city are shops. Mende is the centre of an area's population of approximately 25,000 inhabitants around the Lot Valley, the city therefore centralises much of the services. Its quality of prefecture adds to the presence of public service. Tourism has also developed since the end of the 20th century. This openness on tourism translated between 1983 and 2008 by the creation of the office of tourism (municipal and intermunicipal), an increase of 400 beds offered to tourists, the opening of a holiday village and of a youth hostel, but also the creation of activity centre (canoe base, Freestyle Park, etc.). The city has eleven hotels, four with three stars and four having two. To this one can add the holiday village of Chapitre that offers 42 gîtes for rent, as well as two campsites near the Lot. Other businesses are those that can be found in other modern cities (banks, insurance, bakeries, the press houses, clothes, etc.). The city has a supermarket and a hypermarket, as well as several superettes and other discounters. The hypermarket, which is of recent construction, belongs to the Système U group and is located in the new area of activity of Ramilles. The supermarket (Intermarché) is, meanwhile, close to the city centre. Markets, vestiges of the traditional markets of the city are many, taking place on Wednesday (textile, utility, etc.) at Place Chaptal, and on Saturday mornings (food market) at Place Chaptal and Place Urbain V. In addition, night markets are held during the summer. Business The main companies in terms of turnover, as well as major private employers are: Local culture and heritage Places and monuments Since 1981 Mende has been classified as a city of art, and, since 2000, the grouping of Mende and Lot in the Gévaudan has the label of "city and land of art and history". Indeed, the city has a rich architectural heritage, witness of the prosperous time related to the papacy. The Cathedral Notre-Dame and Saint-Privat The Cathedral of Saint-Privat (classed as a historical monument in 1906) whose construction began in 1368 at the initiative of Pope Urban V. Its bell towers date back, however, to the 16th century, following the destruction of one of them during the passage of the Huguenots by Matthieu Merle. The large belfry included housing "Non Pareille", the largest bell in the world melted between 1517 and 1521 in Villefort and destroyed during