Clermont-l'Hérault explained

Clermont-l'Hérault
Commune Status:Commune
Image Coat Of Arms:Blason ville fr Clermont-l'Hérault (Hérault).svg
Arrondissement:Lodève
Canton:Clermont-l'Hérault
Insee:34079
Postal Code:34800
Mayor:Gérard Bessière[1]
Term:2020 - 2026
Intercommunality:Clermontais
Coordinates:43.6281°N 3.4331°W
Elevation M:92
Elevation Min M:40
Elevation Max M:322
Area Km2:32.49

Clermont-l'Hérault (in French pronounced as /klɛʁmɔ̃ leʁo/; Occitan (post 1500);: Clarmont d'Erau) is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.

Geography

Chief town of the Canton, Clermont-l'Hérault is located about 40 km west of Montpellier, halfway between the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Cévennes National Park to the north.

Hydrography

La Lergue, Le Salagou, Ruisseau des Servières are the main rivers that cross the town.

Climate

The city enjoys a Mediterranean climate. The winter is mild, despite occasional frosts. Summer is hot. In autumn, Mediterranean episodes occur bringing intense and heavy rainfall.

History

The site of Clermont-l'Hérault has been inhabited since Protohistory: during the Iron Age (6th century BC), Clermont constitutes one of the main Oppida of the Celtic Mediterranean.

Recent archaeological excavations have demonstrated its importance during antiquity (INRAP, 2000s). There was then a main agglomeration of five to six hectares and a peripheral inhabited area of 12 hectares. The remains of a thermal establishment have been uncovered.

The town was several times taken and retaken in the religious wars of the 16th century.The city was formerly known as Clermont-Lodève. The manufacture of sheets was established at nearby Villeneuvette, or rather relaunched in 1667 by Colbert to develop the cloth industry in France, taking advantage of the waters of the Dourbie.

Politics and administration

ElectionMayorPartyOccupation
1971Marcel VidalPSWinemaker
Member of the Senate for Hérault
1977
1983
1989
1995
2001Alain CazorlaPS
2008
2014Salvador RuizDVGTeacher

Sights

The town is built on the slope of a hill ("Pioch Castel") which is crowned by an ancient castle (Château des Guilhem) and skirted by the Rhonel, a tributary of the Lergue. It has a southern Gothic style chapel "Les Pénitents" (The Penitents) that has been recently restored. It is now a cultural centre. Also of interest is Saint Paul's church, begun in the 12th century, and finished in the 14th century.

Close by is the large man-made Lac du Salagou.

International relations

Clermont-l'Hérault is twinned with:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Répertoire national des élus: les maires. data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022. fr.