Melle
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink.
Partly served 58/100 · confidence: high· Better served than 71 % of the {n|commune|communes} of a similar size.
Identity
Melle (INSEE 79174) is in Deux-Sèvres (79), part of CC Mellois en Poitou. Population 5,752 (2023). [1]
INSEE density class: Bourgs ruraux (level 5). [2]
Commune nouvelle formed on 2019-01-01 from 4 former communes: Mazières-sur-Béronne (79173), Paizay-le-Tort (79199), Saint-Léger-de-la-Martinière (79264), Saint-Martin-lès-Melle (79279). [3]
Data vintages: INSEE BPE 2025 · INSEE SIRENE 2026-09 · INSEE census (RP) 2023 · INSEE COG 2026 · INSEE density grid 2026 · Commune website 2026-10-24.
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/79174-melle
Vitality score
Vitality score 58/100 — Partly served (model fr-v0.2).
Confidence: high.
Better served than 71 % of the 4,091 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 | 0.46 | 25 | 11.51 |
| Social | 0.78 | 20 | 15.5 |
| Education | 0.78 | 10 | 7.77 |
| Health | 0.5 | 10 | 4.99 |
| Public & culture | 0.22 | 5 | 1.11 |
| Population trend | 0.38 | 10 | 3.82 |
| Housing mix | 0.91 | 5 | 4.57 |
Services
What is here, at a glance
A food shop, a school and somewhere to eat or drink. [4,5]
4 × Bakery (boulangerie) (AUTOUR DES PAINS · ART ET GOURMANDISE · MONPLAISIR · CHOCOLATERIE MICHEL HUVELIN). [4,5]
1 × Butcher (boucherie) (BOUCHERIE MICHELET). [4,5]
2 × Grocery (épicerie / supérette) (COOP ATLANTIQUE). [4,5]
3 × Supermarket (INTERMARCHE · MARTINIERE DISTRIBUTION · ALDI MARCHE). [4,5]
10 × Restaurant (RESTAURANT L ARGENTIERE · PAPA TINO · SECRET GARDEN). [4,5]
4 × Café / bar (LE CAFE DU BOULEVARD · LE RENOIR). [5]
2 × Nursery school (maternelle) (ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE JACQUES PREVERT · ECOLE MATERNELLE). [4]
6 × Primary school (élémentaire) (ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE · ECOLE PRIMAIRE YVONNE MENTION-VERDIER · ECOLE PRIMAIRE DE PAIZAY-LE-TORT · ECOLE PRIMAIRE · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE PRIVEE DOMINIQUE SAVIO). [4]
2 × Collège (COLLEGE DU PINIER · ECOLE SECONDAIRE PRIVEE MAISON ST DOMINIQUE SAVIO). [4]
6 × GP (médecin généraliste) (ELOI PIKETTY, MÉDECIN · FRANCK JOSEPH-THEODORE, MÉDECIN · LUDOVIC BERTRAND, MÉDECIN · CHRISTOPHE RAMBAULT, MÉDECIN · SOPHIE BROUARD, MÉDECIN). [4]
1 × Pharmacy (PHARMACIE DE LA POSTE). [4,5]
1 × Post office / agence postale (LA POSTE). [4]
1 × Library (MEDIATHEQUE MUNICIPALE). [4]
1 × Cinema (LE MELIES). [4]
5 × Gym / sports hall (GYMNASE IME · COMPLEXE SPORTIF DU PINIER · INSTALLATIONS EPS LYCEE AGRICOLE · INSTALLATIONS LYCEE DESFONTAINES · SAINT JO SPORT). [4]
6 × Bank (CAISSE FEDERALE DU CREDIT MUTUEL OCEAN · CAISSE DE CREDIT MUTUEL DE MELLE-CELLES · CAISSE D'EPARGNE AQUITAINE PC · CAISSE REG CREDIT AGRICOLE MUTUEL 17-79 · CAISSE LOCALE DE CREDIT AGRICOLE MUTUEL). [4]
8 × Hairdresser (PEROT MARYVONNE · CHRISTIAN COIFFURE · CREALIGNE · EURL N.S.IMAGINE). [4,5]
3 × Fuel station (STATION SERVICE). [4]
1 × Hotel (LES GLYCINES). [4,5]
1 × Campsite (CAMPING MUNICIPAL LA FONTAINE DE VILLIERS). [4,5]
Not counted, because the business register records them as closed: 2 × Bakery (boulangerie), 1 × Butcher (boucherie), 1 × Restaurant, 1 × Pharmacy, 1 × Hairdresser.
All 25 service types, with per-source counts
| Type | Count | Names | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery (boulangerie) | 4 | AUTOUR DES PAINS · ART ET GOURMANDISE · MONPLAISIR · CHOCOLATERIE MICHEL HUVELIN | INSEE BPE 4 / INSEE SIRENE 5 [4,5] |
| Butcher (boucherie) | 1 | BOUCHERIE MICHELET | INSEE SIRENE 1 / INSEE BPE 0 [4,5] |
| Grocery (épicerie / supérette) | 2 | COOP ATLANTIQUE | INSEE BPE 2 / INSEE SIRENE 3 [4,5] |
| Supermarket | 3 | INTERMARCHE · MARTINIERE DISTRIBUTION · ALDI MARCHE | INSEE BPE 3 / INSEE SIRENE 3 [4,5] |
| Cheese shop (fromagerie) | 0 | INSEE SIRENE 0 [5] | |
| Fishmonger | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [4,5] | |
| Restaurant | 10 | RESTAURANT L ARGENTIERE · PAPA TINO · SECRET GARDEN | INSEE BPE 10 / INSEE SIRENE 14 [4,5] |
| Café / bar | 4 | LE CAFE DU BOULEVARD · LE RENOIR | INSEE SIRENE 4 [5] |
| Nursery school (maternelle) | 2 | ECOLE MATERNELLE PUBLIQUE JACQUES PREVERT · ECOLE MATERNELLE | INSEE BPE 2 [4] |
| Primary school (élémentaire) | 6 | ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE · ECOLE PRIMAIRE YVONNE MENTION-VERDIER · ECOLE PRIMAIRE DE PAIZAY-LE-TORT · ECOLE PRIMAIRE · ECOLE ELEMENTAIRE PRIVEE DOMINIQUE SAVIO | INSEE BPE 6 [4] |
| Collège | 2 | COLLEGE DU PINIER · ECOLE SECONDAIRE PRIVEE MAISON ST DOMINIQUE SAVIO | INSEE BPE 2 [4] |
| GP (médecin généraliste) | 6 | ELOI PIKETTY, MÉDECIN · FRANCK JOSEPH-THEODORE, MÉDECIN · LUDOVIC BERTRAND, MÉDECIN · CHRISTOPHE RAMBAULT, MÉDECIN · SOPHIE BROUARD, MÉDECIN | INSEE BPE 6 [4] |
| Pharmacy | 1 | PHARMACIE DE LA POSTE | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [4,5] |
| Nurse | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [4] | |
| Dentist | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [4] | |
| Post office / agence postale | 1 | LA POSTE | INSEE BPE 1 [4] |
| Library | 1 | MEDIATHEQUE MUNICIPALE | INSEE BPE 1 [4] |
| Cinema | 1 | LE MELIES | INSEE BPE 1 [4] |
| Gym / sports hall | 5 | GYMNASE IME · COMPLEXE SPORTIF DU PINIER · INSTALLATIONS EPS LYCEE AGRICOLE · INSTALLATIONS LYCEE DESFONTAINES · SAINT JO SPORT | INSEE BPE 5 [4] |
| Swimming pool | 0 | INSEE BPE 0 [4] | |
| Bank | 6 | CAISSE FEDERALE DU CREDIT MUTUEL OCEAN · CAISSE DE CREDIT MUTUEL DE MELLE-CELLES · CAISSE D'EPARGNE AQUITAINE PC · CAISSE REG CREDIT AGRICOLE MUTUEL 17-79 · CAISSE LOCALE DE CREDIT AGRICOLE MUTUEL | INSEE BPE 6 [4] |
| Hairdresser | 8 | PEROT MARYVONNE · CHRISTIAN COIFFURE · CREALIGNE · EURL N.S.IMAGINE | INSEE BPE 8 / INSEE SIRENE 9 [4,5] |
| Fuel station | 3 | STATION SERVICE | INSEE BPE 3 / INSEE SIRENE 0 [4] |
| Hotel | 1 | LES GLYCINES | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 2 [4,5] |
| Campsite | 1 | CAMPING MUNICIPAL LA FONTAINE DE VILLIERS | INSEE BPE 1 / INSEE SIRENE 1 [4,5] |
Market and village life
Market day: unknown — nothing found in the datasets or on the commune website.
Trajectory
Population 6,453 (2012) → 5,752 (2023): -10.9 % over 10 years. [6,1]
Population 6,518 (1990) → 5,752 (2023): -11.8 % over 30 years. [7,1]
Dwellings (2023): 3,338, of which 4.3 % second homes and 11.1 % vacant. [8]
Access and surroundings
Which way the everyday services lie
Bakery (Melle): 0.6 km to the west (straight line). [9]
Food shop (Melle): 0.2 km to the east (straight line). [9]
GP (Melle): 0.4 km to the south-west (straight line). [9]
Pharmacy (Melle): 0.2 km to the south (straight line). [9]
Primary school (Melle): 0.1 km to the north (straight line). [9]
Climate
Where this sits nationally
An average of 19 days a year at or above 30 °C and 31 days at or below 0 °C, over 30 complete years in 1995–2024. [10]
Measured at the MELLE weather station, 1.4 km away at 136 m; the village itself is at 137 m. [10]
Muggy days — a dew point at or above 18 °C — average 3 days a summer. [10]
Humidity measured at MELLE, 1.4 km away at 136 m, over 30 summers. [10]
An average of 908 mm of rain a year, spread over 123 days — about 7.4 mm on a day it rains. [10]
Rainfall measured at MELLE, 1.4 km away at 136 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 — 79174/2023
- INSEE density grid 2026
- INSEE COG 2026
- INSEE BPE 2025
- INSEE SIRENE 2026-09
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 79174/2012
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 79174/1990
- INSEE census (RP) 2023 — 79174/logement/2023
- INSEE BPE 2025 — 79174
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thizy-les-Bourgs | 69 | 344 km E | 5,771 | 57.4 | Partly served | Similar summers, colder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 90 % · winter 78 % · humidity 93 % |
| Briec | 29 | 359 km NW | 5,816 | 56.6 | Partly served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 67 % · winter 89 % · humidity 86 % |
| Plouay | 56 | 306 km NW | 5,755 | 66.5 | Served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 64 % · winter 93 % · humidity 86 % |
| Sarrians | 84 | 466 km SE | 5,792 | 48.9 | Partly served | Warmer summers and colder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 0 % · winter 76 % · humidity 100 % |
| Bricquebec-en-Cotentin | 50 | 378 km N | 5,893 | 57.3 | Partly served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 59 % · winter 99 % · humidity 86 % |
| Tournus | 71 | 389 km E | 5,701 | 66 | Served | Similar summers, colder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 100 % · winter 53 % · humidity 79 % |
Order by distance instead
| Commune | Dept | Distance | Population | Score | Band | Climate vs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plouay | 56 | 306 km NW | 5,755 | 66.5 | Served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 64 % · winter 93 % · humidity 86 % |
| Thizy-les-Bourgs | 69 | 344 km E | 5,771 | 57.4 | Partly served | Similar summers, colder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 90 % · winter 78 % · humidity 93 % |
| Briec | 29 | 359 km NW | 5,816 | 56.6 | Partly served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 67 % · winter 89 % · humidity 86 % |
| Bricquebec-en-Cotentin | 50 | 378 km N | 5,893 | 57.3 | Partly served | Cooler summers, similar winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 59 % · winter 99 % · humidity 86 % |
| Tournus | 71 | 389 km E | 5,701 | 66 | Served | Similar summers, colder winters.Summers feel more humid.summer 100 % · winter 53 % · humidity 79 % |
| Sarrians | 84 | 466 km SE | 5,792 | 48.9 | Partly served | Warmer summers and colder winters.Summers feel about as humid.summer 0 % · winter 76 % · humidity 100 % |
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 Melle'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aixe-sur-Vienne | 87 | 110 km SE | 5,890 | 55.4 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 90 % · winter 91 % · humidity 93 % |
| Parigné-l'Évêque | 72 | 194 km N | 5,358 | 42.5 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 90 % · winter 85 % · humidity 86 % |
| Esvres | 37 | 138 km NE | 6,294 | 58.5 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 96 % · humidity 93 % |
| Écommoy | 72 | 181 km N | 4,868 | 58.6 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 87 % · winter 91 % · humidity 86 % |
| Cerizay | 79 | 78 km NW | 4,793 | 45.3 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 92 % · winter 91 % · humidity 93 % |
| Vivonne | 86 | 38 km NE | 4,550 | 58.4 | Partly served | Much the same temperatures.Summers feel about as humid.summer 97 % · winter 95 % · humidity 100 % |
Elsewhere
Commune website · Wikipedia (en) ·Wikipedia (fr) · INSEE dossier complet · OpenStreetMap · Web search · Map
Permanent link: https://vivantrural.com/en/fr/79174-melle