Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
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Commune of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert |
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| Location | |
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Languedoc-Roussillon |
| Department | Hérault |
| Arrondissement | Montpellier |
| Canton | Aniane |
| Mayor | Jacques Andrieux (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 54 m–812 m (avg. 89 m) |
| Land area¹ | 38.64 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
245 |
| - Density | 6/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 34261/ 34150 |
| 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. | |
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Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (in Occitan Sant Guilhèm dau Desèrt) is a commune of the Hérault département, in southern France.
Situated in the narrow valley of the Gellone river where it meets the steep sided gorge of the Hérault River, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is essentially a mediaeval village located on the Chemin de St Jacques (St James' Way) pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella.
[edit] History
The village has maintained its historic state. Because of its isolation, in 806 Saint Guilhem established here the monastery of Gellone.
[edit] Miscellaneous
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The most beautiful villages of France").
A part of the cloister of the monastery was moved to The Cloisters museum of Manhattan.
[edit] External links
- http://www.saint-guilhem-le-desert.com/ Official site
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