Assas
Encyclopedia
Assas is a commune
in the Hérault
department in southern France.
, 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.
Grès de Montpellier. This is part of the AOC
Coteaux du Languedoc designation.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Hérault
Hérault
Hérault is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.-History:Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
department in southern France.
Geography
Located just north of MontpellierMontpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
, Assas lies near Saint-Vincent de Barbeyrargues, Guzargues
Guzargues
Guzargues is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France....
, Clapiers
Clapiers
Clapiers is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France....
, Jacou
Jacou
Jacou is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France.-See also:*Communes of the Hérault departmentParoisse protestante de l'Église Réformée de France: secteur Garrigues...
, Castries
Castries, Hérault
Castries is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.* Population: 5208* Area: 23.22 km²* Altitude: 70 m-Sights:...
and Teyran
Teyran
Teyran is a commune in the Hérault department in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France....
. 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.
Population
The inhabitants are called Assadins.Viticulture
The region containing Assas is a productive wine-making area, and has the appellationAppellation
An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown; other types of food often have appellations as well...
Grès de Montpellier. This is part of the AOC
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
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 harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
is preserved in the Château, a favoured instrument of harpsichordist Scott Ross (1951–1989), who died in Assas.
The château was used as a set in the filming of La Belle NoiseuseLa Belle NoiseuseLa Belle Noiseuse is a 1991 film directed by Jacques Rivette and starring Michel Piccoli, Jane Birkin, and Emmanuelle Béart. Its title means "The Beautiful Troublemaker"...
, a film by Jacques RivetteJacques RivetteJacques Rivette is a French film director. His most well known films include Celine and Julie Go Boating, La Belle Noiseuse and the cult film Out 1....
(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.