Lodève is a commune in the Hérault département in the Occitanie region in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The derivation of the city's name is from Gaulish Luteva, composed of lut-, swamp, mud + suffix -eva. It might therefore translate as the muddy place or the swamp city. This mud could be in fact this sort of clay, called argillite, which was use during ancient history to produce pottery.
Lodève lies where the plains rise up to the Larzac plateau, 54 km (34 mi) from Montpellier, in the valley of the Lergue river where that river is joined by the smaller Soulondre. It is surrounded by green hills and vineyards and lies only 8 km (5.0 mi) from the large man-made Lac du Salagou.
Lodève enjoys a mostly Mediterranean climate, with the hot summers that allow plentiful viticulture. Violent storms and torrential rain are frequently seen in late summer, leading to flooding and the muds and swamps that gave the city its name.
The museum of Lodève, housed in the Fleury mansion, houses archaeology, painting and sculptures collections.
