Grenade, Haute-Garonne Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Grenade

Commune

The church in Grenade

Coat of arms

Grenade

Location in France

Grenade

Location in Occitanie

Country

Léguevin

Area

37.01 km² (14.29 sq mi)

Population

(2021)

8,961

• Density

242.12/km² (627.10/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+01:00 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+02:00 (CEST)

INSEE/Postal code

31232 /31330

Elevation

97–167 m (318–548 ft)
(avg. 115 m or 377 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Grenade, also known as Grenade-sur-Garonne, is a charming town in southwestern France. It is located in the Haute-Garonne area. A "commune" is like a local government area or a small town.

History of Grenade: A Planned Town
Population Changes in Grenade
Important Buildings and Landmarks
See also

History of Grenade: A Planned Town

Grenade has a very interesting history. It was a "bastide" town, which means it was a new town built with a special plan. This happened in the 1290s.

How Grenade Was Founded

Cistercian monks from the Abbey of Grandselve started the idea for Grenade. They had already built another town called Beaumont-de-Lomagne. Grenade was created through a special agreement. This agreement was between the monks and a representative of King Philip IV. His name was Eustache de Beaumarchais. This type of agreement was called a paréage.

Why the Name Grenade?

Many new towns built around this time were named after famous cities. These cities were often from Spain or Italy. For example, Fleurance was named after Florence. Cologne was named after a city in Germany. Grenade was likely named to show it would be an important city. It was meant to be a powerful place in southwestern France.

Another Idea for the Name

Some people think the name Grenade comes from the Latin word "Granat". This word means "grain". The area around Grenade was known for its farming. So, the name might also point to its rich agricultural land.

Growth and Prosperity

Later, the king took more control of the region. A network of these planned towns, or bastides, grew. Grenade was protected by the king. This helped the town to grow and become successful. It prospered thanks to farming the flat lands nearby. The original plan for Grenade was very ambitious. It aimed to have over 3,000 homes. However, only about 1,000 were actually built.

Population Changes in Grenade

The number of people living in Grenade has changed a lot over time. Looking at these numbers helps us understand how the town has grown.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1793	4,360	—
1800	3,333	−3.76%
1806	3,886	+2.59%
1821	3,925	+0.07%
1831	4,112	+0.47%
1836	4,286	+0.83%
1841	4,281	−0.02%
1846	4,444	+0.75%
1851	4,364	−0.36%
1856	4,302	−0.29%
1861	4,158	−0.68%
1866	4,204	+0.22%
1872	4,007	−0.80%
1876	3,973	−0.21%
1881	3,906	−0.34%
1886	3,998	+0.47%
1891	3,924	−0.37%
1896	3,622	−1.59%

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1901	3,599	−0.13%
1906	3,606	+0.04%
1911	3,302	−1.75%
1921	2,869	−1.40%
1926	3,012	+0.98%
1931	2,927	−0.57%
1936	2,793	−0.93%
1946	2,974	+0.63%
1954	3,235	+1.06%
1962	3,394	+0.60%
1968	4,108	+3.23%
1975	4,540	+1.44%
1982	4,784	+0.75%
1990	5,026	+0.62%
1999	5,767	+1.54%
2007	7,106	+2.64%
2012	8,310	+3.18%
2017	8,847	+1.26%