Editing Lodève

{{short description|Subprefecture of Hérault, Occitanie}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name                   = Lodève
|commune status         = [[Subprefectures in France|Subprefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
|image                  = Lodeve Pont de Fer.jpg
|caption                = The iron bridge in Lodève
|image coat of arms     = Blason ville fr Lodève (Hérault).svg
|arrondissement         = Lodève
|canton                 = Lodève
|INSEE                  = 34142
|postal code            = 34700
|demonym                = Lodévois, Lodévoise
|mayor                  = Gaëlle Lévêque<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=6 June 2023|language=fr}}</ref>
|party                  = [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
|term                   = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality       = Lodévois et Larzac
|coordinates            = {{coord|43.7325|3.3203|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m            = 165
|elevation min m        = 117
|elevation max m        = 700
|area km2               = 23.17
|website                = http://www.lodeve.com
|population             = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}

'''Lodève''' ({{IPA|fr|lodɛv|-|Fr-Paris--Lodève.ogg}}; {{langx|oc|Lodeva}}, {{IPA|oc|luˈðeβɔ|}}; {{langx|la|Luteva}}) is a [[Communes of France|commune]] in the [[Departments of France|department]] of [[Hérault]], in the [[Regions of France|region]] of [[Occitania (administrative region)|Occitania]], southern [[France]]. It is a [[Subprefectures in France|subprefecture]] of the department. The derivation of the city's name is from [[Gaulish]] ''Luteva'', composed of lut-, swamp, mud + suffix -eva. It might therefore translate as ''the muddy place'' or ''the swamp city''. This mud could be a [[clay]], called [[argillite]], which was use during [[ancient history]] to produce [[pottery]].

==Geography==
[[File:Map commune FR insee code 34142.png|thumb|left|350 px|Map]]
{{clear left}}

Lodève lies where the coastal plain rises up to the [[Larzac]] plateau, {{convert|54|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Montpellier]], where the river [[:fr:Lergue|Lergue]] and the smaller river [[:fr:Soulondre|Soulondre]] meet. Lodève is surrounded by green hills and vineyards and lies only {{convert|8|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the large man-made Lac du Salagou.

==Climate==
Lodève has a mostly mediterranean climate, with hot summers<ref>Sometimes excessively hot. The [[2003 European heat wave#France|''canicule'' of 2003]] saw temperatures in excess of {{convert|40|°C|0}}, causing many deaths</ref> favourable to [[viticulture]]. Violent storms and torrential rain are frequently seen in late summer, leading to flooding and the muds and swamps that gave the city its name.

==History==
Lodève started as the capital of a tribe of the [[Volcae#Volcae of Gaul|Volcae]], the ''Lutevani'', before becoming the Roman city ''Luteva'' (also known as ''Forum Neronis''). The town was a stopping point on the pilgrimage to [[Santiago de Compostela]] via the [[Arles]] road. From the 5th century until the [[French Revolution]], it was the seat of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Lodève|Bishops of Lodève]].<ref>{{cite CE1913|wstitle=Diocese of Montpellier}}</ref> It was also a centre for textile production under [[Louis XV of France|Louis XV]] and was home to one of only two royal manufactories for tapestry, the other being the [[Gobelins manufactory|Gobelins]] in [[Paris]]{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}.

More recently, the area was the centre of a firm resistance against the [[Nazism|Nazi]] occupation during the [[Second World War]]{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}.

==Sights==
[[File:Lodeva catedral 2.jpg|left|thumb|258px|Stained glass in [[Lodève Cathedral|Lodève cathedral]]]]

* [[Lodève Cathedral]] (''Cathédrale Saint-Fulcran de Lodève''), parts of which date from the sixth century.
* Museum Fleury (temporary art exhibitions (mainly paintings) and a permanent archaeological collection).
* Halle Dardé, dedicated to local sculptor [[Paul Dardé]].
* L'Atelier national du tapis de Lodève, the French state carpet-making workshop (visits arranged by Tourist Office, Lodève).

In the vicinity:
* Cave: Grotte de Labeil.
* [[Saint-Michel de Grandmont Priory]] and its [[dolmen]].
* [[Lerab Ling]]: Buddhist Temple in traditional Tibetan form.

==Culture==
Throughout the year, the town hosts a programme of cultural and sporting events, as well as all sorts of markets. In recent years, the Museum Art Gallery has gained national acclaim for its major art exhibitions.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

The "Voix de la Méditerranée" poetry festival, established in 1998, takes place every July for around 9 days, and involves poets, musicians and writers from many different countries on the Mediterranean.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

The annual "Fête de [[St. Fulcran]]", the [[patron saint]] of the town, takes place in May and includes the procession of the saint's relics and a funfair.

==Population==

Lodève has a fairly large Algerian (see [[pied noir]], [[harki]]) population, the first generation of which fought for the French and were housed here after the Algerian Civil War.
{{Historical populations
|align = none
|cols = 2
|percentages = pagr
|source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|19800|Lodève }}</ref> and INSEE (1968-2017)<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-34142#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
|1793 |7906
|1800 |7449
|1806 |8317
|1821 |9056
|1831 |9919
|1836 |11208
|1841 |10477
|1846 |10718
|1851 |11238
|1856 |12765
|1861 |11864
|1866 |10571
|1872 |9464
|1876 |10528
|1881 |10185
|1886 |9532
|1891 |9060
|1896 |8416
|1901 |8200
|1906 |7395
|1911 |7668
|1921 |6508
|1926 |6629
|1931 |7020
|1936 |6135
|1946 |6242
|1954 |6426
|1962 |6869
|1968 |7556
|1975 |7910
|1982 |8378
|1990 |7602
|1999 |6900
|2007 |7329
|2012 |7552
|2017 |7441
}}

==Transportation==
The town lies on the [[A75 autoroute]] about 30 minutes south of the new [[Millau viaduct]], the highest bridge in the world.

{{clear left}}

==Personalities==
Lodève was the birthplace of:
* [[André-Hercule de Fleury]] (1653-1743) a [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] who served as the [[Religious minister|chief minister]] of [[Louis XV of France|Louis XV]]. Lodève's municipal museum is named after him.
* [[Jean Louis Conneau]] aka André Beaumont (1880-1937), pioneer aviator.
* [[Georges Auric]] (1899-1983), [[composer]].
* [[Paul Dardé]] (1888-1963), [[Sculpture|sculptor]]. The middle school is named after him.
* [[Joseph Vallot]] (1854 – 1925), the [[alpinist]] who installed an observatory on [[Mont Blanc]]. Lodève's high school is named after him.

==Economy==
The town houses a famous carpet-manufacturing company, part of the national Savonnerie, which once supplied carpets to the French royal family, and still today produces hand-made carpets for State buildings.

Viticulture, focussed on the [[Carignan]] grape variety, is a major industry. The climate is also favourable for fruit production, and the region's peaches, apricots, melons and tomatoes are prized.

==International relations==
Lodève is twinned with [[South Kirkby and Moorthorpe]], UK and [[Gjakova]], Kosovo.

==See also==
*[[Communes of the Hérault department]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.tourisme-lodevois-larzac.fr/ Tourist office website]
* [http://www.voixdelamediterranee.com Voix de la Méditerranée website] (French)
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Lodève|short=x}}
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/montA.htm Former Diocese of Lodève], gcatholic.org

{{Hérault communes}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lodeve}}
[[Category:Communes of Hérault]]
[[Category:Subprefectures in France]]
[[Category:Languedoc]]