Mèze

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Coordinates: 43°25′40″N 3°36′21″E / 43.4277777778, 3.60583333333

Administration
Commune of Mèze
Location

Country	France
Region	Languedoc-Roussillon
Department	Hérault
Arrondissement	Montpellier
Canton	Mèze
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes du Nord du Bassin de Thau
Mayor	Henry Fricou (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	0 m–75 m (avg. 20 m)
Land area^¹	34.59 km²
Population^² (1999)	7,630
- Density	220/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	34157/ 34140
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Mèze (Phoenecian: Mesua, in occitan Mesa) is a French commune, in the département of Hérault and the région of Languedoc-Roussillon. Its inhabitants are called Mézois.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Administration
4 Demography
5 Places of Interest
6 Famous residents
7 Festivals
8 Traditions
9 External links

[edit] Geography

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.

[edit] 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 Basin de Thau area has built an international reputation for the quality of its seafood.

[edit] 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--	Henry Fricou