Assas, Hérault

Assas (French pronunciation: [asas] ^ⓘ; Occitan: Assaç or Assats, [aˈsas]) is a town and commune in the Hérault department, region of Occitania, southern France.

Assas
Commune
Saint-Martial church
Coat of arms
Location of Assas
Assas Show map of France Assas Show map of Occitanie
Coordinates: 43°42′10″N 3°54′00″E
Country	France
Region	Occitania
Department	Hérault
Arrondissement	Lodève
Canton	Saint-Gély-du-Fesc
Intercommunality	CC Grand Pic Saint-Loup
Government
• Mayor (2022–2026)	Benoit Amphoux[1]
Area 1	19.11 km2 (7.38 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	1,430
• Density	75/km2 (190/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	34014 /34820
Elevation	59–164 m (194–538 ft) (avg. 85 m or 279 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

Located just north of Montpellier, Assas lies near Saint-Vincent de Barbeyrargues, Guzargues, Clapiers, Jacou, Castries and Teyran. The region near Assas is primarily scrubland, but it is watered by a number of streams and brooks and has a small wooded area that produces mushrooms in the fall.

The village of Assas is organized around the Château d'Assas, located on a hill overlooking the small but quaint old village.

Map

Population

The inhabitants are called Assadins in French.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1962	352	—
1968	352	+0.0%
1975	506	+43.8%
1982	815	+61.1%
1990	992	+21.7%
1999	1,305	+31.6%
2008	1,527	+17.0%
2015	1,499	−1.8%

Viticulture

The region containing Assas is a productive wine-making area, and has the appellation Grès de Montpellier. This is part of the AOC Coteaux du Languedoc designation.

Sights

• Château d'Assas, an 18th-century folie montpellierraine, designed by the architect Jean-Antoine Giral (1700–1787), was built in 1759/1760 on the ruins of a feudal castle. It is a private residence, but can be toured either by appointment or on national holidays. A historic 18th century harpsichord is preserved in the Château, a favoured instrument of harpsichordist Scott Ross (1951–1989), who died in Assas. At the beginning of the 1920s, Sir Patrick Geddes (born Ballater, Scotland 2 October 1854, died Montpellier, France 17 April 1932), the Scottish botanist, bought the Château d'Assas to set up a centre for urban studies, as an extension of the Collège des Ecossais which he founded in Montpellier in 1890.
  The château was used as a set in the filming of La Belle Noiseuse, a film by Jacques Rivette (1991).
• A church of the 11th or 12th century, completely restored at the beginning of the 21st century.
• Remains of the 10th or 11th century fortifications.
• Old village.

See also

• Communes of the Hérault department