Fouras
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink.
Partly served 56.7/100 · confidence: high· Better served than 72 % of the {n|commune|communes} of a similar size.
Identity
Fouras (INSEE 17168) is in Charente-Maritime (17), part of CA Rochefort Océan. Population 4,148 (2023). [1]
INSEE density class: Bourgs ruraux (level 5). [2]
Data vintages: INSEE BPE 2025 · INSEE SIRENE 2026-09 · INSEE census (RP) 2023 · INSEE COG 2026 · INSEE density grid 2026 · DATAtourisme 2026-10-22.
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/17168-fouras
Vitality score
Vitality score 56.7/100 — Partly served (model fr-v0.2).
Confidence: high.
Better served than 72 % of the 5,463 communes of a similar size.
Compare this with communes of a similar size. The score measures how well a place is served relative to its own size band, and larger communes score higher as a rule — so it reads meaningfully against another village, and misleadingly against a town.
Measured but not scored in this model: Market. See the methodology for why.
| Component | Value (0–1) | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily food | 0.54 | 25 | 13.62 |
| Social | 0.93 | 20 | 18.64 |
| Education | 0.22 | 10 | 2.21 |
| Health | 0.43 | 10 | 4.27 |
| Public & culture | 0.22 | 5 | 1.11 |
| Population trend | 0.78 | 10 | 7.81 |
| Housing mix | 0.1 | 5 | 0.51 |
Services
What is here, at a glance
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink. [3,4]
5 × Bakery (boulangerie) (MAISON MOULIN · L'EPI SUCRE · PARTAGES SUCRES). [3,4]
3 × Butcher (boucherie) (L'ARTISAN DES PAPILLES · BOUCHERIE JEREMY GRIFFON). [3,4]
2 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette) (SARL GROLLIER ET FILS · CG L'EPICERIE). [3,4]
1 × Supermarket (SOCIETE BOURCEFRANCAISE DE DISTRIBUTION). [3,4]
2 × Fishmonger (ETABLISSEMENTS DEPENNE · POISSONNERIE LE CRI DES FLOTS). [3,4]
30 × Restaurant (LA FUMEE SARL · LE BOIS VERT · TI SABLE · CHEZ AWA). [3,4]
8 × Café / bar (BOD SKAU CAFE · LA CABANE · LE MARITIME). [4]
1 × Nursery school (maternelle) (ECOLE MATERNELLE LOUISE MICHEL FOURAS). [3]
1 × Primary school (élémentaire) (ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE JEAN MICHENOT). [3]
4 × GP (médecin généraliste) (BRUNO ESTEVE-LOPEZ, MÉDECIN · NICOLAS RAFFIN, MÉDECIN · SIMON RIALLAND, MÉDECIN · RODOLPHE CHEMARIN, MÉDECIN). [3]
1 × Pharmacy (PHARMACIE DES 3 ILES). [3,4]
1 × Post office / agence postale (LA POSTE). [3]
1 × Library (MÉDIATHÈQUE DE FOURAS-LES-BAINS ABRI DU MARIN). [3]
1 × Cinema (CASINO). [3]
3 × Swimming pool (PLAGE SUD · PLAGE NORD). [3]
2 × Bank (CAISSE FEDERALE DU CREDIT MUTUEL OCEAN · CAISSE REG CREDIT AGRICOLE MUTUEL 17-79). [3]
7 × Hairdresser (ATELIER ESTHE-TIFS · ESTETE DOM · CONFIDENCE). [3,4]
1 × Fuel station (STATION SERVICE). [3]
3 × Hotel (GRAND HOTEL DES BAINS · LE GALET BLEU · HOTEL LA ROSERAIE). [3,4]
2 × Campsite (CAMPING MUNICIPAL L ESPERANCE · CAMPING MUNICIPAL LE CADORET). [3,4]
Not counted, because the business register records them as closed: 1 × Butcher (boucherie), 1 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette), 5 × Restaurant, 1 × Hairdresser.
All 25 service types, with per-source counts
| Type | Count | Names | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery (boulangerie) | 5 | MAISON MOULIN · L'EPI SUCRE · PARTAGES SUCRES | INSEE BPE 5 / INSEE SIRENE 4 [3,4] |
| Butcher (boucherie) | 3 | L'ARTISAN DES PAPILLES · BOUCHERIE JEREMY GRIFFON | INSEE BPE 3 / INSEE SIRENE 4 [3,4] |
| Grocery (épicerie / supérette) | 2 | SARL GROLLIER ET FILS · CG L'EPICERIE | INSEE BPE 2 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
| Supermarket | 1 | SOCIETE BOURCEFRANCAISE DE DISTRIBUTION | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 1 [3,4] |
| Cheese shop (fromagerie) | 0 | INSEE SIRENE 0 [4] | |
| Fishmonger | 2 | ETABLISSEMENTS DEPENNE · POISSONNERIE LE CRI DES FLOTS | INSEE BPE 2 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
| Restaurant | 30 | LA FUMEE SARL · LE BOIS VERT · TI SABLE · CHEZ AWA | INSEE BPE 30 / INSEE SIRENE 40 [3,4] |
| Café / bar | 8 | BOD SKAU CAFE · LA CABANE · LE MARITIME | INSEE SIRENE 8 [4] |
| Nursery school (maternelle) | 1 | ECOLE MATERNELLE LOUISE MICHEL FOURAS | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Primary school (élémentaire) | 1 | ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE JEAN MICHENOT | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Collège | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| GP (médecin généraliste) | 4 | BRUNO ESTEVE-LOPEZ, MÉDECIN · NICOLAS RAFFIN, MÉDECIN · SIMON RIALLAND, MÉDECIN · RODOLPHE CHEMARIN, MÉDECIN | INSEE BPE 4 [3] |
| Pharmacy | 1 | PHARMACIE DES 3 ILES | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [3,4] |
| Nurse | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Dentist | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Post office / agence postale | 1 | LA POSTE | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Library | 1 | MÉDIATHÈQUE DE FOURAS-LES-BAINS ABRI DU MARIN | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Cinema | 1 | CASINO | INSEE BPE 1 [3] |
| Gym / sports hall | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [3] | |
| Swimming pool | 3 | PLAGE SUD · PLAGE NORD | INSEE BPE 3 [3] |
| Bank | 2 | CAISSE FEDERALE DU CREDIT MUTUEL OCEAN · CAISSE REG CREDIT AGRICOLE MUTUEL 17-79 | INSEE BPE 2 [3] |
| Hairdresser | 7 | ATELIER ESTHE-TIFS · ESTETE DOM · CONFIDENCE | INSEE BPE 7 / INSEE SIRENE 12 [3,4] |
| Fuel station | 1 | STATION SERVICE | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [3] |
| Hotel | 3 | GRAND HOTEL DES BAINS · LE GALET BLEU · HOTEL LA ROSERAIE | INSEE BPE 3 / INSEE SIRENE 7 [3,4] |
| Campsite | 2 | CAMPING MUNICIPAL L ESPERANCE · CAMPING MUNICIPAL LE CADORET | INSEE BPE 2 / INSEE SIRENE 4 [3,4] |
Market and village life
A market is recorded here, but no source gives the day. [5]
Trajectory
Population 4,083 (2012) → 4,148 (2023): 1.6 % over 10 years. [6,1]
Population 3,238 (1990) → 4,148 (2023): 28.1 % over 30 years. [7,1]
Dwellings (2023): 4,616, of which 44.9 % second homes and 6.2 % vacant. [8]
Access and surroundings
Which way the everyday services lie
Bakery (Fouras): 0 km to the south-east (straight line). [9]
Food shop (Fouras): 0.1 km to the east (straight line). [9]
GP (Fouras): 0.1 km to the north-east (straight line). [9]
Pharmacy (Fouras): 0.1 km to the south-west (straight line). [9]
Primary school (Fouras): 0.1 km to the west (straight line). [9]
Climate
Where this sits nationally
An average of 15 days a year at or above 30 °C and 28 days at or below 0 °C, over 30 complete years in 1995–2024. [10]
Measured at the ST-LAURENT PREE-INRAE weather station, 5.2 km away at 3 m; the village itself is at 11 m. [10]
Muggy days — a dew point at or above 18 °C — average 6 days a summer. [10]
Humidity measured at ST-LAURENT PREE-INRAE, 5.2 km away at 3 m, over 30 summers. [10]
An average of 774 mm of rain a year, spread over 120 days — about 6.5 mm on a day it rains. [10]
Rainfall measured at ST-LAURENT PREE-INRAE, 5.2 km away at 3 m. Rainfall is not adjusted for altitude: unlike temperature it has no simple gradient to correct by. [10]
Uncertainties
No specific uncertainties flagged.
References
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 17168/2023
- INSEE density grid 2026
- INSEE BPE 2025
- INSEE SIRENE 2026-09
- DATAtourisme 2025-12— https://data.datatourisme.fr/13/cf7e6aa1-92a1-3a34-99a1-145918d153a4— “Marché de Fouras les Bains”(unverified)
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 17168/2012
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 17168/1990
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 17168/logement/2023
- INSEE BPE 2025 — 17168
- Météo-France daily climatology 1995-2024
Villages like this one
Matched on size, density, second homes and which everyday shops and services are present — not on the score, so a village of the same kind that is doing better or worse shows up rather than being hidden.
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Propriano | 2A | 933 km SE | 3,996 | 64 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 0 % · winter 74 % · humidity 100 % |
| Ghisonaccia | 2B | 948 km SE | 4,405 | 60.3 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 0 % · winter 74 % · humidity 0 % |
| Aime-la-Plagne | 73 | 603 km E | 4,385 | 64.9 | Served | no figures |
| Le Château-d'Oléron | 17 | 14 km SW | 4,366 | 56.6 | Partly served | Similar summers, milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 87 % · winter 77 % · humidity 71 % |
| Clohars-Carnoët | 29 | 276 km NW | 4,708 | 54.7 | Partly served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel drier.summer 77 % · winter 97 % · humidity 71 % |
| Banyuls-sur-Mer | 66 | 515 km SE | 4,496 | 56.3 | Partly served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 18 % · winter 65 % · humidity 0 % |
Order by distance instead
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Château-d'Oléron | 17 | 14 km SW | 4,366 | 56.6 | Partly served | Similar summers, milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 87 % · winter 77 % · humidity 71 % |
| Clohars-Carnoët | 29 | 276 km NW | 4,708 | 54.7 | Partly served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel drier.summer 77 % · winter 97 % · humidity 71 % |
| Banyuls-sur-Mer | 66 | 515 km SE | 4,496 | 56.3 | Partly served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 18 % · winter 65 % · humidity 0 % |
| Aime-la-Plagne | 73 | 603 km E | 4,385 | 64.9 | Served | no figures |
| Propriano | 2A | 933 km SE | 3,996 | 64 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 0 % · winter 74 % · humidity 100 % |
| Ghisonaccia | 2B | 948 km SE | 4,405 | 60.3 | Served | Warmer summers and milder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 0 % · winter 74 % · humidity 0 % |
Sort and compare these on the full list →
…and in much the same climate
The same match on size and services, narrowed to communes whose summers, winters and summer humidity are all close to Fouras's. All three are required, so this section is absent for the 11.8 % of communes with no humidity station near enough to measure: two temperature axes alone cannot tell a muggy coast from a dry one.
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Plaine-sur-Mer | 44 | 153 km NW | 4,760 | 49.2 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 89 % · humidity 86 % |
| Meschers-sur-Gironde | 17 | 49 km S | 3,180 | 50.9 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 93 % · humidity 100 % |
| Rivedoux-Plage | 17 | 23 km NW | 2,483 | 65.5 | Served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 88 % · humidity 93 % |
| Aixe-sur-Vienne | 87 | 174 km E | 5,890 | 55.4 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 95 % · humidity 86 % |
| Moncoutant-sur-Sèvre | 79 | 90 km NE | 5,121 | 49.6 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 86 % · humidity 86 % |
| Vaux-sur-Mer | 17 | 38 km S | 4,013 | 52.9 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 100 % · winter 93 % · humidity 100 % |
Elsewhere
Commune website · Wikipedia (en) ·Wikipedia (fr) · INSEE dossier complet · OpenStreetMap · Web search · Map
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/17168-fouras