L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac (; oc, L'Espitalet de Larzac) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Aveyron Aveyron (; oc, Avairon; ) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as ''Aveyronnais'' (masculine) or ''Aveyronnaises'' (feminine) in French. The inhabitants ...

department in southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, part of the southern

Massif central The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France. Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,0 ...

, incorporating part of the

Larzac The Larzac, also known as the Causse of Larzac (French: ''Causse du Larzac''), is a limestone karst plateau in the south of the Massif Central, France, situated between Millau (in the département of l'Aveyron) and Lodève (in the départe ...

plateau. The economy is agricultural, notably dairy produce (

Roquefort cheese Roquefort is a sheep milk cheese from Southern France, and is one of the world's best known blue cheeses. Though similar cheeses are produced elsewhere, EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-su ...

), but also beef and mutton production, and rural tourism. L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac is the site of discovery of one of the longest and most important inscriptions in the

Gaulish language Gaulish was an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzer ...

, a lead curse tablet (found in 1983). The commune is named for a historical hospital founded by viscount Millau Gilbert (or Guibert) in 1108. It was owned by

Cassan Abbey Cassan Abbey (Cassan priory, ''Abbaye de Cassan, Le prieuré de Cassan, château de Cassan, château-abbaye de Cassan'') is an 18th-century building in France, classed as a historical monument. It is located in Roujan commune, Hérault départeme ...

from 1174 to 1789. The parish church was at Saint-Étienne-du-Larzac, now ruined, in what is now part of Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon commune. The hospital was fortified in the early 15th century, after which the parish center was transferred there. The current parish church dates to 1764, presumably built on top of an older structure. In 1807, the parish was enlarged, incorporating d’Egalières, du Sambuc, Trinquier and du Rouquet. The modern commune was formed in 1834, with the dissolution of the predecessor commune of La Cavalerie.

References

Communes of Aveyron {{Aveyron-geo-stub

See also

References