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Marmande (Municipality, Lot-et-Garonne, France)

Flag of Marmande - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 5 April 2022

Presentation of Marmande
Flag of Marmande
Former flag of Marmande

See also:

Presentation of Marmande

Marmande (17,239 inhabitants in 2021; 4,506 ha) is a commune and sub-prefecture in the Lot-et-Garonne department.

Marmande was born as a city in 1182, when Richard the Lionheart granted the fortified town the Charter of Customs and Freedom. Between 1214 and 1219, during he crusade against the Albigenses, Marmande suffered its first disaster with the sacking of the city which saw the death of 5000 people. Subsequently, Marmande will arouse the greed of the French and the nglish during the Hundred Years War and will occupy a prominent place, due to its central position between Bordeaux and Toulouse. A century later, the Wars of Religion wreaked havoc and Marmande was not spared. Indeed, the only Catholic city in the middle of Protestant cities, it found itself besieged by Henri de Navarre, future Henri IV. However, the latter will be defeated. Between the 17th and 18th centuries, Marmande experienced a proliferation of convents, which earned it its nickname of “Marmande la Sainte”. No less than five convents were built during this period, including that of the Ladies of Saint Benedict, listed as a historical monument. Its chapel still stands today. In 1672, lightning struck the bell tower of the parish church, taking with it part of the city archives. During the revolutionary Terror, the nobility of the city is imprisoned, the convents are closed and some transformed into prison. In the 19th century, the train, the telegraph, the construction of the Canal Latéral à la Garonne changed the appearance of the city.

The town is renowned for its tomato production. The Marmande tomato is a local variety of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Since 2020, there has been a collective trademark registered with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) promoting this local product. A festival dedicated to tomatoes is held annually in July.

Olivier Touzeau, 5 April 2022

Flag of Marmande

The current flag of Marmande, observed in front of the municipal rugby stadium, is white with the logo (photo, 2019).

Olivier Touzeau, 5 April 2022

Former flag of Marmande

Former flag of Marmande - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 5 April 2022

According to Pascal Vagnat (observations in the flagmaker Dejean’s catalogue), the (former ?) flag of Marmande is made up of two horizontal bands of white and light blue with a white shield bearing the city's coat of
arms in the centre [source: emblemes.free.fr].
Pascal Vagnat reports that it is possible that this flag is in fact only that of the Marmande Rugby Sports Union. However, the words “Ville de Marmande” above the coat of arms are a strong clue of the municipal status of
this flag. I could not locate it anywhere else.

Olivier Touzeau, 5 April 2022

Blue and white being the colors of the rugby club, it is possible that the club added the municipal arms, probably with permission, to a horizontally divided white and blue flag, and commissioned a manufacturer to produce it. Alternatively, the manufacturer might have designed a flag of Marmande of its own - this practice is not uncommon - and than have proposed it to the municipality, which did not buy it, and, subsequently, to the rugby club, which bought it.

Ivan Sache, 5 April 2022

The coat of arms is blazoned: Gules four towers Argent masoned Sable crosswise and confronting their feet, surrounding a cross potent Argent too, the chief Azure three fleurs-de-lis Or.
The four towers are those of the first four main gates of the city in the Middle Ages: Puygueraud gate, church gate, Lestang gate and Ma gate. The chief of France was reportedly granted by Charles VI in 1414 to the city which "had given distinguished proofs of fidelity" during the Hundred Years' War.
The arms are shown in the Armorial Général (image).

Olivier Touzeau and Ivan Sache , 5 April 2022