Hérault department (34)
Prefecture : Montpellier
Subprefectures : Béziers, Lodève
Herault drew its identity from the meting of civilisations. Iberians from the south, Etruscans arriving from the sea, Celts from Rhineland or Ligurians from Italy settled in the area and mixed up before Greeks and Romans imposed their rule. Later, French became the official language in the 15th century. In a land always favouring exchanges thanks to the Canal du Midi or Via Domitia, tourism is a key economic sector with a 1.2 billion euros revenue and 40,000 jobs. The 100-kms-long coastline is one of the best -preserved in the Mediterranean in spite of several seaside resorts and yachting harbours. Several large natural parks around the seaside lakes like Etang de Thau are protected. Viticulture is another main asset. In Languedoc, wine is a culture which left its mark in the land and in the minds. Faugeres, Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Coteaux du Languedoc, clairette ou Languedoc, Muscat in Frontignan or Mireval reflect the tradition. Demographically, the population has grown by 11,000 per year since 1990, the whole region gaining 57 pc inhabitants. Some 80 pc of the population live in the main towns, Montpellier, Beziers and Sete.
KM 64,5 : BEAUFORT (Pop : 60)
A lordship since the 11th century, Beaufort has a beautiful castle , part of the Minervois defensive system. An old fortress, the building was constantly refurbished between the 16th and 19th centuries. It is now a vineyard in the Minervois appellation.
KM 75,5 : AGEL (Pop : 200)
Sitting on a rocky mound overlooking the Cesse river, Agel is picturesque with its narrow streets surrounding a mediaeval castle. The spring at the bottom of the hill was bringing water to a Roman fountain. Of the old castle, located west of the new one, only a gate subsists on a square named after the Old Fort. The current castle dates from the 12th century and its origins are not precisely known. It probably belonged to a network of castles defending the lords faithful to the Count of Toulouse during the war against the Cathar heresy.
KM 92 : SAINT-CHINIAN (Pop : 1,800)
St Chinian is best known for its wines and an appellation awarded in 1982. Vines have been grown since antiquity and wine produced since the 8th century when Benedictine monks planted vine in the Vernazorbes valley. The Canal du Midi in the 19th century favoured viticulture at the expense of textile mills, hard hit by several wars and crises. An abbey was founded on the spot and the village grew around it becoming a town known in the 16th century as St Anian d’Holotian. The name evolved to become St Chinian. The village lived from and around the abbey until 1789, when he population rallied behind the ideas of the French Revolution. The Benedictines were driven out, their belongings were sold.
St Chinian is also the city in which was brought up celebrated French singer Charles Trenet. The house in which he lived is now the House of Wine.
Benedictine abbey
The buildings of the old abbey date from the 9th century and currently house the Town Hall. Destroyed by the Wars of Religion and the Revolution, the current building were rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Abbatial church and cloister
The abbatial church dates from the 9th century. It was plundered and demolished during the French Revolution when it lost its apse. The cloister was abandoned for a long period before being restored by the municipality and the department.
KM 102,5 : CESSENON-SUR-ORB (Pop : 2,000)
The Castle of Cessenon once ruled over 15 villages in the area and the situation lasted unti the French Revolution. The citadel was finally destroyed in 1633 by order of cardinal Richelieu and King Louis XIII. The ruins of the walls and the keep, the only remains of the period, still stand proudly in the High Quarter. At the time, wheat and cattle were the region’s main riches but vine gradually took over. To deal with overproduction, the winegrowers were forced to distil their wine and small distilleries were created. Red marble in the Courniac carer was another source of wealth. But the main industry was the clay used by the Cathala-Riche tile factory. In a small square in the hamlet of Lugne stands a copy of the Statue of Liberty.
Place to see
The keep
Standing on its rocky base at the back of the defence system, the keep signals the location of the ancient fortress. It is a quadrangular building, 13-metres high, with a Romanesque gate. The bells were installed in the 17th century. Marie-Rose, Radegonde and Pierre still rings the hours and the days on three notes: C, B, A.
KM 109,5 : MURVIEL-LES-BÉZIERS (Pop : 2,800)
A historical village with a remarkable Languedoc circulade (organisation in circle), Murviel les Beziers boasts a considerable heritage. In the old town, a circuit makes it possible to discover the St John the Bapitst church, porches, Renaissance houses, small streets. On the land can also be found several prehistoric sites.
Pigeon houses are another local curiosity.
On a mound, the old manorial caste and its terrace offer a splendid view on the vast plain of Orb.
KM 121,5 : PUISSALICON (Pop : 1,000)
Perched on hill, Puissalicon appeaerd in history in the 11th century under the name of Podio Salicone. Countless explanations have been given to this earlier denomination which probably refers to the presence of salt on the mound. The ruins of walls and old gates remind the strategic importance of the fortified site whose narrow streets still follow the circular disposition inherited from the old days.
Romanesque tower
One kilometre from the village at the bottom of a basin where the Libron river flows, a 10th century Romanesque tower stands high in he middle of an old cemetery. The rectangular building is 26 metres high and was first erected on its own, before being used as the spire of the church now attached to it. It has five floors separated by black cordons.
Mediaeval castle
It was built in 11th century over the Gothic church. Two big towers overlook a ruined keep. An underground gallery used to link the castles of Puissalicon and Cazilhac. Its is partly lost today.
KM 133 : ALIGNAN-DU-VENT (Pop : 1,400)
In the heart of the Languedoc vineyards, Alignan-du-Vent draws its name from a Roman war veteran Alinianum, who owned a villa on the spot. The square tower of its old keep is an important testimony of its glorious past. Three surrounding walls were successively built, reflecting the expansion of the village. The St Martin church, once located outside the walls, was originally a small Romanesque nave enlarge d in the 12th century. Vine grows on most of the territory.
KM 139,5 : PÉZENAS (Pop : 8,500)
Pézenas historical centre, under the law of protection of the architectural heritage, has retained the charm of its private mansions opening onto courtyards or gardens, and of its cobbled streets. The governors of Languedoc (the Montmorency family and the Prince of Conti) have made Pézenas their capital. From its prestigious past, Pézenas has kept a beautiful architectural “ensemble” of buildings from the 15th to 18th century; the town was therefore called the small Versailles of Languedoc.
Pézenas, rich in history and architecture, is a place favouring the creation. Numerous famous characters made its history. In Pézenas were born the chemist Jean-François Venel and Paul Vidal de la Blache who created the human geography or Boby Lapointe a French artist, quite a character, who wrote songs, sang, he also was a comedian, a humorist and a mathematician.
Pézenas Hall of Fame would not be complete without Molière and his theatre company “l’Illustre Théâtre” who arrived in Pézenas in 1650. Between 1646 and 1658, they travelled on the roads and paths of Languedoc, before getting back to Paris hometown of Molière, 12 years later. Back in Paris, Molière became Comedian of his Highness the King of France. He became famous and wrote 28 master pieces and invented the ballet comedy.
To pay a tribute to its illustrious visitor, the town of Pézenas opened up the Scenovision Molière -a show going through 5 rooms, using the latest technologies of the 3D and the sound- that proposes an original journey to discover Molière’s hectic life. Young and adults, lovers of theatre will be seduced by the decors of the rooms and the emotion that emerges from the projections where historic truth and passion for the theatre are omnipresent.
For more than 40 years Pézenas has been a town of art because of its architecture and the settling of numerous craftsmen in the historical centre and also because of the concentration of high quality know-how. The town therefore got the label Town of Arts and Crafts.
Pézenas has kept its carnival tradition throughout the centuries; the carnival in Pézenas focuses on the totem animal: the Foal. Folk tradition created the legend in 1226 when King Louis VIII crossed the town. The animal made of cloth and wood is accompanied by fifes and drums and the population dances around the Foal forming a farandole. The carnival in Pézenas retains its whole original significance and rites: the dance of the gusset, the “hot ass” and a show by the Machous. The Foal became internationally known when it was acknowledged as immaterial world heritage by the UNESCO.
KM 146,5 : MONTAGNAC (Pop : 3,600)
In 938, Montagnac is attested and in the Middle-Ages, the town is equipped with walls, ditches five defensive gates and a fortified church. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the town is split between the bishops of Agde and the consuls. Royal privileges will lead t the creation of the Wednesday market, which is still held nowadays. Prosperous fairs allowed the town to embellish. As early as the 14th century, commercial lojas were used as shops or warehouses for foreign salesmen. In the middle of the 16th century, Montagnac became a Protestant stronghold, fiercely fought by Catholic priest Leonard Delsol. After the Edict of Nantes, the religious problem became stronger in Montagnac and protestants went into exile. Around 1818, the vine replaces all the other cultures and wine is the town’s main wealth until the 1907 crisis.
Lavagnac Castle
The original fortified house on the site belonged to the abbey of Cassan. The castle passed into many hands before being bought in 1986 by Japanese company Nippon Fangyo. Afmidst controversy, the castle is sold to a holding. A golf, a tennis centre and a luxury hotel should be built on the site.
KM 157 : VILLEVEYRAC (Pop : 2,850)
Valmagne abbey
Raymond Trencavel, viscount of Beziers, founded the Valmagne abbey in the 12th century. Until the beginning of the 14th century, it was one of the richest abbeys in the south of France. Benedictine at first, it became Cistercian in 1159.
In 1789, the monks ran away and Valmagne was demolished. The lands were acquired by Mr Granier Joyeuse and then by the Count of Turenne. The current Gothic church, rebuilt in 1257, was converted in a wine cellar during the Revolution.
The charm of the cloister fountain, the purity of the chapterhouse with its lovely vault and the sheer majesty of the entire building make Valmagne a prestigious site in Languedoc, home to several events.
KM 175,5 : PIGNAN (Pop : 6,100)
Pignan is particularly noteworthy for its town hall, set since 1895 in the Turenne Castel, built by architects Gabriel d'Hebles and Henri de Baschi du Cayla in the 17th century to replace a ruined medieval castle. A severe construction, it was refurbished several times to soften his appearance. The castle gardens are now a public park. Nearby can be found the 30-metres-high quare Tower, the keep of a 13th century castle. The village also keeps some remains of the Vignogoul abbey.
