Frontignan

French commune
nomcommune=Frontignan
Town hall
native_name=Frontignan la Peyrade
common_name=Frontignan
région=Languedoc-Roussillon
département=Hérault
arrondissement=Montpellier
canton=Frontignan
insee=34108
cp=34110
maire= Pierre Bouldoire
mandat=2008-2014
party=PS
intercomm=Bassin de Thau
longitude=3.75611111111
latitude=43.4483333333
time zone = CET (GMT +1)
alt moy=2 m
alt mini=0
alt maxi=223 m
hectares=3172
km²=31.72
sans=22,144
date-sans=2006
dens=603
date-dens=1999

Frontignan la Peyrade ( _oc. Frontinhan) is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.

Frontignan is renowned for its AOC wine, the Muscat de Frontignan, a sweet wine made solely from the Muscat grape variety.

ights

* Old town centre with remains of the fortress dating back to the 14th century
* Saint-Paul's Church (in parts 12th century)
* The Penitents' chapel (including the city's museum)
* Maison Poulation (early 20th century)
* Château Stony
* Château de la Peyrade
* La Peyrade bridge (17th century)
* Yacht port
* Natural reserve beaches
* Aresquiers naturtal reserve
* Argeliès caves

Geography

Frontignan is located in the Languedoc coastal plain between the towns of Sète and Montpellier.

The town is surrounded by the Gardiole mountain range in the north, the Ingril lagoon in the east, the Étang de Thau in the west and the Mediterranean shore (including the beach resort Frontignan-Plage) in the south.

The Rhône-Sète canal separates the inland town centre and Frontignan-Plage.

Economy

Until the early 20th century the local economy was based on the production of marine salt and wine. Later petro-chemical and chemical industries predominate with a steady decline in the 1980s. The oil refinery that opened in 1900 was converted to a simple depot in 1986.

Since the end of the 20th century modern fisheries and high tech plastics take over. Seasonal tourism is a dominant part of the local economy.

Important businesses in Frontignan include:
* Distrisud S.A.
* Indubois S.A.S.
* Hexis S.A.
* Barba S.A.S.
* Frontignan Coopérative S.C.A.
* Mobil Concepts s.à.r.l.

History

* 1362 foundation of the fortress
* 1560 ransacked by the Protestants
* 16 June 1642: King Louis XIII of France and Cardinal Richelieu meet in Frontignan.
* 1787: Thomas Jefferson, future president of the United States, stays in Frontignan and reportedly enjoys the local Muscat de Frontignan wine.
* 25 June 1944: The Frontignan oil refineries and parts of the city (including the rail station) are bombed by the 15th USAAF causing some 40 civilian deaths.
* 31 December 2002: Frontignan together with the neighbouring towns of Sète, Balaruc-les-Bains, Balaruc-le-Vieux, Vic-la-Gardiole, Mireval, Gigean and Marseillan joins the district of Thau (Communauté d'agglomération du Bassin de Thau).

Culture

*Frontignan is the home town of the writer Maurice Clavel.
*Every year since 1998 Frontignan organises the annual "Festival International du Roman Noir".
*Bull fighting and river jousting are the traditional sports.

Twin towns

* Gaeta, Italy
* Vizela, Portugal

ee also

*Communes of the Hérault department

References

"Based on the article in the French Wikipedia."

External links

* [http://www.ville-frontignan.fr/ Official website] fr icon
* [http://www.tourisme-frontignan.com/index_en.php Frontignan Tourist Office] fr icon
* [http://www.polar-frontignan.org/page.php?id_rubrique=1&id_fichier=183 FIRN] website of the "Festival International du Roman Noir" fr icon
* [http://www.geocities.com/siteappf/ Website for Association des Plaisanciers du Port de Frontignan] fr icon