Hérault





Department of France


Department in Occitanie, France
















































































Hérault
Department

Prefecture building of the Hérault department, in Montpellier

Prefecture building of the Hérault department, in Montpellier





Flag of Hérault
Flag

Coat of arms of Hérault
Coat of arms

Location of Hérault in France
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

Kléber Mesquida (PS)
Area
1

 • Total 6,224 km2 (2,403 sq mi)
Population
(2016)

 • Total 1,132,481
 • Density 180/km2 (470/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Héraultais
Time zone
UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)
UTC+2 (CEST)
Department number 34
Arrondissements 3
Constituency 7
Cantons 25
Intercommunality 16
Communes 343

^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Hérault (French: [eʁo];[1]Occitan: Erau [eˈɾaw]) is a department in southern France named after the Hérault. It is part of the Occitanie region of the country.




Contents






  • 1 History


  • 2 Geography


  • 3 Climate


  • 4 Culture


    • 4.1 Language


    • 4.2 Totem animals and local festivals


    • 4.3 Heritage




  • 5 Economy


    • 5.1 Agriculture


    • 5.2 Viticulture


    • 5.3 Aquaculture




  • 6 Politics


    • 6.1 Composition of the departmental council


    • 6.2 Current National Assembly Representatives


    • 6.3 List of successive presidents




  • 7 Demographics


  • 8 Sport


    • 8.1 Baseball


    • 8.2 Basketball


    • 8.3 Beach soccer


    • 8.4 Football


    • 8.5 Handball


    • 8.6 Volley-ball


    • 8.7 Rugby


    • 8.8 Water polo


    • 8.9 Specific sports




  • 9 Tourism


    • 9.1 The touristic places




  • 10 See also


  • 11 References


  • 12 External links





History





Oppidum d'Ensérune


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.[2]



Geography


Hérault is part of the region 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. To define the Hérault, one often tends to compare its territory to an open amphitheater facing the sea. The geography of the Hérault is marked by the diversity of its geology and its landscapes. These range from the southern foothills of the Massif Central, to the Mediterranean Sea, through the areas of garrigue and the low plain of Languedoc wine. The Hérault is bathed by a Mediterranean climate.


The minimum altitude is at sea level and the highest point of the department is at an altitude of 1181m in one of the peaks of Espinouse. The average altitude is about 227m.




View of the Orb River in Roquebrun


The department of Hérault is crossed by several coastal rivers that originated in the southern foothills of the Massif Central to jump into the Mediterranean Sea after a course of general north-south orientation relatively short and high altitude. the main ones are from east to west the Vidourle, which marks the limit with the Gard department, the Lesz which crosses notably Montpellier, the Hérault, which gave its name to the department, and the Orb which waters Béziers.To the west, the Aude Valley, a 224 km river from the Pyrenees, whose course is oriented west-east, forms the limit with the department of the same name.
These rivers as well as their tributaries are characterized by their regime, called "cévénol", marked by sudden variations of flow causing sudden and important floods. All along the coast of Herault successive lagoon, some of which have a large area, the largest of which is the Étang de Thau with an area of about 7,500 hectares.


The hinterland of the lowlands of Bas-Languedoc is gradually hilly. It is the territory of the vineyard, olive groves, orchards and scrubland. Olive growing and viticulture symbolize an important part of the Mediterranean heritage and lifestyle.


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


The most populated municipality is Montpellier with 277,639 inhabitants in 2015. The least populated municipality is Romiguières with 27 inhabitants in 2015.



Climate


The vast majority of the department can be characterized by a Mediterranean climate. However, the mountainous areas of the northwest have an oceanic influence. Some sectors of northern Herault can for their part know a temperate continental influence.


The average temperature of the summer months is close to the maximum French average. Nevertheless, the sea protects the coastal areas from the extremes of heat waves in summer, but also frosts in winter. They range from about 27 degrees Celsius on the seashore to 32 degrees Celsius inland. Mean minimum temperatures are also very varied, ranging from about 19 degrees Celsius on the coast to 15 degrees Celsius in the interior.



Culture



Language


The historical language is Occitan language.



Totem animals and local festivals




Foal of Pézenas





Montpellier's FISE in 2013


  • The totemic animals of Herault are typical. During cultural events or local votive festivals, many towns or villages scroll through the streets a totemic animal representing their municipality. Often the sound of traditional Languedoc oboe or fife instruments accompany these parades. The most famous is the Foal of Pézenas. Indeed, UNESCO proclaimed the immaterial cultural heritage of humanity, the Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France, which includes the Foal of Pézenas.


  • Béziers festivals : Fèsta d'Oc, Béziers's Feria


  • Montpellier festivals : I Love Techno Europe, Mediterranean Film Festival, Comédie du Livre, Montpellier Dance Festival,

International Festival of Extreme Sports (FISE)



  • Pézenas festivals : Printival Boby Lapointe, Mirondela dels Arts


  • Sète festivals : Sète's Jazz Festival, Documentary Photo Festival "Imagesingulieres", Poetry Festival "Vivid Voice of the Mediterranean in the Mediterranean"


Heritage


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



Economy



Agriculture


The agricultural area used in the department is 185,048 hectares, or nearly 30% of the department. Viticulture is important with 85,525 hectares, other arable land is used for orchards (olives, chestnuts, walnuts, plums, apples) with 3,400 hectares, artificial grasslands with 7,090 hectares, vegetable cultivation with 3,788 hectares , the cultivation of cereals with 20,095 hectares, fallows with 4,991 hectares.



Viticulture




Vineyard in Adissan


The vineyard is very old and dates from before the founding of Gallia Narbonensis. The Hérault is today the second French wine department behind the Gironde, representing 14% of the total area of the department. The department has both a favorable climate, excellent exposure, a wide variety of soils and a wide range of grape varieties: all the assets are there to produce generous wines, sometimes robust, with a wide aromatic palette



  • AOC : Saint-Chinian, Faugères, Minervois, Coteaux-du-languedoc, Clairette du Languedoc, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat de Lunel, Muscat de Mireval, Muscat de Saint-Jean-de-Minervois and Picpoul de Pinet


Aquaculture


In the Hérault, shellfish farming represents 8,300 tons of oysters (10% of the national production) and 5,900 tons of mussels a year. The Étang de Thau is a Mecca for growing mussels and oysters in the Mediterranean. Bouzigues oyster farming is practiced on suspended breeding tables and generally in permanent immersion.



Politics



Composition of the departmental council


The President of the General Council is Kléber Mesquida of the Socialist Party.







































Party Representative

Majority (36 representatives)
FG 2
PS 16
DVG 15

Opposition (14 representatives)
DVD 2
LR 4
UDI 2
FN 6

President of the General Council

Kléber Mesquida (PS)


Current National Assembly Representatives






























































Constituency Member[3]
Party


Hérault's 1st constituency

Patricia Mirallès

La République En Marche!


Hérault's 2nd constituency

Muriel Ressiguier

La France Insoumise


Hérault's 3rd constituency

Coralie Dubost

La République En Marche!


Hérault's 4th constituency

Jean-François Eliaou

La République En Marche!


Hérault's 5th constituency

Philippe Huppé

La République En Marche!


Hérault's 6th constituency

Emmanuelle Ménard

National Rally


Hérault's 7th constituency

Christophe Euzet

La République En Marche!


Hérault's 8th constituency

Nicolas Démoulin

La République En Marche!


Hérault's 9th constituency

Patrick Vignal

La République En Marche!


List of successive presidents





Departmental council's building of Hérault department

























































































Election Member Party


1961

Jean Bène

SFIO


1964


1967


1970


1973

PS


1976


1979

Gérard Saumade

PS


1982


1985


1988


1992


1994


1998

André Vézinhet

PS


2001


2004


2008


2011


2015

Kléber Mesquida

PS


Demographics


The inhabitants of the department are called Héraultais.



Sport





BLMA's team in 2015





Montpellier Handball's team in 2016





Altrad Stadium, the home stadium of Montpellier Hérault Rugby




Match between Montpellier Water-Polo and VK Jug in 2012





Tamburello's match in Notre-Dame-de-Londres



Baseball











Club League

Barracudas de Montpellier

D1


Basketball











Club League

BLMA

LFB
EuroCup Women
EuroLeague Women


Beach soccer















Club League

Grande Motte Pyramide Beach Soccer

French Beach Football Championship

Montpellier Hérault Beach Soccer

French Beach Football Championship


Football























Club League

AS Béziers

Ligue 2

Montpellier HSC

Ligue 1

Montpellier HSC (Women)

Division 1 Féminine

FC Sète 34

N2


Handball











Club League

Montpellier Handball

Division 1
EHF Champions League


Volley-ball



















Club League

Béziers Volley (Women)

Ligue AF

Arago de Sète

Ligue AM

Montpellier Volley Université Club

Ligue AM


Rugby























Club League

Rugby olympique agathois

Fédérale 1

AS Béziers Hérault

Pro D2

Montpellier Hérault Rugby

Top 14
European Rugby Champions Cup

Montpellier Hérault Rugby (Women)

Top 8


Water polo











Club League

Montpellier Water-Polo

Pro A


Specific sports


There are several specific sports in the Hérault: the Tamburello (85% of French players) and the Water jousting.



Tourism



The touristic places



  • 87 km of beaches

  • 3 World Heritage Sites : Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert Abbey, Canal du Midi and Causses and Cévennes

  • 2 Great sites in France : Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and Gorges de l'Hérault and Cirque de Navacelles

  • 1 Regional nature parks : Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park

  • 2 Towns and Lands of Art and History : Pézenas and Lodève

  • 3 villages listed in the Most Beautiful Villages of France : Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Olargues and Minerve

  • 2 coastal resorts classified Heritage of the twentieth century : La Grande-Motte and Cap d'Agde

  • 3 Spa town : Balaruc-les-Bains, Avène and Lamalou-les-Bains

  • 19 marinas

  • 541 sites classified or listed as historic monuments


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



  • Cantons of the Hérault department

  • Communes of the Hérault department

  • Arrondissements of the Hérault department

  • Castles in Hérault



References





  1. ^ "Hérault - Deutsch-Übersetzung - Langenscheidt Französisch-Deutsch Wörterbuch" (in German and French). Langenscheidt. Retrieved 22 October 2018..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ Hoad, Phil (2017-03-13). "Montpellier in the spotlight: development mania in France's fastest-growing city". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2018-12-29.


  3. ^ http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/




External links












  • (in French) Prefecture website


  • (in French) Conseil Général website


  • (in English) Hérault's Official tourist office website


  • (in English) Pézenas's Official tourist office website


  • (in English) Montpellier's Official tourist office website


  • (in English) Béziers's Official tourist office website


  • (in English) Clermont-l'Hérault's Official tourist office website


  • (in English) Étang de Thau's Official tourist office website












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