Hérault (; , ) is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France. Named after the river Hérault, its prefecture is Montpellier. It had a population of 1,230,289 in 2023.

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. The territory of Hérault is often described as an open amphitheater facing the sea. The geography of 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. Hérault has a Mediterranean climate.

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

thumb|300px|left|View of the [[Orb (river)|Orb River in Roquebrun]]

The department of Hérault is crossed by several rivers that originate in the southern foothills of the Massif Central and empty into the Mediterranean Sea, flowing more-or-less from north to south over a relatively short distance from high elevation. The main rivers flowing from west to east are the Vidourle, which marks the limit with the Gard department; the Lez, which flows through Montpellier; the Hérault, which gave its name to the department, and the Orb, which flows through Béziers. To the west, the Aude, a 224 km-long river flowing from the Pyrenees, has a course oriented west–east and marks the boundary between Hérault and the neighbouring department of Aude. These rivers as well as their tributaries take their character from the region's 'cévénol' climate, with sudden variations of flow causing sudden floods. Lagoons are found along the coast of Herault, 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.

Principal towns

The most populous commune is Montpellier, the prefecture. The least populated municipality is Romiguières with 24 inhabitants in 2023. As of 2023, there are 7 communes with more than 20,000 inhabitants:

{| class=wikitable

! Commune

! Population (2023)

|-

| Montpellier

| style="text-align: center;" | 310,240

|-

| Béziers

| style="text-align: center;" | 81,545

|-

| Sète

| style="text-align: center;" | 45,337

|-

| Agde

| style="text-align: center;" | 29,939

|-

| Lunel

| style="text-align: center;" | 26,623

|-

| Castelnau-le-Lez

| style="text-align: center;" | 26,058

|-

| Frontignan

| style="text-align: center;" | 24,136

|}

Climate

The vast majority of the department can be characterized as a Mediterranean climate. However, the mountainous areas of the northwest have an oceanic influence. Some sectors of northern Herault have 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 also vary, ranging from about 19 degrees Celsius on the coast to 15 degrees Celsius in the interior.

Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called Héraultais in French. Population development since 1791:

Culture

Language

The historical language is Occitan.

Totem animals and local festivals

thumb|250px|left| Foal of [[Pézenas]]

thumb|280px|right| [[Montpellier's FISE in 2013]]

  • The totemic animals of Herault are typical. During cultural events or local votive festivals, many towns or villages parade a totemic animal representing their municipality through the streets, often accompanied by the sound of traditional musical instruments, such as the Languedoc oboe or fife. The most well-known is the "Foal of Pézenas", which UNESCO proclaimed as part of the intangible cultural heritage, being an example of the Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France.
  • 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)
  • Cazouls-lès-Béziers festival : Festival Piano Prestige, artistic director Jean-Bernard Pommier
  • 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

185,048 hectares (nearly 30%) of land in Hérault is used for agriculture. Viticulture is the most important, with 85,525 hectares. The cultivation of cereals uses 20,095 hectares, grazing 7,090 hectares, 4,991 hectares are left fallow, 3,788 hectares are devoted to the cultivation of vegetables, and 3,400 hectares for orchards (olives, chestnuts, walnuts, plums, apples).

Viticulture

thumb|250px|left| Vineyard in [[Pinet, Hérault|Pinet]]

The vineyards of Hérault are very old, dating from before the founding of Gallia Narbonensis. Hérault is today the second French wine department, after the Gironde, representing 14% of the total area of the department. The department has a favorable climate, excellent exposure, a wide variety of soils and many varieties of grape: all these assets result in generous, sometimes robust, wines 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 Hérault, the cultivation of shellfish produces 8,300 tons of oysters (10% of the national production) and 5,900 tons of mussels a year. The Étang de Thau is a centre for growing mussels and oysters in the Mediterranean. At Bouzigues, oysters are cultivated on permanently-immersed, raised breeding.

Tourism

Tourist attractions

  • 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 park : 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 common holiday activity.

<gallery>

File:34120 Pézenas, France - panoramio (2).jpg|Gambetta square in Pézenas

File:Houseboat Canal du Midi Poilhes-DSC 0082.jpg|Houseboat on the Canal du Midi

File:Chateau d'Eau du Peyrou.jpg|Promenade du Peyrou in Montpellier

File:Avène.JPG|View of Avène

File:Salagou 8.jpg|The "Lac du Salagou"

File:File by Alexander Baranov - (19410989012).jpg|Kayaking on the Orb

File:Crique de l'Anau, Sète, Hérault 02.jpg|Crique de l'Anau in Sète

</gallery>

Politics

Composition of the departmental council

The president of the Departmental Council is Kléber Mesquida of the Socialist Party.

{| align="center" rules="all" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="margin-top: 1em; border: 1px solid #999; border-right: 2px solid #999; border-bottom: 2px solid #999"

! Party!! Representative

|-

| colspan="3" align=center bgcolor=pink| Majority (36 representatives)

|-

| FG ||align=center |2

|-

| PS ||align=center |16

|-

| DVG ||align=center |15

|-

| colspan="3" align=center bgcolor=lightblue| Opposition (14 representatives)

|-

| DVD ||align=center |2

|-

| LR ||align=center |4

|-

| UDI ||align=center |2

|-

| FN ||align=center |6

|-

| colspan="3" align=center bgcolor=pink| President of the General Council

|-

| colspan="3" align=center bgcolor=pink| Kléber Mesquida (PS)

|-

|}

Current National Assembly Representatives

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!colspan="2"|Constituency!!Member!!Party

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 1st constituency

| Jean-Louis Roumegas

| The Ecologists

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 2nd constituency

| Nathalie Oziol

| La France Insoumise

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 3rd constituency

| Fanny Dombre-Coste

| Socialist Party

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 4th constituency

| Manon Bouquin

| National Rally

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 5th constituency

| Stéphanie Galzy

| National Rally

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 6th constituency

| Julien Gabarron

| National Rally

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 7th constituency

| Aurélien Lopez-Liguori

| National Rally

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 8th constituency

| Sylvain Carrière

| La France Insoumise

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Hérault's 9th constituency

| Charles Alloncle

| Union of the Right for the Republic

|}

List of successive presidents

thumb|280px|right| [[Departmental council (France)|Departmental council's building of Hérault department]]

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!colspan="2"|Election!!Member!!Party

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1961

|rowspan="6"| Jean Bène

|rowspan="4"|SFIO

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1964

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1967

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1970

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1973

|rowspan="2"|PS

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1976

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1979

|rowspan="6"| Gérard Saumade

|rowspan="6"|PS

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1982

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1985

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1988

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1992

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1994

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 1998

|rowspan="5"| André Vézinhet

|rowspan="5"|PS

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 2001

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 2004

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 2008

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 2011

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| 2015

| Kléber Mesquida

|PS

|}

Sport

thumb|280px|right| [[Basket Lattes|BLMA's team in 2015]]

thumb|280px|right| [[Montpellier Handball's team in 2016]]

thumb|280px|right| [[Altrad Stadium, the home stadium of Montpellier Hérault Rugby]]

thumb|280px|right| Match between [[Montpellier Water-Polo and VK Jug in 2012]]

thumb|280px|right| [[Tamburello's match in Notre-Dame-de-Londres]]

Baseball

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!|Club!!League

|-

| Barracudas de Montpellier

| D1

|}

Basketball

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!|Club!!League

|-

| BLMA

| LFB<br />EuroCup Women<br />EuroLeague Women

|}

Beach soccer

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!|Club!!League

|-

| Grande Motte Pyramide Beach Soccer

| French Beach Football Championship

|-

| Montpellier Hérault Beach Soccer

| French Beach Football Championship

|}

Football

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!|Club!!League

|-

| AS Béziers

| Ligue 2

|-

| Montpellier HSC

| Ligue 1

|-

| Montpellier HSC (Women)

| Division 1 Féminine

|-

| FC Sète 34

| N2

|}

Handball

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!|Club!!League

|-

| Montpellier Handball

| Division 1<br />EHF Champions League

|}

Volley-ball

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!|Club!!League

|-

| Béziers Volley (Women)

| Ligue AF

|-

| Arago de Sète

| Ligue AM

|-

| Montpellier Volley Université Club

| Ligue AM

|}

Rugby

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!|Club!!League

|-

| Rugby olympique agathois

| Fédérale 1

|-

| AS Béziers Hérault

| Pro D2

|-

| Montpellier Hérault Rugby

| Top 14<br />European Rugby Champions Cup

|-

| Montpellier Hérault Rugby (Women)

| Top 8

|}

Water polo

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!|Club!!League

|-

| Montpellier Water-Polo

| Pro A

|}

Specific sports

There are several sports specific to Hérault: tamburello (85% of players are French) and water jousting.

See also

  • Cantons of the Hérault department
  • Communes of the Hérault department
  • Arrondissements of the Hérault department
  • Castles in Hérault

References

  • Prefecture website
  • Departmental Council website
  • Hérault's Official tourist office website
  • Official tourist office website