Lodève Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Lodève

Subprefecture and commune

View of Lodève

Coat of arms

Lodève

Location in France

Lodève

Location in Occitanie

Country

Lodève

Lodévois et Larzac

Area

23.17 km² (8.95 sq mi)

Population

(2014)

7,381

• Density

318.56/km² (825.06/sq mi)

Lodévois

• Summer (DST)

INSEE/Postal code

34142 /34700

Elevation

117–700 m (384–2,297 ft)
(avg. 165 m or 541 ft)

Website

www.lodeve.com

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Lodève (which is Lodeva in the Occitan language) is a town in southern France. It is located in the Hérault area, which is called a département, within the Occitanie region. Lodève is an important town because it is a subprefecture and the main town of its own arrondissement.

History of Lodève
Geography of Lodève
- Climate in Lodève
Population of Lodève
Administration of Lodève
- Sister cities
Places to Visit
Gallery
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

History of Lodève

Long ago, Lodève was the main town for a group of ancient people called the Celts. Later, it became a Roman city known as Luteva.

Much later, during the time of King Louis XV, Lodève became famous for making textiles (like cloth). It was home to one of only two special royal factories in France that made tapestry (woven pictures or designs). The other factory was in Paris.

Geography of Lodève

Lodève is in the northern part of the Hérault area. Here, the flat lands start to rise up to a high, flat area called the Larzac plateau. The town is in a narrow valley next to the Lergue river. The Lergue river flows into the Hérault river.

The town covers an area of about 23.17 square kilometers (about 8.95 square miles). It sits at an altitude of about 117 to 700 meters (384 to 2,297 feet) above sea level.

The city of Montpellier is about 45 kilometers (28 miles) to the east of Lodève. Béziers is about 50 kilometers (31 miles) to the west. Lodève is also about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away from the Mediterranean Sea.

Lodève is surrounded by several other towns. These include Soumont, Olmet-et-Villecun, Poujols, Fozières, Les Plans, Le Puech, Soubès, Lauroux, Lavalette, Saint-Étienne-de-Gourgas, Le Bosc, and Usclas-du-Bosc.

Climate in Lodève

Lodève has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers. This type of climate is known as Csb in the Köppen climate classification system.

Population of Lodève

The people who live in Lodève are called Lodévois (for men) and Lodévoises (for women) in French.

Lodève has a population of 7,381 people. This means there are about 319 inhabitants for every square kilometer of land.

The population of Lodève has changed over the years. In 1982, it reached its highest point with 8,378 people. By 1999, the population had decreased to 6,900. More recently, in 2014, the population was 7,381.

Lodève and seven other nearby towns form an urban area with a total population of 9,780 people (as of 2013). This larger area covers about 102 square kilometers (39 square miles).

Administration of Lodève

Lodève is an important administrative center. It is a subprefecture of the Hérault department. It is also the main town of the Lodève arrondissement and the administrative centre (or chef-lieu) of the Lodève canton.

The town is part of a group of towns that work together called Lodévois et Larzac (in French, Communauté de communes Lodévois et Larzac).

Sister cities

Lodève has a special friendship with another town, which is called being twinned. Lodève is twinned with:

South Kirkby and Moorthorpe, a town in West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom.

Places to Visit

Lodève Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Fulcran de Lodève): This old church has parts that are from as far back as the sixth century.
Museum Fleury: This museum has changing art exhibitions and a permanent collection about archeology (the study of old human history).
L'Atelier national du tapis de Lodève: This is a special French state workshop where they make carpets.