Hérault

Hérault
Department

Prefecture building of the Hérault department, in Montpellier

Coat of arms

Location of Hérault in France
Coordinates: 43°21′N 3°13′E / 43.350°N 3.217°E / 43.350; 3.217Coordinates: 43°21′N 3°13′E / 43.350°N 3.217°E / 43.350; 3.217
Country France
Region Occitanie
Prefecture Montpellier
Subprefectures Béziers
Lodève
Government
 • President of the General Council André Vezinhet (PS)
Area1
 • Total 6,101 km2 (2,356 sq mi)
Population (2013)
 • Total 1,092,331
 • Rank 20st
 • Density 180/km2 (460/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Department number 34
Arrondissements 3
Cantons 25
Communes 343
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Hérault (French: [eʁo]; Occitan: Erau [eˈɾaw]) is a department in southern France named after the Hérault river. It is part of the Occitanie region of the country.

History

Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.

At the beginning of the 20th century, viticulture in the wine-growing region was devastated by a slump in sales combined with disease affecting the vines. Thousands of small scale producers revolted. This revolt was suppressed very harshly by the government of Georges Clemenceau.

The catastrophic frost of the winter of 1956 damaged the olive trees, and the olive-growing regions did not recover until the late 1980s. Many of the olive-industry co-ops closed.

During the second half of the twentieth century the Montpellier basin saw some of the most rapid population growth in France.

Geography


Hérault is part of one of the regions of France of Occitanie and is surrounded by the departments of Aude, Tarn, Aveyron, Gard, and the Mediterranean (Gulf of Lion) on the south. The department is geographically very diverse, with beaches in the south, the Cévennes mountains in the north, and agricultural land in between.

The important rivers are Orb, the Hérault and the Vidourle

The area of Hérault near the town of Lodève is the geographical antipode point with Chatham Island off the east coast of New Zealand.

Climate

Early depiction of Jesus Christ on a sarcophagus, Hérault, France, 6th century. Louvre Museum.

The average daytime temperature is around 25-30 degrees Celsius in July and August and 8-10 degrees Celsius in December and January.

Politics

The President of the General Council is André Vézinhet of the Socialist Party.

Party seats
• Socialist Party 20
• Miscellaneous Left 14
Union for a Popular Movement 8
• French Communist Party 2
National Front (France) 6

Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called Héraultais.

Culture

Montpellier hosts the following festivals:

I Love Techno Europe

The Canal du Midi has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Tourism

The Mediterranean beaches are a major attraction, as well as the caves of Clamouse and Demoiselles.

Pézenas, former Royal city, has one of the oldest French "secteur sauvegardé", meaning an urban protected area. More than 30 mansions, with stone stairs, courtyards, decorated facades are located in a small perimeter (17 ha).

Part of Cap d'Agde is a major nudist resort.

Cruising along the Canal du Midi and walking or cycling along the tow paths is a popular holiday option.

See also

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