Hérault, Administrative department in Occitanie, France.
Hérault is an administrative division in Occitania, southern France, stretching from the Mediterranean coast to the inland mountains. The area includes flat coastal strips with lagoons, rolling hillsides covered in vineyards, and rocky elevations that transition toward the Massif Central.
The division was established on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution, when the old province of Languedoc was broken into smaller units. Over the centuries, farming methods and settlement patterns changed, especially through the expansion of winemaking and the draining of coastal swamps.
The name comes from the river that flows through the area, its banks often lined with vineyards and olive groves. On market days, village squares fill with vendors selling regional cheese, honey and freshly picked herbs, while locals chat in the sun and do their shopping.
Montpellier serves as the capital and a starting point for visits across the area, which covers three administrative districts. Roads lead from the coast inland, with the terrain gradually rising and the vegetation shifting from sandy beaches to forested slopes.
The Thau lagoon along the coast holds extensive shellfish farms, their floating platforms and lines shaping the shallow water. Visitors can walk along the shores and watch fishing boats bringing fresh oysters and mussels to nearby villages.
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