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Beziers, a city older than 2 milleniums

Beziers, a city older than 2 milleniums

Beziers, a city older than 2 milleniums

When they do come in holidays or vacations in Southern France, many people are looking for a destination in a city, or near a city. Sometimes the location in between the seaside and the countryside is what many travellers are looking for. If you are looking for a city that is charming, accessible by train, plain or you drive, Béziers is perfect for you. Not such a big city, Béziers has all the commodities of a place where you can enjoy a nice weather, the proximity with the Mediterranean shore and charming villages and paths to go on hiking or just in stroll. Béziers is nowadays a city known for its contentment of living, its clement weather, but not only. Land of wines and sport, Béziers is an important Rugby city, and obviously a place where people enjoy festivities like the famous "Feria de Béziers" created in 1968 that you can enjoy in friends or family.


For more than 2000 years, Béziers is installed on the top of a hill, watching the Orb river and the countryside around. Once capital of the wines in Southern France, Béziers and its surrounds were famous to produce wines, vermouths and other liquors and the city evolved becoming one of the most beautiful and charming cities of France. Nowadays, the city has changed, but is full of treasures we would be happy to make you discover! Béziers was known to be a roman city: Beaterre located along the Roman road, the Via Domitia. According to the recent archaeological excavations that happened there, it is perhaps possible had Greek roots, so old as the Marseille ones. However, during the Antiquity, Roman Baeterre was a wealthy and powerful city in the surrounds of Narbo Martius (Narbonne). As many prosperous Roman cities there was a Forum square dedicated to political, religious and trading life situated in the centre, and was an influent place over the Mediterranean Sea. A clue of Beaterre prosperity was the presence of an amphitheatre that disappeared around the 13th century AD when it was totally torn down to build houses instead.

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Of course, you can discover these particularities during your trip and follow us on a guided tour of the city or take time to explore the city at your own rhythm especially if you come in family. While you explore the city centre, some details or big edifices may attract your attention. Why is there in some parts of the city the head of a camel? Why does the cathedral look more to a fortress than a church? Why so many Parisian-like buildings on the main path walk and who is the man represented in a bronze statue? Sure, there is many details you can observe, but it sometimes hard to find the an answer. If you want to organize a tour of the city, we would be happy to guide you in the city centre, explain you the relationship in between the camel and the story of the martyr saint who evangelized Béziers. During the tour, we would make you discover the impressive cathedral and tell you what happened to the city on July 22 of 1209, while Béziers tried to protect a community of Christians considered dissidents: The Cathars. Yes, many people mostly focus on Toulouse, Albi and Carcassonne when it is time to talk of the Cathars, but Béziers was part of the land where the Crusade happened… Beziers burnt in a part but was rapidly rebuilt. So, if you want to know more, and understand how the city evolved and extended, contact us!



When you come to visit Béziers, sure, it is nice to discover and explore the city streets, narrow and charming, and it is a pleasure to stroll in there However, it Béziers has others surprises, but you have got to get out a little bit of the centre. When you come on vacation or a week end in Béziers, there is a place you may not miss: The Locks of Fonseranes and the Canal du Midi. In 2018, the site of Fonseranes was totally restored and adapted to everyone. Created during the end of the 17th century, the Canal was the major work of a man born in Béziers: Pierre Paul Riquet, to whom a statue is dedicated in Béziers city centre. A better access for disable people, a better pedestrian access and for the groups, a touring coach stop permits to drop you directly on the site. People always have a pleasant moment when they come to visit the site, because, you have a perfect view on the stairs like locks, and of course, you can enjoy a stroll on the ancient Canal towpath or on the navigable aqueduct sides. A nice way to discover the Canal in family and friends is to take a 2 hours cruise from April to October, you may enjoy a sailing trip that would let you admire the beauty of the landscape while you sail up or down, passing through the locks.



Then, after the cruise, what better than a cold drink (in summer) near the canal. If you want to take nice pictures of the site, there is a point of view on the cathedral from the canal, and corners made just for the people who like to take pictures. Then just a question? How can we go to the Canal? Walking or cycling is a good option, but, there is another one: the touristic train. Yes, you can go aboard, and have a little trip (40 minutes) through some parts of the city, and it leads you to the site of the locks.

Oh, by the way, the site of Fonseranes locks, and the whole Canal du Midi are protected by UNESCO since 1996.

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If you want to escape in the seaside, of course you can go to have a walk in the seaside resorts nearby, like Valras or Vendres Plage. It is a good way to discover the gastronomy as well. Yes, there is so many ways they cook the fishes or the sea food that you would more than a day or weekend to taste it all. The Mediterranean seaside is also known for its production of oysters, clams, mussels and other shellfishes. As part of the local production, it is a dish you may absolutely savour! Talking of gastronomy, the sea side is a good option, but in Béziers many restaurants are ready to welcome you and prepare you the specialities of the region.

Béziers is a perfect place for wine tasting. The city is surrounded by many estates and properties dedicated to wine culture. Go and make a wine tasting in some of them, because as many estates you have, different wines are elaborated with different flavours and tastes. If you come to take a tour in Béziers or spend holidays you understand there is a lot to discover and explore. Be sure we would be ready to welcome you here, to make you visit this city and its surrounds and offer you an unforgettable experience full of beautiful landscape, treasures, tastes and flavours! Watch our tours for groups, individuals, families and others, the time of a weekend, a vacation or whatever you want.



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Here are some thematics about Beziers that may interest you :

Luxury and Gastronomy in Béziers
Winetour in Béziers
Escape and Lifestyle in Languedoc
Discover Béziers in 1 day 
Spend a weekend in Béziers
Bycicle tour by Béziers and the Canal du Midi
Béziers and its vineyards 
Béziers and the Canal du Midi 
Béziers and the Touristic Train 



 


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