Languedoc-Roussillon (; oc, Lengadòc-Rosselhon ; ca, Llenguadoc-Rosselló) is a former

administrative region Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

of France. On 1 January 2016, it joined with the region of Midi-Pyrénées to become

Occitania Occitania ( oc, Occitània , , or ) is the historical region in Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe where the Occitan language, Occitan language was historically spoken and where it is sometimes still used as a second language. This ...

. It comprised five

departments Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, and bordered the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées towards the north, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean Sea towards the south. It was the southernmost region of mainland France.

Toponymy

The first part of the name of the province of Languedoc-Roussillon comes from the French ("language of "), and is also a historical region. In southern France, the word for ''yes'' was the Occitan language word . Prior to the 16th century, the central area of France was referred to as , there the word for ''yes'' was in Old French, later becoming . These old place names referred to the areas where Occitan and Old French were spoken. The

Edict of Villers-Cotterets An edict is a decree or announcement of a law, often associated with monarchism, but it can be under any official authority. Synonyms include "dictum" and "pronouncement". ''Edict'' derives from the Latin edictum. Notable edicts * Telepinu Pr ...

made French the official national language in 1539.

Roussillon Roussillon ( , , ; ca, Rosselló ; oc, Rosselhon ) is a historical province of France that largely corresponded to the County of Roussillon and part of the County of Cerdagne of the former Principality of Catalonia. It is part of the reg ...

was the name of the medieval County of Roussillon.

History

Towards the end of the 3rd century BC, a Celtic people, the , took up residence in the region between the Rhône and the Garonne, from the Cévennes to the Pyrenees. Their capitals were Toulouse and

Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; oc, Nimes ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the prefecture of the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the commune of Nîmes has an estimated population of 148,5 ...

. They made a pact with the Romans from the 1st century BC. Narbonne was created to pacify the province in 118 BC and became the capital of the Narbonnaise. At the beginning of the 5th century, the Vandals invaded the province and then the Visigoths settled there. The Narbonne region, like the Iberian Peninsula, remained Visigothic until its conquest by the Moors between 719 () and 725 (fall of Carcassonne and Nîmes). Narbonne then became the capital of one of the five provinces of led by a for nearly forty years. The region was conquered by Pépin the Short ( fall of Narbonne in 759), who made it the

marquisate of Gothia A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman w ...

, included in the

kingdom of Aquitaine The Duchy of Aquitaine ( oc, Ducat d'Aquitània, ; french: Duché d'Aquitaine, ) was a historical fiefdom in western, central, and southern areas of present-day France to the south of the river Loire, although its extent, as well as its name, fluc ...

created in 778. This vast territory encompassed all of the south of the Rhône to the Atlantic and was bequeathed by Charlemagne to his son Louis the Pious in 781. The administration was entrusted to the counts of Toulouse. During the feudal era, a great political fragmentation took place: the counties of Roussillon and

Cerdanya Cerdanya () or often La Cerdanya ( la, Ceretani or ''Ceritania''; french: Cerdagne; es, Cerdaña), is a natural comarca and historical region of the eastern Pyrenees divided between France and Spain. Historically it was one of the counties ...

passed into the orbit of the

kingdom of Aragon The Kingdom of Aragon ( an, Reino d'Aragón, ca, Regne d'Aragó, la, Regnum Aragoniae, es, Reino de Aragón) was a medieval and early modern kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, ...

, while Bas-Languedoc passed under the domination of the house of Trencavel and their rivals the counts of Toulouse. Raymond IV (1042-1115) achieved through marriage the objective of reunification by enlarging his state to the

county of Rouergue This is a list of the counts of Rouergue. * Sigisbert c. 790 – c. 810 or 820 * Fulcoald c. 810 or 820 – c. 836 or 849 * Raymond I c. 836 or 849 – 864 * Fredelo c. 836 or 849 – 852 (associated with Raymond) * Bernard the ...

, Nîmes, Narbonne, Gévaudan, Agde,

Béziers Béziers (; oc, Besièrs) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Every August Béziers hos ...

and Uzès. The fight against

Catharism Catharism (; from the grc, καθαροί, katharoi, "the pure ones") was a Christian dualist or Gnostic movement between the 12th and 14th centuries which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France. Follow ...

and the

Albigensian Crusade The Albigensian Crusade or the Cathar Crusade (; 1209–1229) was a military and ideological campaign initiated by Pope Innocent III to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc, southern France. The Crusade was prosecuted primarily by the French crown ...

led to the extinction of the dynasty of the Counts of Toulouse. The province was united to the Kingdom of France in 1271, with the exception of

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

, which remained under the influence of the House of Barcelona and then of Majorca, and which was not attached to the Kingdom of France until 1349. From there was born the royal Languedoc which persisted until the French Revolution. The Treaty of Corbeil in 1258 ratified the division with the southern territories of the region. The Corbières formed the border between the kingdom of France and the kingdom of Aragon. In 1659, the Treaty of the Pyrenees led to the annexation of Roussillon and northern Cerdanya to the kingdom of France.

Population

The region is experiencing the strongest demographic growth in France, and could have around 3,300,000 inhabitants in 2030, an increase of 36% compared to 2000. This increase is mainly due to internal migration, natural increase being rather low.

Pyrénées-Orientales Pyrénées-Orientales (; ca, Pirineus Orientals ; oc, Pirenèus Orientals ; ), also known as Northern Catalonia, is a department of the region of Occitania, Southern France, adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. ...

has the largest proportion of elderly people (12.10% over 75).

Gard Gard () is a department in Southern France, located in the region of Occitanie. It had a population of 748,437 as of 2019;Hérault are the "youngest" departments, but they are destined to "age" considerably in the coming years. By 2020, the number of people aged over 75 is expected to increase by 12% across the region.

Religion

Catholicism is the most represented religion in the region, particularly at the level of historical monuments and associations. The Ecclesiastical Province of Montpellier () corresponds to the administrative region. The region has 16 cathedrals ( Agde, Alès,

Alet The Alet is a river in southwestern France. The river is a right tributary of the Salat. The total length is from its source in the Ariège department in the Pyrenees to where it empties into the Salat, near Seix. The Alet is part of the Garon ...

, Carcassonne,

Elne Elne (; ca, Elna ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. It lies in the former province of Roussillon, of which it was the first capital, being later replaced by Perpignan. Its inhabitants are still called ...

, Lodève, Maguelone, Mende,

, Narbonne,

Perpignan Perpignan (, , ; ca, Perpinyà ; es, Perpiñán ; it, Perpignano ) is the prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France, in the heart of the plain of Roussillon, at the foot of the Pyrenees a few kilometres from the ...

Saint-Papoul Saint-Papoul (; Languedocien: ''Sant Pàpol'') is a commune in the Aude department in southern France. History The town of Saint-Papoul was founded during the 8th century when an abbey was established here, dedicated to Saint Papulus. The ...

, Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, Uzès). Protestantism is well represented in the region, especially in the Huguenot stronghold of the Cévennes. The ''Cévennes-Languedoc-Roussillon region'' of the United Protestant Church includes

Gard Gard () is a department in Southern France, located in the region of Occitanie. It had a population of 748,437 as of 2019;Lozère, Hérault,

Aude Aude (; ) is a Departments of France, department in Southern France, located in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region and named after the river Aude (river), Aude. The departmental council also calls it "Ca ...

as well as the eastern part of Aveyron. It is an important region by its Protestant population (approximately 20,000 homes), but one of the least extensive of the United Protestant Church of France. In addition to this majority church, the region has since the 19th century a variety of

Free Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procur ...

Reformed Evangelical Reform is beneficial change Reform may also refer to: Media *Reform (album), ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang *Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group *Reform (magazine), ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine *''Reforme'' ...

, Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal churches. Judaism has been present since the Middle Ages with significant communities fleeing the Almohads, in Narbonne and Béziers. The Jews are thus cited in the will of William V of Montpellier.

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

is also present at the same time.

appeared in the region in the middle of the 12th century, in Aude.

Geography

The region is made up of the following historical provinces: Mouthoumetpyrénées

* 68.7% of Languedoc-Roussillon was formerly part the province of Languedoc: the departments of Hérault,

Gard Gard () is a department in Southern France, located in the region of Occitanie. It had a population of 748,437 as of 2019;Aude Aude (; ) is a Departments of France, department in Southern France, located in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region and named after the river Aude (river), Aude. The departmental council also calls it "Ca ...

, the extreme south and extreme east of Lozère, and the extreme north of

. The former province of Languedoc also extends over what is now the Midi-Pyrénées region, including the old capital of Languedoc Toulouse. * 17.9% of Languedoc-Roussillon was formerly the province of Gévaudan, now the department of Lozère. A small part of the former Gévaudan lies inside the current Auvergne region. Gévaudan is often considered to be a sub-province inside the province of Languedoc, in which case Languedoc would account for 86.6% of Languedoc-Roussillon. * 13.4% of Languedoc-Roussillon, located in the southernmost part of the region, is a collection of five historical Catalan , from east to west:

, Vallespir, Conflent, Capcir, and Cerdagne, all of which are now part of the department of

. These pays were part of the

Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...

province of Roussillon, owning its name to the largest and most populous of the five pays, Roussillon. "Province of Roussillon and adjacent lands of Cerdagne" was indeed the name that was officially used after the area became French in 1659, based on the historical division of the five pays between the county of Roussillon (Roussillon and Vallespir) and the county of Cerdagne (Cerdagne, Capcir, and Conflent). Llívia is a town of Cerdanya, province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain, that forms a Spanish exclave surrounded by French territory (department of Pyrénées-Orientales).

Politics

At the regional elections in March 2004, the socialist mayor of

Georges Frêche Georges Frêche (July 9, 1938 – October 24, 2010) was a French politician. He served as President of the Languedoc-Roussillon Region from 2004 until his death: prior to that, he had been mayor of Montpellier for 27 years, and was also a fo ...

, defeated its center-right president. Since then, Georges Frêche has embarked on a complete overhaul of the region and its institutions. The flag of the region, which displayed the cross of Languedoc as well as the

Flag of Roussillon The Senyera (; meaning "pennon", "standard", "banner", "ensign", or, more generically, "flag" in Catalan language, Catalan) is a vexillological symbol based on the coat of arms of the Crown of Aragon, which consists of four red stripes on a yel ...

(the ), was changed for a new flag with no reference to the old provinces, except in terms of the colors (red and yellow), which are the colors of both Languedoc and all the territories from the former Crown of Aragon. Georges Frêche also wanted to change the name of the region, wishing to erase its duality (Languedoc vs. Roussillon) and strengthen its unity. Thus, he wanted to rename the region Septimanie (

Septimania Septimania (french: Septimanie ; oc, Septimània ) is a historical region in modern-day Southern France. It referred to the western part of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed to the control of the Visigoths in 462, when Septima ...

). was the name created by the Romans at the end of the Roman Empire for the coastal area corresponding quite well to present day Languedoc-Roussillon (including Roussillon, but not including Gévaudan), and used in the early Middle Ages for the area. This name, however, has not been in use since the 9th century, and it sounded quite odd to French people. Strong opposition of the population led to Georges Frêche giving up on his idea. He declared that he still believed in it but could not go ahead without a mandate. Catalan nationalists in

would like the

department to secede from Languedoc-Roussillon and become a region in its own right, under the proposed name of (

Northern Catalonia Northern Catalonia, North Catalonia, ; french: Catalogne (du) Nord ; oc, Catalonha (del) Nòrd; es, Cataluña (del) Norte) French Catalonia or Roussillon refers to the Catalan-speaking and Catalan-culture territory ceded to France by Spain ...

), as part of the (Catalan Countries), a new country. This idea has minimal popular support. On the other hand, there are some who would like to merge the Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées regions, thus reunifying the old province of Languedoc, and creating a large region. It seems probable that Georges Frêche, with his idea of a "Septimanie" region, would not support such plans, although political leaders in

, Narbonne, and especially

, would probably support such a merger, hostile as they are to

, which was chosen as the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon instead of their own city, and which they accuse of hegemony.

Culture

Language

Prior to the 20th century, Occitan was the language spoken in Languedoc, and Catalan was the language spoken in Roussillon. Both have been under pressure from French. In 2004, research conducted by the Government of Catalonia showed that 65% of adults over the age of 15 in Roussillon could understand Catalan whereas 37% stated they were able to speak it. In recent years there have been attempts at reviving of both languages, including Catalan-medium schooling through the

La Bressola La Bressola () is a cultural association founded in Perpignan, France in 1976 to promote a network of community-run schools engaged in Catalan language immersion programs in France, particularly in the comarques of North Catalonia. The first cent ...

schools.

Literature

Occitan literature – still sometimes called Provençal literature – is a body of texts written in Occitan in what is nowadays the South of France. It originated in the poetry of the eleventh- and twelfth-century troubadours, and inspired the rise of vernacular literature throughout medieval Europe.

Music

Aimeric de Peguilhan, Giraut de Bornelh and

Bertran de Born Bertran de Born (; 1140s – by 1215) was a baron from the Limousin in France, and one of the major Occitan troubadours of the 12th-13th century. He composed love songs (cansos) but was better known for his political songs (sirventes). He wa ...

were major influences in troubadour composition, in the High Middle Ages. The troubadour tradition is considered to have originated in the region. The

Romantic music Romantic music is a stylistic movement in Western Classical music associated with the period of the 19th century commonly referred to as the Romantic era (or Romantic period). It is closely related to the broader concept of Romanticism—the ...

composer Déodat de Séverac was born in the region, and, following his schooling in Paris, returned to the region to compose. He sought to incorporate the music indigenous to the area in his compositions.

Wine

The Languedoc-Roussillon region is dominated by of vineyards, three times the combined area of the vineyards in Bordeaux and the region has been an important winemaking centre for several centuries. Grapevines are said to have existed in the South of France since the Pliocene period - before the existence of '' Homo sapiens''. The first vineyards of Gaul developed around two towns:

and Narbonne. The Mediterranean climate and plentiful land with soil ranging from rocky sand to thick clay was very suitable for the production of wine, and it is estimated that one in ten bottles of the world's wine was produced in this region during the 20th century (Robinson 1999:395). Despite this enormous quantity, the area's significance was often overlooked by scholarly publications and commercial journals, largely because very little of the wine being produced was classified under an appellation contrôlée until the 1980s (Joseph 2005:190). Several entrepreneurs such as Robert Skalli and James Herrick drastically changed the face of the region, planting more commercially viable grape varieties and pushing for new AOC classifications. While the AOC system has origins in the 15th century, the Languedoc-Roussillon has some appellations like the Cabardès which have existed by law only since 1999 (Joseph 2005:190). The region is the largest contributor to the European Union's glut (dominance of supply over demand) of wine known as the wine lake. The Languedoc-Roussillon region has adopted a marque to help market its products, in particular, but not limited to, wine. The (''

Southern France Southern France, also known as the South of France or colloquially in French language, French as , is a defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi ...

'') marque was adopted in 2006 The Independent -
Sud de France - The Brand
' - 6 December 2008 (accessed 24 February 2009) to help customers abroad not familiar with the Appellation system to recognise those wines that originated in the L-R area,This French Life -
Sud de France to highlight Languedoc Roussillon wines
' (accessed 24 February 2009) but the marque is also used for other products, including

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...

olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...

s and pies.The Independent -
Sud de France Foods
' - 6 December 2008 (accessed 24 February 2009)

Sport

Languedoc-Roussillon has been a major center of

Rugby league in France Rugby league has been played in France since 1934. As with rugby union, rugby league was introduced by the English and the heartland of the game is in the south of France. During the Second World War, in association with the French Rugby Feder ...

since the sport was introduced to the country in the 1930s. The region is also home to the rugby union teams AS Béziers Hérault, RC Narbonne and USA Perpignan. Since the following years of the retirement of this region, the popularity has gone down.

is home to Montpellier HSC, which was founded in 1974 and plays in the

Ligue 1 Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. A ...

, the French top division. It won the French Championship after the 2011/12 season. Home matches are played at the Stade La Mosson, named after the area where it is located, with a capacity of 31,250. It was built in 1998.

Notable people

Writers

* Paul Valéry (1871-1945) writer, philosopher, poet and epistemologist. * Claude Simon (1913-2005), writer, born in Madagascar, was brought up in

and throughout his life showed a real attachment to the Catalan land. He spent part of his last years in his home in Salses-le-Château. *

Malika Mokeddem Malika Mokeddem ( Kenadsa, Algeria; October 5, 1949) is an Algerian writer. Biography Malika Mokeddem was born on October 5, 1949, in Kenadsa, a small mining town on the limit of the western desert of Algeria. She is the daughter of an illiterat ...

, born in Algeria in 1949, she continued her medical doctorate, begun in

Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

, in Paris in 1977. Based in

, she is the author of
L'interdite
' and
Je owe tout à ton oublie
'. Her works are inspired by her personal journey. * Max Roqueta (1908-2005) poet and writer in Occitan. He created the French Tambourine Federation (). *

Joseph Delteil Joseph Delteil (20 April 1894 – 16 April 1978) was a 20th-century French writer and poet. Biography Joseph Delteil was born in the farm of La Pradeille, from a woodcutter-charcoal father and a "buissonnière" mother. Joseph Delteil spent ...

(1894-1978) poet and writer; he was the friend of Georges Brassens and Pierre Soulages. * Jean Joubert (1928-2015), poet and writer for both youth and adults, wrote
Arche de la parole
' () and
Le chien qui savait lire
' (). He received the Prix Renaudot in 1975 for
L'Homme de sable
' (). * Alphonse Daudet (1840-1897), writer and playwright, born in

and grew up in Bezouce. * Robèrt Lafont (1923-2009), poet and writer in Occitan, essayist, linguist

Illustrators

Albert Dubout Albert Dubout (15 May 1905 – 27 June 1976) was a French cartoonist, illustrator, Painting, painter, and sculpture, sculptor. Biography Albert Dubout was born in Marseille. After attending school at Nîmes (where he met Jean Paulhan) he s ...

(1905-1976) studied at the

School of Fine Arts The School of Fine Arts or College of Fine Arts is the official name or part of the name of several schools of fine arts, often as an academic part of a larger university. These include: The Americas North America *Alabama School of Fine ...

and became the illustrator of many national newspapers, then the poster designer and designer. He very often parodied the little train linking Montpellier to Palavas-les-Flots where a museum is dedicated to him.

Singers

* Georges Brassens, born in

Sète Sète (; oc, Seta, ), also historically spelt ''Cette'' (official until 1928) and ''Sette'', is a commune in the Hérault department, in the region of Occitania, southern France. Its inhabitants are called ''Sétois'' (male) and ''Sétoises' ...

* Charles Trenet, born in Narbonne *

Patric Patric may refer to: * PATRIC, the Pathosystems Resource Integration Center, a bacterial infectious disease information system * Patric (singer) (born 1947), full name Patrick Martin, French singer * Patric (footballer, born 1987), full name Ande ...

, Occitan singer *

Olivia Ruiz Olivia Blanc (born 1 January 1980), known as Olivia Ruiz, is a French pop singer of partial Spanish descent belonging to the nouvelle chanson genre.

, born in Carcassonne *

Cali Santiago de Cali (), or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,227,642 residents according to the 2018 census. The city spans with of urban area, making Cali the second ...

, originally from Vernet-les-Bains * Boby Lapointe, born in Pézenas * Julien Doré, born in Alès * , singer-songwriter

Comedians

Rémi Gaillard Rémi Gaillard (; born 7 February 1975 in Montpellier, France) is a French prankster, YouTuber and animal rights activist. Well-known for his videos on YouTube, his channel is the 100th most subscribed comedy channel on YouTube with more than ...

* Mathieu Madénian

Major communities

* Alès *

* Carcassonne *

La Palme The Sieur de la Palme was the Governor of Plaisance (nowadays Placentia) in the New-France (french: Nouvelle-France) colony in Newfoundland from 1667 to 1670. In 1667, the King of France, Louis XIV, learns of the irresponsible behaviour of th ...

* Narbonne *

References

*
Official Béziers Tourist Office Website

External links

Languedoc-Rousillon : Languedoc: a week in which you get to play the action hero
official French website (in English)
Regional Council of Languedoc-Roussillon
(in French) {{Authority control Languedoc-Roussillon wine AOCs NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union Former regions of France France geography articles needing translation from French Wikipedia