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France · Île-de-France · Fleury-Mérogis

Maison d'arrêt de Fleury-Mérogis

Maison d'arrêt (remand)MixedmixedOvercrowded (147%)ModerateHigh
Verified 29 May 2026 · Data dated 1 Jul 2024
Fresh · 1mo ago

Data is aggregated from public sources and may be incomplete or out of date. Always verify with primary sources before acting on any figure. See data sources.

For families

How to send mail, money, and visit Maison d'arrêt de Fleury-Mérogis

Step-by-step guidance using the France system — addresses, money services, visit booking, what to bring on your first visit.

Open toolkit
Photograph of Maison d'arrêt de Fleury-Mérogis

Gallery

From Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA where not otherwise stated).

  • 1981 Fleury-Mérogis prison revolt.png

    Photo by Nanou Battestini via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

  • Fleury-Mérogis Prison.jpg

    Photo by Thomon via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

  • Prison de Fleury-Mérogis.jpg

    Photo by Thomon via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Europe's largest prison by inmate count. Includes male, female, and minor sections. Holds remand and short-sentence prisoners from Paris-region courts.

Capacity

2,855

Current population

4,200

Occupancy

147%

Year opened

1968

Operational

Facility profile

Operator

Administration pénitentiaire

Population held

mixed

Opened

1968

Region

Île-de-France

Security level

Mixed

Death-row facility

No

Conditions

Persistent overcrowding above 145%, with mattresses on cell floors documented.

Visiting

Visits require a permis de visite issued by the investigating magistrate (remand) or prison administration (sentenced).

Mailing

Letters screened. Format: Nom Prénom écrou n°, MA Fleury-Mérogis, 7 avenue des Peupliers, 91705 Fleury-Mérogis Cedex.

Practical info

On-site visitor centre (Maison d'accueil des familles) run by an associative network.

Known issues

France has been repeatedly condemned by the European Court of Human Rights for conditions at Fleury-Mérogis (J.M.B. v. France, 2020).

Notable inmates

  • Alexandre Brandy
    1987 · writer
  • Jean Castela
    ? · teacher
  • Booba
    Booba
    1976 · rapper

    Élie Thitia Yaffa (French pronunciation: [eli jafa]; born 9 December 1976), better known under his stage name Booba, is a French rapper, singer and entrepreneur.

  • Cory Le Guen
    1986 · media personality
  • Mehran Karimi Nasseri
    Mehran Karimi Nasseri
    1945–2022 · memoirist

    Mehran Karimi Nasseri (Persian: مهران کریمی ناصری, pronounced [mehˈrɒn kæriˈmi nɒseˈri]; 1945 – 12 November 2022), also known as Sir, Alfred Mehran, was an Iranian refugee who lived in the departure lounge of Terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle Airport from 26 August 1988 until July 2006.

  • Brigitte Brami
    1964 · writer
  • Lyes Ider
    ? · arms trafficker

Showing 9 of 12. Source: Wikidata + Wikipedia.

Contact & address

7 avenue des Peupliers, Fleury-Mérogis 91705

Conditions Risk Score

Derived signal — not a judgement. How it's calculated

17/100
Moderate concern17/100
Overcrowding
12/30
Oversight reports
0/30
Structural flags
5/15
Death signals
0/15
Conditions text
0/10

What the score is responding to:

  • · Operating at 147% of design capacity
  • · Substantial documented known-issues record

Trend over time

Population and occupancy by year. Source: official corrections statistics + oversight reports.

Population held

2018: 4,050+3.7%2024: 4,200

Occupancy %

2018: 142.0%+3.5%2024: 147.0%

Compared to other facilities in France

731 peers
Conditions risk scorethis: 17/100 · peers avg: 12/100 (+37%)

Higher risk than 61% of peer facilities in France.

Occupancythis: 147% · peers avg: 139% (+6%)
Capacity (beds)this: 2855 · peers avg: 366 (+679%)

Reports

  • European Court of Human Rights — J.M.B. v. France30 Jan 2020

    France condemned for systemic Article 3 violations in remand prisons including Fleury-Mérogis. Pilot judgement requiring structural reform.

    source

Data completeness

100%

How many of our profile fields are populated. We surface this so families and researchers know the limits.