Beziers and Beyond

From the azure sea of the Mediterranean to the peaks of the Pyrénées, the area surrounding the town of Béziers is a sight to behold, says Solange Hando.

- Solange Hando

On a small bluff overlooking the Orb river, Béziers rises above vineyards and almond groves between the HautLanguedoc regional park and the blue waters of the Mediterranean. With its sunshine and diverse scenery, this Hérault sous-préfecture is a beautiful location for a holiday or permanent home, with an authentic French character rarely discovered by tourists except at festival time when the bull-fighting Feria celebrations prove a summer draw. Access is convenient, either by air with low-cost flights from the UK to Béziers Cap d’Agde airport, or by train with Eurostar to Paris and TGV beyond. Those who prefer to drive can do so in a day from the Channel ports or, for a more leisurely journey, include an overnight stop.

The old town

Dating back to 575BC, and as such one of the oldest towns in France, Béziers claims a long and turbulent history. Little is known of Neolithic and Celtic times, but when the Romans arrived, they planted the first vines, turning this sleepy settlement into a flourishing trading post on the Via Domitia which linked Italy to the Iberian peninsula. They say that the amphora – the Roman container designed to transport wine – was invented in Béziers. The town was occupied by the Moors in the 700s, by then having embraced Catharism – a Christian faith which rejected the Pope’s authority. It incurred the wrath of crusaders who burnt it to the ground in July 1209. None of the 20,000 inhabitants survived, and it took over 200 years to rebuild the town and its cathedral.