Libourne

• Name — Libourne • Commune Status — Subprefecture and commune • Arrondissement — Libourne • Canton — Le Libournais-Fronsadais • Insee — 33243 • Postal Code — 33500 • Mayor — Philippe Buisson • Term — 2020–2026 • Party — PS • Intercommunality — CA Libournais • Elevation M — 15 • Elevation Min M — 2 • Elevation Max M — 28 • Area Km2 — 20.63

Like other sites at the confluence of important rivers, that of Libourne was appropriated at an early period. Under the Romans a colonia stood rather more than a mile to the south of the present Libourne; it was destroyed during the troubles of the 5th century. Resuscitated by Charlemagne, it was rebuilt in 1269, as Leybornia, and was founded as a bastide by Roger de Leybourne (of Leybourne, Kent), an English seneschal of Gascony, under the authority of King Edward I of England. It suffered considerably in the struggles of the French and English for the possession of Gironde in the Hundred Years' War, and joined France in the 15th century. • Illustration — Libourne, view from the mound of Fronsac, pen drawing by Herman Van der Hem, around 1640 In 1787 the parlement of Bordeaux was exiled to Libourne amid political crises. In December 1854 John Stuart Mill passed through Libourne, remarking "I stopped at Libourne as I intended & had a walk about it this morning quite the best thing there is the bridge of the Dordogne, the view from which is really fine".

The Gothic church, restored in the 19th century, has a stone spire high. On the quay there is a machicolated clock-tower which is a survival of the defensive walls of the 14th century. The Hôtel de Ville was completed in 1427. There is also a statue of Élie, duc Decazes, who was born in the region.

Libourne is located at the confluence of the Isle and Dordogne rivers. Libourne station has rail connections to Bordeaux, Bergerac, Angoulême, Périgueux, Limoges, Brive-la-Gaillarde and Sarlat-la-Canéda.

• Illustration — The Hôtel de Ville • Illustration — Nave of the Chapelle de Condat • Illustration — Gate of the Port • Illustration — Protestant temple

• Eugène Atget (1857–1927), French photographer, "Creator and Purveyor of a Collection of Photographic Views of Old France" • Georges Charles Marius Engerrand (1877–1961), geologist and archaeologist • Florian Latorre (born 1997), racing driver • Louis Le Provost de Launay (1850–1912), French deputy and senator • Jean-Marie Londeix (1932–2025), French saxophonist • Jean Marcadé (1920–2012), French Hellenist and historian • Jean-Marie Poumeyrol (born 1946), artist