The Languedoc Page - towns & villages :St Clément de Rivière

At 10km north of Montpellier, St Clément de Rivière is one of a group of villages that crown the agglomeration. With a population of around 5000 spread along 8km of garrigue, vines, fields and pinewoods it is a tranquil village fiercely determined to keep its reputation for the quality of life here.

History :

The name St Clément de Riviere appears for the first time in 1109 when the Bishop of Maguelone, Galtier handed over control of two local churches to Abbé Pierre of Aniane. It was originally made up of a series of hamlets: Bouzenac, Clastre, and Fontfroide which are typical of Languedoc settlements, and later developed as inhabitants sought peace and quiet away from Montpellier but near enough for easy access to the big city.

Economy :

For such a small village, St Clément has a surprisingly large commercial sector, situated at the southern end, with Carrefour, Darty and so on. Next to this is the university Campus de Bissy with the Institut National de Management. The centre of the village is served by a local series of shops including 2 bakers, a delicatessen, cycle shop, bank, post office, mini supermarket, butcher, greengrocer and florist. It also has the crèche, maternelle and primary school while at the north end is the college and lycée set attractively next to the exercise track in the forest of St Sauver which has been protected since 1987.

Village life :

St Clément has a thriving village life with many associations offering a large variety of activities from sport to culture to education to relaxation. It sets great store by the quality of life we enjoy here – the peace and beauty of the surroundings and feeling of security. This is reflected in the high prices of properties and rentals, but does ensure an idyllic place to live.

My Languedoc village