Lodeve - The culture of Lodevois

Lodeve is in the Languedoc but it is acknowledged by the locals as part of the Midi and boasts a Mediterranean climate of blue skies and sunshine. The city is a typical French hill town with narrow alleys and high buildings, but very much a working town, rather than a tourist town, but it has excellent restaurants and shops.

This is an area of outstanding beauty renowned for a diversity of outdoor activities including walking, (with 200km of signed walks and cycling routes, as well as sailing and other water sports at the nearby Lake Salagou).

Historical architecture includes the Cathedral of Saint Fulcran, the medieval bridges and the nearby village of St Guilhem Le Desert, the fortified Cathar villages and the spectacular Cirque de Navacelles. Modern taste is more than catered for by the spectacular Millau Bridge over the river Tarn in the foothills of the Massive Central Mountains.

The annual Literary Festival in July attracts people from all over Europe to see the exhibitions and listen to the street-side poetry reading and music.

Lodeve has an outstanding Saturday Street Market selling local produce including the wines of Languedoc, Rochfort Cheese and of course an abundance of fresh local fruit, vegetables and other produce.

A feature of the Lodeve is the frequent pilgrims on route to St Jacques de Compostelle in Northern Spain. The route passes through the middle of Lodeve and walkers, cyclists, and horse riders, often dressed rather eccentrically, are frequently seen in the town, adding to the cosmopolitan dress of the residents. The sign of a shell carved above doors on some of the older houses is a sign of hospitality for the pilgrims.

Lodeve is an ideal base to explore the mountains to the North and the beaches to the South.

Written by Clive Baker - Owner of Property 63429 in Lodeve, France