Mauguio Carnon

Whereas Canon’s development stems from the 19th century, Mauguio on the other hand has a very rich and eventful past.
 
The first signs of human presence date back to 4000B.C.  The Greeks and Celts also made their presence felt at different periods and the Roman occupation until the 5th century A.D. set the foundations of Mauguio’s present day identity.
 
But the commune really came into its own, in terms of a community, in the 10th century with the construction of a feudal mound in 960 A.D., designed as the site to hold a castle for the local Counts.
 
This mound, dominating the heart of the old village of Mauguio which was built in a circular form around the castle, was transformed into gardens in 1906, representing the symbol of Mauguio’s identity. It is today classified as a Protected Natural Site.
 
In the 10th century, Mauguio, actually called Melgueil until the 17th century, was already a thriving community.
 
Its position alongside the Via Domitia ensured it a pivotal economic role in the region. The town even struck its own currency from 950 A.D.: the Melgorien denier, one of the key currencies in the south of France through to the 15th century.
 
By the Middle Ages, Mauguio was flourishing and remained the headquarters for the Count of Melgueil for several centuries. Even Montpellier was created only further to a donation of fiefdom from Bernard de Melgueil to the Guilhem family in 985 A.D.
 
The Religious Wars in the 12th century only left a small reminder of this medieval prosperity. The feudal castle and the ramparts were destroyed later on in 1622.
 
Departure of the Protestants sealed the declining fortunes of Mauguio.
 
In the 19th century Mauguio started to bounce back, developing wealth through wine making, which had become a significant industry in the South of France and remained so through to the 1950s. This new wealth is reflected in the Water Tower and the Gardens (Jardins de la Motte).
 

The wine making industry needed labourers and from the 1910s there was an inflow of Spanish immigrants. From this period to the present day, Mauguio has been home to one of France’s largest Spanish communities and this influence has had a significant impact on the town’s identity: the Petite Camargue with a Spanish temperament.
 
Today, Mauguio is the 7th largest town in the Hérault, with some 15 000 inhabitants.
 
Mauguio’s history is communicated through the town’s buildings and the community’s traditions: a little town in the South of France which has made its mark on French history over the centuries.
 

 On sale soon at the Mauguio Tourist Office