Beziers is a historical city situated on the banks of the River Orb in the Herault department (Occitanie region) with a population around 78,000 called Biterrois. Beziers is famous for its Feria du Beziers every August. There are on average 320 days of sunshine every year.
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Béziers is a historical town situated on the banks of the River Orb in the Hérault department of the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. It is the second largest town in the Hérault with a population of around 80,000, the inhabitants of Béziers are called Biterrois. It is 10km from the Mediterranean Sea and its sandy beaches and close to the mountains. The landscape around Béziers is dominated by vineyards, providing the backbone to the city’s economy and making it a popular reason for people to live there. There are on average 320 days of sunshine every year. It is located 50mins from Montpellier airport and 1hr from Carcassonne and Perpignan airports.
History
Béziers was first a Phoenician settlement before becoming a Roman military post. It is a town with a rich historical past, it was already a fully functioning and vibrant city when the Romans arrived in 35BC and named the town Colonia Julia Baeterrae Septimanorum. The town has since then preserved its Roman feel. In 1209 it was under siege by crusaders. The inhabitants were given the option to leave but refused this resulted in violent deaths as much of the city burnt down. Inhabitants attempted to restore Béziers over the subsequent years but they had to wait until 19th century when a boom in vineyard harvesting saw the town return to its original wealth and beauty. .
Activities
The Cathédrale St-Nazaire which was rebuilt in the Gothic style after it was burned down in 1209 is a definite sight to see. The towers were built in such a way that it looks something like a hybrid of a castle and a church. Situated on top a hill above the Pont-Vieux, you can climb the tower to see the views overlooking the vineyards that surround Béziers. You can take a stroll down the allées Paul-Riquet which are lined with trees, cafés, restaurants and shops. The Musée Biterrois is worth a visit as it has a random collection of snippets from Greek life up to the present-day’s wine industry. There is also the beautiful Plateau des Poètes, an English garden filled with ponds and trees that was designed by the creator of Paris’ Bois de Boulogne. Every Friday there is a very impressive flower market. Other activities include sea jousting, golf and bull fighting tournaments that are held in the modern arena. In August there is the famous 5-day festival: Le Feria du Béziers. The successful rugby team is also very popular (AS Béziers). You can also enjoy a boat trip along the Canal du Midi. The canal connects the Garonne River to the Etang de Thau on the Mediterranean Sea (running from Toulouse, Carcassonne, Béziers and down to the Mediterranean fishing port of Sète).
Food
The cuisine of the Languedoc is very similar to the Mediterranean, the emphasis is on ingredients from the sun. Consisting of aromatic herbs from the garrigues (rosemary, thyme, juniper, sage and fennel) garlic, olives and olive oil. Fresh vegetables in particular tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and peppers. There are many cheeses including: Roquefort, Bleu des Causses, Tomme de Pyrénées, Brébis, Lauiole and Pélardon. Pork, lamb patés, cured hams and charcuterie are popular meat dishes. There is a variety of fish dishes such as oysters and mussels from the Bassin de Thau, fish from the Golf du Lion and anchovies from Collioure. Béziers itself is very famous for its seafood platters coming from the Mediterranean Sea.
As the landscape around Béziers is filled with vineyards, it does not come as a surprise that Béziers has some fantastic wines to offer: Maison Nicolas (white), Baronnie de Bouragade (red), Laroche Pinot Noir (red) and Roche Mazet Languedoc (red).
Restaurants
- AU PETIT SAVOYARD, 17, rue Meyerbeer Beziers Tel. 33 (0)4 67 76 20 93
- BRASSERIE DU PALAIS, 59, pLace de la Révolution Beziers Tel. 33 (0)4 67 28 29 20
Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property in Beziers. All of our agents in Occitanie are registered French estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: flat, gite, B&B, villa, castle or mansion, we will do our best to find a property in Prades matching your requirements. Do not hesitate to contact us to find out more about our selection of properties for sale in Beziers.