Lodève

Lodève (lodɛv; Lodeva luˈðevɔ) is a commune in the département of Hérault, in the Occitanie region in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture 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. Lodève lies where the coastal plain rises up to the Larzac plateau, from Montpellier, where the river Lergue and the smaller river Soulondre meet. Lodève is surrounded by green hills and vineyards and lies only from the large man-made Lac du Salagou. Lodève has a mostly mediterranean climate, with hot summers 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. Lodève started as the capital of a tribe of the 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 Bishops of Lodève. It was also a centre for textile production under Louis XV and was home to one of only two royal manufactories for tapestry, the other being the one of the Gobelins in Paris. More recently, the area was the centre of a firm resistance against the Nazi occupation during the Second World War. 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.