Bédarieux

Bédarieux is {{convert|56|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of Montpellier and {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Béziers. The commune is in the Orb valley, the river flowing north–south into Bédarieux and east–west downstream.

File:Map commune FR insee code 34028.png

Bédarieux has a mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa). The average annual temperature in Bédarieux is {{cvt|13.6|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1008.6|mm}} with October as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around {{cvt|22.4|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{convert|6.2|C}}. The highest temperature ever recorded in Bédarieux was {{cvt|40.6|C}} on 12 August 2003; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|-8.7|C}} on 8 February 2012.

{{Weather box

|collapsed=y

|location= Bédarieux (1981–2010 averages, extremes 1991−present)

|metric first= Y

|single line= Y

|Jan record high C = 19.8

|Feb record high C = 24.4

|Mar record high C = 25.7

|Apr record high C = 28.4

|May record high C = 33.6

|Jun record high C = 39.7

|Jul record high C = 37.9

|Aug record high C = 40.6

|Sep record high C = 34.7

|Oct record high C = 30.3

|Nov record high C = 23.9

|Dec record high C = 19.9

|year record high C = 40.6

|Jan high C = 9.8

|Feb high C = 10.8

|Mar high C = 14.3

|Apr high C = 16.9

|May high C = 21.4

|Jun high C = 25.9

|Jul high C = 28.8

|Aug high C = 28.5

|Sep high C = 23.3

|Oct high C = 18.2

|Nov high C = 13.0

|Dec high C = 10.1

|year high C = 18.5

|Jan mean C = 6.2

|Feb mean C = 6.7

|Mar mean C = 9.6

|Apr mean C = 11.9

|May mean C = 15.9

|Jun mean C = 19.8

|Jul mean C = 22.4

|Aug mean C = 22.2

|Sep mean C = 17.8

|Oct mean C = 14.1

|Nov mean C = 9.4

|Dec mean C = 6.6

|year mean C = 13.6

|Jan low C = 2.7

|Feb low C = 2.6

|Mar low C = 4.9

|Apr low C = 6.9

|May low C = 10.3

|Jun low C = 13.8

|Jul low C = 16.0

|Aug low C = 16.0

|Sep low C = 12.4

|Oct low C = 10.0

|Nov low C = 5.7

|Dec low C = 3.1

|year low C = 8.7

|Jan record low C = -7.8

|Feb record low C = -8.7

|Mar record low C = -7.8

|Apr record low C = -3.3

|May record low C = 0.5

|Jun record low C = 5.8

|Jul record low C = 9.0

|Aug record low C = 6.8

|Sep record low C = 3.3

|Oct record low C = -2.5

|Nov record low C = -8.0

|Dec record low C = -7.8

|year record low C = -8.7

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 102.3

|Feb precipitation mm = 73.6

|Mar precipitation mm = 51.4

|Apr precipitation mm = 90.5

|May precipitation mm = 83.8

|Jun precipitation mm = 40.6

|Jul precipitation mm = 34.6

|Aug precipitation mm = 45.3

|Sep precipitation mm = 110.0

|Oct precipitation mm = 142.2

|Nov precipitation mm = 109.9

|Dec precipitation mm = 124.4

|year precipitation mm = 1008.6

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 8.3

|Feb precipitation days = 6.4

|Mar precipitation days = 6.5

|Apr precipitation days = 8.3

|May precipitation days = 7.4

|Jun precipitation days = 4.8

|Jul precipitation days = 3.9

|Aug precipitation days = 5.2

|Sep precipitation days = 6.4

|Oct precipitation days = 8.8

|Nov precipitation days = 7.5

|Dec precipitation days = 8.2

|year precipitation days = 81.5

|source 1 = Meteociel{{cite web|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=34028003|title=Normales et records pour Bedarieux (34)|publisher=Meteociel|access-date=4 June 2022}}}}

File:Bedarieux - la mairie.jpg

Archaeological digs conducted in the 'rues Basses' district during the 1910s found Roman coins dating from the 4th century AD, suggesting the presence of a Gallo-Roman villa.Bulletin "Archéologie et histoire des Hauts Cantons", vol 24, éd. Document Systems, 2001 The earliest mention of the town dates back to the 12th century.Société archéologique et historique des Hauts Cantons de l'Hérault, Conseil général du Département de l'Hérault [Odyssée; 0182-3876], Bulletin de la société archéologique et historique des Hauts Cantons de l'Hérault The Saint-Nazaire de Lodéran chapel (now disappeared) was mentioned in 1153.

From the end of the 12th century, Bédarieux saw a rapid development of manufacturing activity. Its cloth-weaving industry, carried on under a special royal privilege from the end of the 17th century to the French Revolution, employed in 1789 as many as 5,000 workmen, while some thousand more were employed in wool and cotton spinning, etc. Because of the introduction of modern machinery from England and loss of trade with the Levant, Bédarieux's industries declined. However, they somewhat revived in the late 19th century owing partly to the opening up of Bauxite and coal mines in the neighbourhood.{{EB1911|inline=1 |wstitle=Bédarieux |volume=3 |page=613}}

Bédarieux's first municipal council dates back to 1790. At around the same time the town became the cantonal capital. During the French Revolution, the citizens of the commune of Bédarieux formed a revolutionary club called 'Société des Amis de la Constitution' (the society of the friends of the constitution). It had 250 members.Jean-François Dubost, Le réseau des Sociétés Politiques dans le département de l'Hérault pendant la Révolution Française (1789-1795), in Annales historiques de la Révolution française, no 278, 1989, p. 414

After Louis-Napoleon's coup d'état on 2 December 1851, Bédarieux's republicans managed to hold the town for a few hours.Éric Anceau, « Le coup d'État du 2 décembre 1851 ou la chronique de deux morts annoncées et l'avènement d'un grand principe », Parlement[s], Revue d'histoire politique 2009/2 (No. 12). {{ISSN|1768-6520}}, {{p.|35}}. The press claimed that these insurgents had devoured the corpse of the maréchal des logis, Léotard, who had been fighting for Napoléon III. This claim appears to be untrue, but it seems that they may have urinated on his corpse and burnt his mustaches.

The railway came to Bédarieux in the 1850s. A 710 metre-long viaduct was constructed across the Orb valley, giving rail access to the coal mines at Graissessac. The railway facilitated communications with Béziers, Sète and Marseille, benefiting Bédarieux's wool and leather trade.Histoire de Bédarieux. Réimpression de l'édition de 1911. Lacour, 1990; {{ISBN|2-86971-263-4}}.

During the twentieth century Bédarieux was badly affected by the two world wars and industrial decline. In response, Bédarieux has focused on developing tourism and its cultural industries, as well as seeking to attract new enterprises. Recent improvements include a new sewage treatment plant, several enterprise zones and 'La Tuilerie' - a multipurpose community center that can host conferences, concerts, theatricals and exhibitions.

{{Historical populations

|align = none

|cols = 2

|percentages = pagr

|source = EHESS{{Cassini-Ehess|3391|Bédarieux}} and INSEE (1968-2017)[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-34028#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE

|1793 |3302

|1800 |3330

|1806 |3827

|1821 |5418

|1831 |5998

|1836 |8293

|1841 |9012

|1846 |9369

|1851 |9959

|1856 |9829

|1861 |9087

|1866 |8985

|1872 |7892

|1876 |7691

|1881 |6923

|1886 |7320

|1891 |6578

|1896 |5968

|1901 |6106

|1906 |6131

|1911 |6186

|1921 |6505

|1926 |7994

|1931 |9224

|1936 |8512

|1946 |7033

|1954 |7416

|1962 |7263

|1968 |7135

|1975 |6425

|1982 |6207

|1990 |5997

|1999 |5962

|2007 |6576

|2012 |6297

|2017 |5791

}}

Bédarieux is twinned with:

• {{flagicon|Germany}} Leutkirch im Allgäu, Germany, since 1982
• {{flagicon|Tunisia}} Medenine, Tunisia, since 1999
• {{flagicon|Morocco}} Ouarzazate, Morocco, since 2008

• Several streets in Bédarieux retain their 17th-century architecture.
• The former castle, La Bastide dates from the fourteenth century. It has machicolations, arrow slits and a 16th-century well. A wooden beam has been dendrochronologically dated to 1350, but evidence exists to suggest this had been part of the machicolations of a lower, squatter tower. The well, too, may date from this first construction by the Abbey of Villemagne, (a nearby village) as part of the defences of the ford crossing the River Orb. A document dated 1156 records the king, Louis VII, granting the Abbot the right to extend the fortifications protecting his properties. This, it is assumed, included the construction of La Bastide. The whole property was sold into private hands in the late 16th century, when it became a domaine owning all the land between itself and Bédarieux, two kilometres away.
• The Promenade de la Perspective (1742), a dyke built to protect the town from the flooding of the river Orb. 200-year-old plane trees grow along its length.
• 16th-century bridge over the Orb
• 19th-century railway viaduct with 37 arches
• Church of Saint-Alexandre built in the 17th–19th century (though recorded in 1189)
• Maison des Arts: a museum occupying a former hospice. It was opened in 1976 and collects together regional heritage: painting, folklore, archaeology, geology, natural history, folk arts and traditions.

File:Bedarieux Monument de Pierre Auguste Cot par Antonin Mercié 1891.jpg

• Paul Rabaut (1718–94): Protestant pastor.
• Guillaume d'Abbes de Cabrebolles (1718–1802), Encyclopédiste was born in Bédarieux.
• Louis-Annibal Escalle (1737–99): Adjudant-Général, one of Napoleon's lieutenants during his campaigns in Italy and Egypt, died at the siege of Acre.
• Ferdinand Fabre (1827–98): writer, novelist, mixing Occitan vocabulary with French in his works (Les Courbezon 1861, Mon oncle Célestin 1881, Toussaint Galabru 1887). He died five days before his election to the Académie Française.{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Fabre, Ferdinand|volume=10|last=Gosse|first=Edmund William|author-link=Edmund William Gosse|pages=117–118|short=1}}
• Pierre Auguste Cot (1837–83): French romantic painter. Le Printemps (Spring) is one of his best-known works.
• Eugène Vaillé (1875–1959): French postal historian and first curator of the French Postal Museum (musée postal de France), later the Museum of the Post Office.
• Guillaume Bouisset (born 7 January 1973), footballer
• Vincent Candela (born 24 October 1973), French footballer who played for many years in Italy, 40 appearances for his national team, including the World Cup in 1998.

• Communes of the Hérault department

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Bédarieux}}

• [http://www.bedarieux.fr/en/bedarieux.html Official site of the town of Bédarieux]
• [http://www.bedarieux.net Pictures of Bedarieux]

{{wide image|02.11.06 A Tantaj' (2).jpg|1200px|View of Bédarieux from the Pic de Tantajo (518 m)}}

{{Hérault communes}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedarieux}}

Category:Communes of Hérault