Saint-Thibéry (; ) 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 ...

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. There are a total of 101 ...

'' in the Occitanie

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...

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 ...

. The village of Saint-Thibéry is built at the confluence of the Rivers Thongue and

. The old Roman road "

Via Domitia The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania through Gallia Narbonensis, across what is now Southern France. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and tra ...

" runs through the village (Grand Rue) and some of the houses date back to the 15th century. Saint-Thibéry is situated between the larger towns of

Agde Agde (; ) is a commune in the southern French department of Hérault. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi. It is situated on an ancient basalt volcano, hence the name "Black Pearl of the Mediterranée". Location Agde is locate ...

and

Pézenas Pézenas (; Languedocien: ''Pesenàs'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Name The name "Pézenas" is derived from the older name ''Piscenae'', probably from the Latin word ''piscenis'', meanin ...

and the cities

Béziers Béziers (; ) is a city in southern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region. Every August Béziers ho ...

and

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 ...

and is a short distance to

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 ...

. Over 4000 years old, this former Celtic village was once called "Cessero".

Saint-Thibéry Abbey and Church

The Benedictine Abbey (''l'abbaye bénédictine'') and Church sit in the heart of the village. It was founded in the late 8th century by Atilio, a disciple of Benedict Aniane, near the tomb of three local martyrs. The Abbey Church has an unusual underground altar. During the 15th century, the church was rebuilt on its original Romanesque bases, in a Gothic style. The bell-tower was erected in 1509 and had eight bells. In the past the Church attracted many pilgrims who believed that relics kept there had special healing powers. Saint-Thibéry is also on one of the old Santiago de Compostela Pilgrimage routes.

Saint-Thibéry mill

This corn (wheat) mill (''moulin à bled'') was built in the 13th century and is one of the best preserved mills in the region. It has four wheels powered by water from the Hérault. A Romanesque tower was used to store the grain. The mill once belonged to the Benedictine abbots and is situated beside the so-called Roman bridge.

Volcano

Mount Ramus, an extinct

volcano A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most oft ...

, offers some magnificent views of the Languedoc, the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...

mountains and the Mediterranean Sea with Spain off in the distance. In the village of Saint-Thibéry there are some interesting volcanic features such as the basalt “organ” columns. There is an ancient fort on the volcano, dating from the 5th century BC. It overlooks the village and the Hérault valley.

Saint-Thibéry rivers

Saint-Thibéry is situated where the River Thongue joins the Hérault. (The Hérault department is named after the latter.) The Thongue is the smaller river and flows down from the Languedoc mountains. The Hérault is 148 kilometres (92 mi) and flows from the Cévennes mountains. It reaches the Mediterranean Sea at Grau d'Agde.

Population

File:St-Thibery (vue generale2).JPG, General view File:St-Thibery Mairie.JPG, Mairie File:St-Thibery-maison.JPG, House File:St-Thibery-moulin4.JPG, Mill File:Saint-Thibéry mill race.JPG,

Mill race A mill race, millrace or millrun, mill lade (Scotland) or mill leat (Southwest England) is the current of water that turns a water wheel, or the channel ( sluice) conducting water to or from a water wheel. Compared with the broad waters of a m ...

File:St-Thibery orgues basaltiques1.JPG, Basalt organ File:St-Thibery-Ste-Marie.JPG, Church of Ste Marie File:St-Thibery eglise Ste Marie1.JPG, Church of Ste Marie File:St-Thibery-Tour.JPG, Tower File:Christian cross near Saint-Thibéry cf01.jpg, A Christian cross in border of a road

References