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Quarante

Quarante, France
Church Sainte-Marie
Church Sainte-Marie
Coat of arms of Quarante, France
Map
Location of Quarante, France
Quarante, France is located in France
Quarante, France
Quarante, France
Location within France
Quarante, France is located in Occitanie
Quarante, France
Quarante, France
Location within Occitanie
Coordinates: 43°20′51″N 2°57′47″E / 43.3475°N 2.9631°E / 43.3475; 2.9631
CountryFrance
RegionOccitania
DepartmentHérault
ArrondissementBéziers
CantonSaint-Pons-de-Thomières
IntercommunalitySud-Hérault
Government
  Mayor (2026) Mr. Serge Ortiz [1]
Area
1
30.05 km2 (11.60 sq mi)
Population
 (2023)[2]
1,776
  Density59.10/km2 (153.1/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
34226 /34310
Elevation21–227 m (69–745 ft)
(avg. 115 m or 377 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Quarante, France (French pronunciation: [kaʁɑ̃t] ; Occitan: Cranta) (pronounced kehr-aunt) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in the South of France. Quarante is a hilltop medieval village from the Gallo-Roman era, one of the 20 villages of the Saint-Chinian Wine Appellation. Just 1 km from the famous 17th century Canal du Midi, 8 km from Capestang, 25 km from Béziers, and 35 km from the Mediterranean Sea. The closest train station with service to Paris is in downtown Béziers or Narbonne, and the regional airport is Beziers Cap d'Agde near the Mediterranean Sea. International airports are; Montpellier one hour south, with Toulouse being two hours north.

Installed on a Roman oppidum, the town had a significant occupation during those times, as evidenced by the artifacts found and available for viewing in the local museum. The Sainte-Marie de Quarante Abbey, built in 902, is located in the town square. You can still see the original rempart walls, towers and prison in the ancient town center on the stone roads from the 12th to 14th centuries on Rue des Remparts and Rue des Bichettes. These narrow streets in the Old Town are steeped in Templar history. Quarante has had a relatively peaceful history over the centuries, mainly focused on wine, olive, and almond production which is still relevant today. Quiet, with light to no tourism, the village seduces by its proximity to some of the most beautiful cities of the region, but also by its natural and preserved environment. This area boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year, perfect for the local vineyards and groves. The village has a school, bakery, butcher, small grocery, pizza take-out, bar and restaurant, wine tasting, hair salons, B&B, gites, doctor, pharmacy and post office. Postal code is 34310.

Map

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 1,644    
1975 1,460−1.68%
1982 1,441−0.19%
1990 1,509+0.58%
1999 1,449−0.45%
2007 1,561+0.94%
2012 1,634+0.92%
2017 1,767+1.58%
2023 1,776+0.08%
Source: INSEE[3]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. "Populations de référence 2023" (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 18 December 2025.
  3. Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023, INSEE