Mèze

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Coordinates: 43°25′40″N 3°36′21″E / 43.4277777778, 3.60583333333

Commune of Mèze

Location
Mèze (France)
Mèze
Administration
Country France
Region Languedoc-Roussillon
Department Hérault
Arrondissement Montpellier
Canton Mèze
Intercommunality Communauté de communes du Nord du Bassin de Thau
Mayor Henry Fricou
(2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation 0 m–75 m
(avg. 20 m)
Land area¹ 34.59 km²
Population²
(1999)
7,630
 - Density 220/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 34157/ 34140
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.
France

Mèze (Phoenecian: Mesua, in occitan Mesa) is a French commune, in the département of Hérault and the région of Languedoc-Roussillon. Its inhabitants are called Mézois.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Situated on the étang de Thau, Mèze shares with Bouzigues its historic role as the oyster capital of the area. Almost a third of its inhabitants depend on the fishing industry for their livelihood. In recent years, tourism and transport have become increasingly central to the local economy.

[edit] History

An important port since Phoenician times, Mèze has always primarily been a fishing town. During the Roman Empire, the town lay on the main Southern route from Italy to Spain - the 'Via Domitia'.The Romans brought wine to the area and left a legacy of architecture including two of the town's churches. The production of shellfish, especially oysters, has been the mainstay of the Mèze economy for almost a century and the whole Basin de Thau area has built an international reputation for the quality of its seafood.

[edit] Administration

Term Mayor of Mèze Party
1807-1815 Michel Privat
1815-1817 Charles de Borie
1817-1820 Pierre Ronzier
1820-1828 Louis Charamaule
1828-1840 François Bouliech
1840-1848 de Borie
1848-1848 Santy
1848-1849 Hippolyte Bouliech
1849-1849 Frédéric de Girard
1849-1850 Jules Molinier
1850-1851 François Besse
1851-1851 Sylla Lacroix
1851-1859 Constantin Bouliech
1859-1865 Adrien Lonjon
1865-1870 Gustave Privat
1870-1874 Antonin Bouliech
1874-1876 Emile Molinier
1876-1876 Jean-Baptiste Allègre
1876-1878 Jean-François Besse
1878-1878 Benjamin Durand
1878-1880 Jean-Baptiste Allègre
1880-1882 Emile Beaumadier
1882-1885 Jean-Baptiste Allègre
1885-1885 Vincent Germain
1885-1887 Jean-Baptiste Allègre
1887-1892 Guillaume Gros
1892-1901 Paulin Arnaud
1901-1904 Paul Enteric
1904-1912 Baptiste Guitard
1912-1921 Paul Enteric
1921-1922 Louis Brun
1922-1923 Camille Fraisse,
Charles Poujol,
François Vailhe
délégation spéciale
1923-1925 Julien Granal
1925-1941 Méril Poujade
1941-1944 Thomas Bessiere délégation spéciale
1944-1947 Henri Bessède
1947-1971 André Montet
1971-1977 Georges Jean
1977-2001 Yves Pietrasanta Greens
2001-2001 Yvon Pibre
2001-- Henry Fricou

[edit] Demography

Census Year Population
1962 4546
1968 5005
1975 5508
1982 5742
1990 6502
1999 7630

[edit] Places of Interest

Chapelle des Pénitents.
Chapelle des Pénitents.
St-Jean-de-la-Garrigue - église romane.
St-Jean-de-la-Garrigue - église romane.
  • Old village center
  • Port Mèze: both a working fishing harbor and a port for recreational boating.
  • Lagunage ecological site
  • Dinosaur Plain' palenthology museum.
  • Eglise Saint Hilaire
  • La Chapelle des Pénitents (XIIth century)
  • Le château de Girard (end of XVIIth century)
  • Remains of city walls
  • St-Jean-de-la-Garrigue, former parish church, built in romanesque style.

[edit] Famous residents

The singers Pierre Vassiliu and Christian Delagrange lived for many years in Mèze.

[edit] Festivals

  • Music Festival de Thau (annual),
  • A festival of traditional Boat Jousting is held each summer.

[edit] Traditions

  • The legendary bœuf de Mèze has become the animal symbol of the town.
  • The Balle au tambourin ball game.

[edit] External links