Soubès
Encyclopedia
Soubès is a commune
in the Hérault
department in Languedoc-Roussillon
in southern France
, situated on a hill near the confluence of the Brèze and Suberbet rivers.
The village dates from the 12th Century, and even today only one main street, the Coural, is suitable for motor traffic. The ancient city walls are visible in many places. The village has two châteaux, a church, two schools, a Mairie, a café (Café du Terral), a small post office
and a general store
. A modern sports and social centre lies just outside the village proper, the other side of the D25 road to Ganges
.
was the primary economic activity. Stocks of the widely-grown Carignan red grape variety are very sturdy, and the characteristic vineyards of the region therefore have no trellises. Soubès never had its own wine-making facility, however, and vignerons are obliged to take their grapes to the Cave Coopérative
either in Lodève
or Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette
.
Overproduction of the local table wine has forced a decline in viticulture recently, and the production of other fruit such as peach
es and apricot
s has partly replaced the wine-based economy.
, which is held the weekend following the first Monday in August.
Traditional festive events include dances every night, pétanque
and belotte tournaments, and a very popular game of loto
. Sometimes yearling bulls are run through the Coural, in a very tamed-down version of the Pamplonada.
In the month of August the population doubles and redoubles as summer visitors (estivants) arrive to enjoy the hot climate and peaceful atmosphere.
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 Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, situated on a hill near the confluence of the Brèze and Suberbet rivers.
The village dates from the 12th Century, and even today only one main street, the Coural, is suitable for motor traffic. The ancient city walls are visible in many places. The village has two châteaux, a church, two schools, a Mairie, a café (Café du Terral), a small post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
. A modern sports and social centre lies just outside the village proper, the other side of the D25 road to Ganges
Ganges, Hérault
Ganges is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France.-Location:Ganges is situated at the confuence of the Hérault and Rieutord rivers.-History:...
.
Economy
Until very recent times the village was surrounded by vineyards, and viticultureViticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
was the primary economic activity. Stocks of the widely-grown Carignan red grape variety are very sturdy, and the characteristic vineyards of the region therefore have no trellises. Soubès never had its own wine-making facility, however, and vignerons are obliged to take their grapes to the Cave Coopérative
Winemaking cooperative
A winemaking cooperative is an agricultural cooperative which is involved in winemaking, and which in similarity to other cooperatives is owned by its members...
either in Lodève
Lodève
Lodève is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:...
or Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette
Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette
Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette is a commune in the Hérault department in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France.-Points of interest:* Cave Coopérative* Arboretum du Mas du Rouquet-References:Based on the French Wikipedia....
.
Overproduction of the local table wine has forced a decline in viticulture recently, and the production of other fruit such as peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
es and apricot
Apricot
The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...
s has partly replaced the wine-based economy.
Festival
Like all villages of the region, Soubès takes pride in its annual fêteFête
Fête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
, which is held the weekend following the first Monday in August.
Traditional festive events include dances every night, pétanque
Pétanque
Pétanque is a form of boules where the goal is, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground, to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet or jack. It is also sometimes called a bouchon or le petit...
and belotte tournaments, and a very popular game of loto
Loto
Loto are a Portuguese band from Alcobaça. The band consists of Ricardo, JT and Pedrosa, and they produce electro-pop-rock-dance music.Their debut was in October 2002 with the EP Swinging on a Star....
. Sometimes yearling bulls are run through the Coural, in a very tamed-down version of the Pamplonada.
In the month of August the population doubles and redoubles as summer visitors (estivants) arrive to enjoy the hot climate and peaceful atmosphere.
Administration
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 | March 1995 | Jean Lassalle |
| March 1995 | March 2008 | Marie-Claire Rudelle |
| March 2008 | March 2014 | José Pozo |