Marennes (French pronunciation: [maʁɛn]) is a former commune in the Charente-Maritime department, southwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Marennes-Hiers-Brouage.

For a long time it was one of the most prosperous cities of the Saintonge due to its location in the middle of the salt-water marshes at a time where salt was a valuable commodity. Marennes is a center for oyster farming.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1793 4,996 —     1800 4,633 −7.3% 1806 4,633 +0.0% 1821 4,193 −9.5% 1831 4,605 +9.8% 1836 4,542 −1.4% 1841 4,410 −2.9% 1846 4,542 +3.0% 1851 4,589 +1.0% 1856 4,508 −1.8% 1861 4,455 −1.2% 1866 4,426 −0.7% 1872 4,495 +1.6% 1876 4,565 +1.6% 1881 4,945 +8.3% 1886 4,766 −3.6% 1891 5,415 +13.6%

Year Pop. ±% 1896 6,293 +16.2% 1901 6,459 +2.6% 1906 6,408 −0.8% 1911 4,519 −29.5% 1921 3,900 −13.7% 1926 4,082 +4.7% 1931 4,011 −1.7% 1936 3,957 −1.3% 1946 3,806 −3.8% 1954 3,829 +0.6% 1962 4,345 +13.5% 1968 4,443 +2.3% 1975 4,214 −5.2% 1982 4,549 +7.9% 1990 4,634 +1.9% 1999 4,685 +1.1% 2008 5,465 +16.6%