Fleury-Mérogis prison (Essonne)

Has a relative just been imprisoned at Fleury-Mérogis? The first days matter: you need a visiting permit, visit bookings, clothes, and above all a defence or release strategy. This page brings together the practical information and explains what a lawyer can do now.

Is a relative detained at Fleury-Mérogis? Barssie Avocats visits clients in prison and appears before the investigating judge, the investigation appeals chamber and the sentence enforcement judge. +33 7 75 72 74 27, available 24/7. We speak English.

Overview

Opened in 1968, the Fleury-Mérogis prison complex is the largest prison in France. It includes a men’s remand prison, a women’s remand prison and a unit for minors. On 1 January 2024, the men’s remand prison held 3,824 people for 2,509 places, an occupancy rate of 153%. Cases are most often handled by the courts of Paris and Évry.

Address and access

Centre pénitentiaire de Fleury-Mérogis
7 avenue des Peupliers, 91700 Fleury-Mérogis
Switchboard: +33 1 69 72 30 00

Public transport: from Juvisy station (RER C and D), bus DM50; from Grigny station (RER D), bus 510; from Paris, bus 109 from Porte d’Orléans.
By car: visitor car park, with a space for disabled visitors.

Visiting a relative

1. The visiting permit

No visit is possible without a permit (permis de visite). For a person on remand (not yet finally convicted), the request is made to the judge in charge of the case; for a convicted person, to the prison governor. The documents to provide are listed in our guide to prisons in France.

2. Booking a visit

Book online on the prison administration portal, by phone on +33 1 72 49 90 10 or +33 1 69 72 30 00 then key 1 (Monday to Friday 7 am–5 pm, Saturday 7.30 am–4.30 pm), or at the terminal in the family reception area (Monday to Saturday 7.30 am–5.30 pm).

Visits take place Monday to Saturday and last 45 minutes, with up to three visits per week. Days and times depend on the building (D1 to D5).

Important: arrive at the family reception area at least one hour before the visit; late arrivals are refused.

3. Dropping off clothes

Relatives may drop off clothes once a week, even without a visiting permit, in a zipped bag. Without a permit: at the family reception area, 9.30–11 am and 1.10–4 pm.

4. Getting support

The association Soutien Écoute Prison 91 welcomes families, with a children’s area: +33 1 80 37 37 06, sep91fleury@gmail.com.

What a lawyer can do

The lawyer meets your relative in the lawyers’ visiting room, confidentially, without a visiting permit and without limits on frequency. Cases of people detained at Fleury-Mérogis are most often handled by the courts of Paris and Évry.

Pre-trial detention: application for release, if necessary under judicial supervision or electronic tagging; appeal before the investigation appeals chamber; challenge to a refused visiting permit.
After conviction: sentence adjustment (electronic tagging at home, day release, parole), temporary leave.
During detention: assistance before the disciplinary board, challenge to a sanction, transfer or solitary confinement.
Foreign nationals: liaison with the family abroad and the consulate, transfer requests where possible.

The firm visits clients at Fleury-Mérogis. For an initial assessment of your relative’s situation: +33 7 75 72 74 27, 24/7, or contact@barssie-avocats.com.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out if a relative is at Fleury-Mérogis? Call the prison switchboard on +33 1 69 72 30 00. Their lawyer can also tell you, with their consent.

How many visits per week? Up to three, of 45 minutes each.

Can I drop off clothes without a permit? Yes, once a week, at the family reception area, 9.30–11 am and 1.10–4 pm.

Practical information taken from the official page of the prison in October 2026. Times can change: check before you travel.

See also: all prisons · La Santé · Fresnes