offer to have a good time of relaxation.

The association "Paroles & Musiques" embellishes the Christmas celebrations with its festive concert each year in the Notre-Dame church. Several events are hosted throughout the year by the large Ambésian harmony orchestra.

 VIII. Contact information

Ambès town hall address :

Ambès town hall

Place du 11-Novembre

33810 Ambès

Mayor : Kévin Subrenat (Mandat : 2014-2020)

Phone number: 05 56 77 11 35  

Fax: 05 56 77 03 92

Mail: contact@mairie-ambes.fr

Website : http://www.mairie-ambes.fr