Fresnes prison (Val-de-Marne)

Has your relative been taken to Fresnes? Visiting rules are precise there, and differ for remand and convicted prisoners. This page helps you get a visit, drop off clothes and understand what a lawyer can do.

Is a relative detained at Fresnes? 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 at the end of the 19th century, Fresnes is one of the largest prisons in France. It mainly holds people on remand and people serving short sentences. Cases are often handled by the courts of Créteil and Paris.

Address and access

Centre pénitentiaire de Fresnes
Allée des Thuyas, 94260 Fresnes
Switchboard: +33 1 88 28 60 00

Public transport: TVM bus, Docteur Ténine stop; bus 187, Maison d’Arrêt stop.
By car: parking on avenue de la Liberté.

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

Call +33 1 88 28 60 00, then 1, then 1 for a booking (2 for clothes, 3 for other requests), Monday to Friday 8.30–11.30 am and 1.30–4.30 pm.

Visits take place Tuesday to Saturday at 10 am, 2 pm and 3.30 pm, for 45 minutes. Remand prisoners may receive three visits a week, convicted prisoners one.

Important: arrive one hour before the visit.

3. Dropping off clothes

Without a permit, clothes can be dropped off Tuesday to Friday at 10 am, by appointment only on +33 1 88 28 62 73 (8.30–11.30 am).

4. Getting support

The ADEFA association welcomes families at 1 allée des Thuyas, next to the prison.

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. At Fresnes, the lawyer most often appears before the courts of Créteil and Paris.

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 Fresnes. 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 many visits per week? Three for a remand prisoner, one for a convicted prisoner, 45 minutes each.

How do I drop off clothes without a permit? By appointment on +33 1 88 28 62 73, Tuesday to Friday at 10 am.

When should I arrive? One hour before the visit.

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 · Fleury-Mérogis