Languedoc-Roussillon

I

Introduction

Languedoc-Roussillon, administrative region in southern France, parts of which border the Pyrenees and Mediterranean Sea. The region is bordered to the north by the Auvergne region, to the east by the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regions and the Mediterranean Sea, to the south by Spain, and to the west by Andorra and the Midi-Pyrénées region. Languedoc-Roussillon comprises the departments of Lozère, Gard, Hérault, Aude, and Pyrénées-Orientales and has a total land area of 27,376 sq km (10,570 sq mi).

II

Physical Geography

Languedoc-Roussillon is a region of rolling green hills and picturesque rivers. In the north, the hills of the Cévennes range in the south-eastern part of the Massif Central reach an average elevation of 910 to 1,220 m (about 3,000 to 4,000 ft). The Cévennes National Park covers approximately 90 hectares (222 acres) of mountainous terrain, to which a number of rare and protected wildlife species—including vultures, beavers, and roe deer—have been reintroduced. Towards the region’s southern border with Spain the average elevations range from between about 2,135 to 2,745 m (7,000 to 9,000 ft). The highest point is Pic Carlit, in the eastern Pyrenees, which rises to a height of 2,921 m (9,583 ft); other important peaks include Madrès Peak (2,469 m/8,100 ft) and the Roc de France (1,450 m/4,757 ft).

The region has a coastline stretching for some 220 km (137 mi), with long sandy beaches, rocky inlets, and sheltered bays. Just to the west of the coastal town of Sète is the Thau Basin, a 20-km (12-mi)-long saltwater lagoon, separated from the Mediterranean Sea by a narrow sand bar. Inland, the chief waterway is the Canal du Midi, a canal network that was constructed between 1661 and 1686 to connect the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. It rises at Sète on the Mediterranean coast and flows through Béziers and Carcassonne before crossing the border into Midi-Pyrénées, near the village of Labastide-d’Anjou. The River Hérault rises in the Cévennes range and flows eastwards, before following a southern course to the Mediterranean town of Cap d’Agde where it joins the Canal du Midi.

III

Population

Around 2,520,000 people live in Languedoc-Roussillon (2005 estimate). The region has a population density of 90 people per sq km (233 per sq mi), slightly lower than the national average of 112 people per sq km (290 per sq mi). Montpellier (population, 2005 estimate, 244,300) is the administrative and cultural centre of Languedoc-Roussillon. Other important cities and towns include Nîmes (2005 estimate, 143,000); Perpignan (2005 estimate, 114,800); Béziers (2005 estimate, 72,400); Narbonne (1999, 46,510); Carcassonne (2005 estimate, 45,800); and Alès (1999, 39,346).

There are many notable towns and buildings in the region, towns with many superb examples of Romanesque architecture. The Pont du Gard, a famous Roman aqueduct in Nîmes (built in 19 bc), was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The well-preserved walled town of Aigues-Mortes features a perfectly restored medieval citadel, as does the city of Carcassonne, where the city centre was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997. The University of Montpellier was founded in the 13th century and reorganized in 1970 into three universities: Montpellier I, II, and Paul Valéry (III). A range of higher education courses is also available at the University of Perpignan (1971).

IV

Economy

There is little heavy industry: this is predominantly an area of agriculture (mainly livestock) and viticulture. Over half of all the grapes grown in France come from the Gard, Aude, and Herault departments of Languedoc-Roussillon, which produces characteristic dark, heavy red wines such as Corbières and Fitou. Fruit and vegetables, in particular apricots, peaches, and cherries, are grown in the mountain valleys in the south of the region. Some dairy farming is carried out in the north. Languedoc-Roussillon’s leading industrial centres are Montpellier, Nîmes, and Perpignan; the main products produced by the region’s factories include clothing, processed food, brandy, footwear, machinery, and chemicals. Nîmes has a well-developed textile industry; the fabric denim was first produced there and its name comes from the French “de Nîmes”. Tourism is of increasing importance along the coast, with several resorts offering an extensive range of water sports.