Béziers is one of France’s oldest cities, dating to a Greek colony founded around 575 BC. It would be remarkable for that fact alone, but Béziers is also a beautiful place with a fascinating historic core of narrow streets and lovely squares. The town sits picturesquely on a hilltop overlooking the River Orb and vineyard-filled plain below. The impression as you approach is that little has changed over the centuries.
The views of the town and its crowning glory, the Cathédrale St-Nazaire, from the banks of the River Orb next to the Pont-Neuf are stunning. Illuminated in the morning sun, the yellow stone seems to glow. While Béziers gets its share of visitors, many people seem to overlook it. That lends it a relaxed and easygoing vibe, making it the perfect place for our introduction to the Languedoc.
If it was just ancient buildings and beautiful views, Béziers would be worth a stop. Spend a few days exploring the town and like us you’ll probably want to up sticks and move there. Its street life feels vibrant, whether the outdoor tables of cafes or the markets that pop up in different squares. This is helped by large parts of the town being car free. It gives the narrow cobbled streets of the historic centre a peaceful feel.
The Languedoc is a heaven for foodies and Béziers is no exception. It has a fantastic food scene: grab a drink at a bar in the newly restored covered market – Les Halles – and then tour the other stalls to select your a la carte indoor picnic; or eat at one of the collection of good restaurants on newly restored Place Jean Jaurès. We had a memorable, and reasonably priced lunch at the wonderful Pica-Pica.
Place Jean Jaurès is a large and splendid public space with a water feature that small children can run through on hot days. Given that the temperatures were hitting 36C when we were there, it seemed unjust that society frowns upon grown adults joining in. The square links seamlessly with a tree-lined esplanade that runs from the pretty theatre at one end to the Plateau des Poètes gardens at the other.
Someone has given a lot of thought to making modern Béziers a people-centric town. It’s one reason we loved it so much. This extends to the Orb-Cathédrale trail, a new path that climbs from close to the river up stairways (or an elevator), ramps and wooden walkways along the side of the cliff below the cathedral. You arrive in the Jardin des Évêques next to the Bishop’s Palace with great views.
Walk a few more steps and you emerge into the square outside the imposing Cathédrale Saint-Nazaire. Inside, the cathedral is plain, the views from the the square though are anything but plain. Vast panoramas open up over the river, Pont Vieux and surrounding countryside below. Turn around and the historic heart of the city awaits. It’s not huge, but you can lose yourself in the narrow lanes for hours.
Strolling these streets with their layers of history – you can still spot some of the original Roman architecture – is most atmospheric in the evening, especially after watching the sun set and turn the cathedral ablaze in brilliant oranges and pinks. There are lots of quiet squares to explore in the Old Town, dotted amongst them are numerous cafes and bars including the delightful Tuto mondo, part antiques shop, part cafe.
One of the most pleasing things about meandering the streets is that many of them have golden disks hanging over them. These catch the light and glisten like shoals of fish. When the wind blows, they sound like leaves in a forest. It was a bit of a theme wherever we went, but it made us feel even more warmly towards Béziers.
