Bedarieux

Bédarieux

Archaeological digs conducted in the 'rues Basses' district during the 1910s found roman coins dating from the 4th century AD, suggesting the presence of a gallo-roman villa. The earliest mention of the town dates back to the 12th century. The Saint-Nazaire de Lodéran chapel (now disappeared) was mentioned in 1153.

From the end of the 12th century, Bédarieux saw a rapid development of manufacturing activity. Its cloth-weaving industry, carried on under a special royal privilege from the end of the 17th century to the French Revolution, employed in 1789 as many as 5,000 workmen, while some thousand more were employed in wool and cotton spinning, etc.

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