Lodève

Lodève () is a commune in the Hérault département in the Occitanie region in southern France. It is a subprefecture of the department and also the capital of the "arrondissement" of the same name.
History.
Lodève started as the capital of a Celtic tribe before becoming the Roman city Luteva (also known as "Forum Neronis"). It was a centre for textile production under Louis XV and was home to one of only two royal factories for tapestry, the other being the one in Paris.
Geography.
Lodève is in the north of the Hérault department, where the plains rise up to the Larzac plateau. It is a narrow valley of the Lergue river, a tributary of the Hérault river.
The "commune" has an area of and is at an altitude of about above sea level. The city of Montpellier is to the east of Lodève at and Béziers is to the west at . Lodève is at from the Mediterranean Sea.
The "commune" of Lodève is surrounded by the "communes" Soumont, Olmet-et-Villecun, Poujols, Fozières, Les Plans, Le Puech, Soubès, Lauroux, Lavalette, Saint-Étienne-de-Gourgas, Le Bosc and Usclas-du-Bosc.
Climate.
The climate of Lodève, in the Köppen climate classification, is Csb - Mediterranean climate with template summers.
Population.
The inhabitants of Lodève are known, in French, as " Lodévois" (women: "Lodévoises").
With a population of 7,381, Lodève has a population density of inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Lodève
Lodève forms with other seven "communes" the urban area of Lodève with a population of 9,780 inhabitants (2013) and an area of . This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Lodève, formed by nine "communes" with a population of 9,977 inhabitants (2013) and an area of .
Administration.
Lodève is a subprefecture of the Hérault department, the capital of the "arrondissement" of Lodève and the administrative centre () of the canton of Lodève.
It is part of the intercommunality "Lodévois et Larzac" ().
Sister cities.
Lodève is twinned with: