Mende, Lozère

Mende

A general view of the cathedral and surrounding buildings

Coat of arms

Mende

Location within Occitanie region

Mende

Coordinates: 44°31′10″N 3°30′05″E / 44.5194°N 3.5014°ECoordinates: 44°31′10″N 3°30′05″E / 44.5194°N 3.5014°E

Country

Haute Vallée d'Olt

Government

• Mayor (2008–2014)

Alain Bertrand (PS)

Area¹

36.56 km² (14.12 sq mi)

Population (2006)²

12,378

• Density

340/km² (880/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

INSEE/Postal code

48095 / 48000

Elevation

691–1,236 m (2,267–4,055 ft)
(avg. 732 m or 2,402 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

²Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Mende (French pronunciation: [mɑ̃d], Occitan pronunciation: [ˈmende]) is a commune and prefecture of the department of Lozère and of the region of Occitanie in southern France. Its inhabitants are called the Mendois. The city, including the first traces of dwellings date back to 200 BC, was originally named Mimata, probably in reference to the mountains that surround it.

Mende is located between Clermont-Ferrand and Montpellier, but also on the axis of Lyon - Saint-Étienne - Albi - Toulouse. The other important nearby towns are Aurillac and Saint-Flour (Cantal), Le Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire), Rodez, Millau (Aveyron) and Alès and Nîmes (Gard).

Even though Mende remains a relatively sparsely populated city (approximately 12,000 inhabitants), it remains the most important of the Lozère Department. In addition, it is the city-centre of the unique urban area of this department.

...
Wikipedia