Taillebourg, Charente-Maritime

Commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Coat of arms

Location of Taillebourg

(2020–2026) Pierre Texier^[1]Area

14.25 km² (5.50 sq mi)Population

(2021)^[2]

776 • Density54/km² (140/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)INSEE/Postal code

17436 /17350

Elevation2–63 m (6.6–206.7 ft)¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Taillebourg (French pronunciation: [tajbuʁ]) is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.

It is built on a rock, overlooking the river Charente, 9 km downstream from Saintes.

The place was first mentioned as terra Talleburgi in 1267. It was the site of three battles that bear its name: Battle of Taillebourg, on account of its strategically important position as a river crossing. There was also a fourth action, a siege.

The château dominates the town and was the garrison of Louis IX (known as 'Saint Louis'), before the eponymous 1242 battle.

The ancient bridge over the Charente has since been destroyed but there is a long causeway, which spans the surrounding marshes and serves to keep the road open, even during times of flooding.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1962	636	—
1968	681	+7.1%
1975	637	−6.5%
1982	626	−1.7%
1990	561	−10.4%
1999	600	+7.0%
2008	732	+22.0%

References

^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.