Hérault

For other uses, see Hérault (disambiguation).

Hérault
—  Department  —
Coat of arms
Location of Hérault in France
Coordinates: 43°21′N 3°13′E / 43.35°N 3.217°E / 43.35; 3.217Coordinates: 43°21′N 3°13′E / 43.35°N 3.217°E / 43.35; 3.217
Country	France
Region	Languedoc-Roussillon
Prefecture	Montpellier
Subprefectures	Béziers Lodève
Government
– President of the General Council	André Vezinhet (PS)
Area1
– Total	6,101 km2 (2,355.6 sq mi)
Population (1999)
– Total	896,441
– Rank	22nd
– Density	146.9/km2 (380.6/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
– Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Department number	34
Arrondissements	3
Cantons	49
Communes	343
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Hérault (French pronunciation: [eʁo]; Occitan: Erau) is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.

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 region was devastated by a slump in sales combined with disease affecting the vines, and 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 underwent one of the most rapid population increases experienced anywhere in France.

Geography

Hérault is part of the current region of Languedoc-Roussillon and is surrounded by the departments of Aude, Tarn, Aveyron, Gard, and the Mediterranean (Gulf of Lion) on the south.

The department is very geographically diverse, with beaches in the south, the Cévennes mountains in the north, and agricultural land in between.

The important rivers are:

• Orb
• Hérault
• Vidourle

The area of Hérault near the town of Lodève is an 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 Vezinhet of the Socialist Party.

Party		seats
•	Socialist Party	31
•	Miscellaneous Left	6
	Union for a Popular Movement	5
•	French Communist Party	3
	Miscellaneous Right	3
•	Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition	1

Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called Héraultais.

Culture

Montpellier hosts the following festivals:

• Saperlipopette, voilà Enfantillages !
• Printemps des Comédiens
• Festival du Cinéma Méditerranéen
• Comédie du Livre
• Festival Radio-France Montpellier
• Festival Montpellier Danse

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.

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

External links

• (French) Prefecture website
• (French) Conseil Général website
• (English) The Hérault Tourist Board
• (English) Canal du Midi
• (English) Official tourist office website for Béziers
• "A Force in Gaul", in On Something by Hilaire Belloc (1910).