Bouzigues

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Bouzigues
Bosigas
Bouzigues coat of arms
Bouzigues (France)
Bouzigues
region Occitania
Department Herault
Arrondissement Montpellier
Canton Mèze
Community association Bassin de Thau
Coordinates 43 ° 27 '  N , 3 ° 40'  E Coordinates: 43 ° 27 '  N , 3 ° 40'  E
height 0-61 m
surface 3.05 km 2
Residents 1,655 (January 1, 2017)
Population density 543 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code 34140
INSEE code
Website Bouzigues

Bouzigues on the banks of the Étang de Thau

Bouzigues ( Occitan : Bosigas ) is a place and a municipality with 1,655 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) in the Hérault department in the Occitania region in southern France .

location

The small town of Bouzigues is about five to ten meters above the north bank of the Étang de Thau , which makes up about half of the municipal area, and is only about 13 km (driving distance) from the town of Sète to the south. The city of Montpellier is located around 33 km northeast.

Population development

year 1800 1851 1901 1954 1975 1999 2012 2017
Residents 835 1,373 1,200 747 904 1208 1724 1655

The phylloxera crisis in viticulture and the increasing mechanization of agriculture resulted in a significant decline in the number of inhabitants in the first half of the 20th century. As a result of the relative proximity to Montpellier, the increasing tourism and the comparatively low real estate prices, there has been a significant increase in population in Bouzigues in recent decades.

economy

For centuries, the inhabitants of the community lived on fishing and agriculture (grain, wine, vegetables) as self-sufficient ; the city of Montpellier came into question as a market place because of its comparatively short distance . At the beginning of the 20th century, oyster farming began - a branch of the economy that only gained greater economic importance after the Second World War . Since the 1960s, tourism (holiday apartments, hotels, restaurants, etc.) has played an increasingly important role in the local economy.

history

Bouzigues Beach

Little is known about the history of Bouzigues; the first settlers seem to have been fishermen and shepherds, who later also turned to growing grain. The current parish church ( Église Saint-Jacques ) dates from the 18th century; It is unclear whether there was a previous medieval building.

Attractions

  • The townscape with its proximity to the north bank of the Étang de Thau and the mountains in the hinterland is extremely attractive.
  • The beaches of the Étang de Thau are much less visited by tourists than the Mediterranean beaches at Sète.
  • The Musée de l'Étang de Thau shows exhibits and photos from the history of the lake and the surrounding areas.

Web links

Commons : Bouzigues  - Collection of images, videos and audio files