Clermont-l'Hérault (; ) is a commune in the

Hérault Hérault (; , ) is a departments of France, department of the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault (river), Hérault River, its Prefectures in France, prefecture is M ...

department in southern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Geography

Chief town of the Canton, Clermont-l'Hérault is located about 40 km west of

Montpellier Montpellier (; ) 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 France, department of ...

, halfway between the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

to the south and the

Cévennes National Park Cévennes National Park () is a List of national parks of France, French national park located in Southern France, in the mountainous area of Cévennes. Created in 1970, the park has its administrative seat in Florac at Florac Castle. It is loca ...

to the north.

Hydrography

La Lergue, Le Salagou, Ruisseau des Servières are the main rivers that cross the town.

Climate

The city enjoys a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

. The winter is mild, despite occasional frosts. Summer is hot. In autumn, Mediterranean episodes occur bringing intense and heavy rainfall.

History

The site of Clermont-l'Hérault has been inhabited since

Protohistory Protohistory is the period between prehistory and written history, during which a culture or civilization has not yet developed writing, but other cultures that have developed writing have noted the existence of those pre-literate groups in the ...

: during the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

(6th century BC), Clermont constitutes one of the main

Oppida An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...

of the Celtic Mediterranean. Recent archaeological excavations have demonstrated its importance during antiquity ( INRAP, 2000s). There was then a main agglomeration of five to six hectares and a peripheral inhabited area of 12 hectares. The remains of a thermal establishment have been uncovered. The town was several times taken and retaken in the religious wars of the 16th century. The city was formerly known as Clermont-Lodève. The manufacture of sheets was established at nearby Villeneuvette, or rather relaunched in 1667 by Colbert to develop the cloth industry in France, taking advantage of the waters of the

Dourbie The Dourbie (; ) is a long river in southern France. It is a left tributary of the Tarn. Its source is north of Le Vigan, in the Cévennes. It flows generally west through the following departments and towns: * Gard: Dourbies * Aveyron: Sai ...

Politics and administration

Population

Sights

The town is built on the slope of a hill ("Pioch Castel") which is crowned by an ancient castle ( Château des Guilhem) and skirted by the Rhonel, a tributary of the Lergue. It has a southern Gothic style chapel "Les Pénitents" (The Penitents) that has been recently restored. It is now a cultural centre. Also of interest is Saint Paul's church, begun in the 12th century, and finished in the 14th century. Close by is the large man-made Lac du Salagou.

International relations

Clermont-l'Hérault is twinned with: *

San Gimignano San Gimignano (; named after St. Geminianus) is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as the Town of Five Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the pr ...

Patchway Patchway is a town and civil parish in South Gloucestershire, England, situated north-north west of central Bristol. The town has become an overflow settlement for Bristol and is contiguous with Bristol's urban area, along with the nearby towns ...

Gauting Gauting is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the Starnberg (district), district of Starnberg, in Bavaria, Germany with a population of more than 20,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the river Würm (Amper), Würm, southwest of Munich ...

References

External links

General Information on the town in English
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clermontlherault Communes of Hérault