Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert Sant Guilhèm dau Desèrt (Occitan) | |
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.svg) Coat of arms | |
 Location of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert | |
  Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert  Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert | |
| Coordinates:43°44′05″N3°33′02″E / 43.7347°N 3.5506°E /43.7347; 3.5506 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Occitania |
| Department | Hérault |
| Arrondissement | Lodève |
| Canton | Gignac |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Robert Siegel[1] |
Area 1 | 38.64 km2 (14.92 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 243 |
| • Density | 6.29/km2 (16.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 34261 /34150 |
| Elevation | 54–812 m (177–2,664 ft) (avg. 89 m or 292 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (French pronunciation:[sɛ̃ɡijɛmlədezɛʁ] or[sɛ̃ɡilɛmlədezɛʁ];Occitan:Sant Guilhèm dau Desèrt) is acommune in theHéraultdepartment in theOccitaniaregion inSouthern France. Situated where the Gellone river's narrow valley meets the steep-sided gorge of the riverHérault, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is essentially a medieval village located on theChemin de Saint-Jacques (Way of St James) pilgrim route toSantiago de Compostela.
The municipality of Saint-Guilhem covers nearly 40km² in area. The town is served by two departmental roads - the D122 and D4. The nearest towns areSaint-André-de-Sangonis (12 km away) andGignac (15 km away).Montpellier,Lodève andGanges (which stands near the source of the Hérault) are all about 35 km away.
The town has retained a medieval appearance. It is located on the borders of the Massif Central, in the middle valley of the Hérault, north of the department of the same name. The territory of the town lies in an intramontane zone formed by the extension of the Séranne mountain and the Cellette mountain a few kilometres from theGarrigues of the plain ofLanguedoc.
The commune of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is drained by the riverHérault and its tributariesVerdus and Ruisseau de la Combe du Bouys.[3]
The village has maintained its historic state. Because of its isolation, in 806Saint Guilhem established themonastery of Gellone here.
In 804, saint Guillaume ('saint Guilhèm' inlangue d'oc), the count of Toulouse and Duke of Aquitaine, founded an abbey here at a time when the valley was virtually uninhabited, hence its appellation "desert". The abbey was called The Abbey of Gellone until Guillaume's death in 812, after which it was named The Abbey of Guillaume, and then the Abbey of Saint-Guilhem following hiscanonization in 1066.
TheAbbey of Aniane, nearby, was founded around 782 by a relative of Guillaume.
The abbey became a very important centre ofpilgrimage in the Middle Ages due to a claim that arelic of a piece of the true cross was housed here. The town developed around theabbey.
In theMiddle Ages, the abbey fell within the territory of thediocese of Lodeve.
During theFrench Revolution, the town temporarily bore the name of Verdus-le-Désert.[4]
In summer, the abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and the chapel of the Penitents are the venues for concerts, especially those of the Rencontres Musicales of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, those of the Friends of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. Guilhem and the Camerata Mediterranea[citation needed].
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 197 | — |
| 1968 | 229 | +16.2% |
| 1975 | 274 | +19.7% |
| 1982 | 236 | −13.9% |
| 1990 | 190 | −19.5% |
| 1999 | 245 | +28.9% |
| 2008 | 256 | +4.5% |
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is one of thePlus Beaux Villages de France ("The most beautiful villages of France"), and theAbbey of Gellone, along with the nearby Pont du Diable were designated UNESCO World Heritages sites in 1999.[6]
A part of the cloister of the monastery was moved toThe Cloisters museum inNew York City.[7] A new sculpture museum, containing stone works from the abbey, was dedicated on June 26, 2009. In coordination with this event, a weekend of music and a colloquium was organized in large part by theCamerata Mediterranea.[citation needed]
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