Mèze

Mèze (French pronunciation: [mɛz]; Occitan: Mesa; Phoenician: Mansa) is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.

Mèze
Commune
Harbour
Coat of arms
Location of Mèze
Mèze Show map of France Mèze Show map of Occitanie
Coordinates: 43°25′40″N 3°36′21″E
Country	France
Region	Occitania
Department	Hérault
Arrondissement	Montpellier
Canton	Mèze
Intercommunality	CA Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée
Government
• Mayor (2021–2026)	Thierry Baëza[1]
Area 1	34.59 km2 (13.36 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	12,711
• Density	370/km2 (950/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	34157 /34140
Elevation	0–75 m (0–246 ft) (avg. 20 m or 66 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Its inhabitants are called Mézois.

Geography

Eastern end of the communal area.

Situated on the étang de Thau, Mèze shares with Bouzigues its historic role as the oyster capital of the area. Almost a third of its inhabitants depend on the fishing industry for their livelihood. In recent years, tourism and transport have become increasingly central to the local economy.

Map

History

An important port since Phoenician times, Mèze has always primarily been a fishing town. During the Roman Empire, the town lay on the main Southern route from Italy to Spain - the 'Via Domitia'. The Romans brought wine to the area and left a legacy of architecture including two of the town's churches. The production of shellfish, especially oysters, has been the mainstay of the Mèze economy for almost a century and the whole Bassin de Thau area has built an international reputation for the quality of its seafood.

Administration

Term	Mayor of Mèze	Party
1807–1815	Michel Privat
1815–1817	Charles de Borie
1817–1820	Pierre Ronzier
1820–1828	Louis Charamaule
1828–1840	François Bouliech
1840–1848	de Borie
1848-1848	Santy
1848–1849	Hippolyte Bouliech
1849-1849	Frédéric de Girard
1849–1850	Jules Molinier
1850–1851	François Besse
1851-1851	Sylla Lacroix
1851–1859	Constantin Bouliech
1859–1865	Adrien Lonjon
1865–1870	Gustave Privat
1870–1874	Antonin Bouliech
1874–1876	Emile Molinier
1876-1876	Jean-Baptiste Allègre
1876–1878	Jean-François Besse
1878-1878	Benjamin Durand
1878–1880	Jean-Baptiste Allègre
1880–1882	Emile Beaumadier
1882–1885	Jean-Baptiste Allègre
1885-1885	Vincent Germain
1885–1887	Jean-Baptiste Allègre
1887–1892	Guillaume Gros
1892–1901	Paulin Arnaud
1901–1904	Paul Enteric
1904–1912	Baptiste Guitard
1912–1921	Paul Enteric
1921–1922	Louis Brun
1922–1923	Camille Fraisse, Charles Poujol, François Vailhe	délégation spéciale
1923–1925	Julien Granal
1925–1941	Méril Poujade
1941–1944	Thomas Bessiere	délégation spéciale
1944–1947	Henri Bessède
1947–1971	André Montet
1971–1977	Georges Jean
1977–2001	Yves Pietrasanta	Greens
2001-2001	Yvon Pibre
2001-2021	Henry Fricou	Greens/Europe Écologie–The Greens
2021-2026	Thierry Baëza	Génération écologie

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	5,005	—
1975	5,508	+1.38%
1982	5,742	+0.60%
1990	6,502	+1.57%
1999	7,630	+1.79%
2007	10,336	+3.87%
2012	10,917	+1.10%
2017	11,587	+1.20%
Source: INSEE[3]

Sights

Chapelle des Pénitents.

St-Jean-de-la-Garrigue - église romane.

• Old village center
• Port Mèze: both a working fishing harbor and a port for recreational boating.
• Lagunage ecological site
• Dinosaur Plain' palenthology museum.
• Eglise Saint Hilaire
• La Chapelle des Pénitents (12th century)
• Le château de Girard (end of 17th century)
• Remains of city walls
• St-Jean-de-la-Garrigue, former parish church, built in romanesque style.

Personalities

• The French Arabist and historian André Miquel was born in Mèze.
• Singer Pierre Vassiliu lived for many years in Mèze.
• Singer Christian Delagrange lives in Mèze.

Festivals

• Music Festival de Thau (annual),
• A festival of traditional Boat Jousting is held each summer.

Traditions

• The legendary bœuf de Mèze has become the animal symbol of the town.
• The Balle au tambourin ball game.

See also

• Communes of the Hérault department