Villeneuvette is an attractive village close to Clermont-l'Herault in the Herault department of Languedoc Roussillon. It was originally built as a factory to produce cloth for the king and to house the workers, and earned a designation of "Manufacture Royale".
Villeneuvette was originally built as a Royal cloth-making factory for King Louis XIV in the 17th century. King Louis' finance minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert set up a number of initiatives to improve industry in France and this was one of his projects.
Cloth from Villeneuvette was used in the making of the uniforms of the armies of King Louis XIV amongst other things, and production continued up until 1955.
Explore Villeneuvette
The centre of Villeneuvette is pedestrianised apart from cars belonging to residents, and you will find a car-park just outside the gates to the historic centre.
The entrance is through a stone gateway between buildings and the large engraved sign above the gate used to read "Manufacture Royale" but was changed to "Honneur Au travail" (Honour in Work) by the Republic.
Through the gate and the village opens out around the main street - Rue Colbert in a grid-like plan. With the exceptions of a few 'Maisons de Maitre' presumably for the factory bosses, the houses are very regular in size and appearance and all have the light green shutters common in the Languedoc Rouissillon region.
Inside the houses (though the houses are private now and not visitable inside) the downstairs floor has high ceilings allowing the room to be used for cloth weaving and upstairs are two rooms which were the living quarters for the workers.
When the factory closed the houses were sold and now belong to about 50 different families.
As well as the houses, Villeneuvette has a church which was built in the 18th century and has some interesting paintings by Jacques Pauthe inside, many of which have a message such as "God blesses work"!
Paved streets, fountains and flowering shrubs all add to the attractiveness of the village. The village is surrounded by walls with three gateways through them. Very attractive to see now but originally there to survey the comings and goings of the workers!
There is a pleasant walk you can do in the woods around the village.
Villeneuvette is now classified as a "Zone de Protection du Patrimoine et du Paysage" in recognition of its originality and the importance of its heritage.
Places to visit nearby
Villeneuvette is close to the lovely Cirque de Mourèze with its hundreds of differently shaped dolomites. Various clearly marked walks through the unusual landscape allow you to really explore this lovely area.
The Lac du Salagou is a huge lake whose edges are an unusual deep orange/red in colour making the lake very picturesque.
You can find more travel ideas in the Herault guide and the Languedoc-Roussillon guide.
Photos of Villeneuvette
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Map of Villeneuvette and places nearby
Visit near Villeneuvette with France This Way reviews
Clermont-l'Herault
Clermont-l'Herault is a pleasant place to take a break if you are exploring the scenery of the region such as the Lac du Salagou and the Cirque de Moureze
Clermont-l'Herault guide
Cirque de Moureze
The Cirque de Moureze is one of the loveliest scenic spectacles in northern Languedoc-Roussillon
Cirque de Moureze guide
Le Lac-du-Salagou
The Lac-du-Salagou is a popular leisure lake with a wide range of activities and several places of interest close by
Le Lac-du-Salagou guide
Lodeve
It is undoubtedly the Saint-Fulcran cathedral that will form the centre of your visit to Lodeve
Lodeve guide
Pezenas
The wide range of architecture and its unspoiled character make Pezenas one of our favourite towns in the region
Pezenas guide
Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert
Even as you approach Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert along the Gorges de l'Herault you can see it is rather special - and you certainly aren't disappointed when you arrive!
Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Herault
Address: Villeneuvette, Clermont-l'Hérault, Lodève, Languedoc-Roussillon, 34800, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 43.6111, longitude 3.4003
Plan your visit to Villeneuvette, Herault
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Cirque de Mourèze: site of natural beauty (3 km)
- Cirque du Moureze: site of natural beauty (3 km)
- Valle du Salagou: grand site of france (6 km)
- Céressou: site of natural beauty (7 km)
- Lodeve: recommended detour (15 km)
- Parc et jardin du château de Margon: remarkable garden (16 km)
- Grotte de la Clamouse: site of natural beauty (16 km)
- Saint Jean de Fos pont du diable (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site (17 km)
- Pezenas: recommended detour (17 km)
- Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert: most beautiful village (18 km)
- St Guilhem le Desert ancienne abbaye (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site (18 km)
- Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert / Gorges de l'Herault: grand site of france (18 km)
The French version of this page is at Villeneuvette (Francais)