Our Postcard from Béziers

This postcard comes from the town of Béziers in the Hérault department, in the Occitanie region. A town with a population of around 70,000, it lies snuggled between the Mediterranean and the mountains. This is a completely stunning part of the world, and we absolutely love it. A town steeped in history, it boasts nearly 3,000 years of historic interest.

A Corner of Paradise

With an excellent transport network, it’s easy to see why Béziers is popular. Now, with an enlarged airport, there’s a regular flight from Bristol, operated by Ryanair. This means that the area has seen a significant increase in British tourists, with some figures quoting a 130% rise since the flight began.

In fact, we took the flight from Bristol and bagged a bargain at under £150 for the two of us (albeit we only had hand luggage). We also found a little gem of a chambre d’hôte only a short stroll from the city centre, but with a lovely garden which, when we were enjoying our apéritifs there, felt like it could have been in the middle of nowhere – a real corner of paradise!

Party at the Féria

A town known for its bullfighting, we missed the Féria this year, but apparently, when it takes place in August, it attracts around a million visitors over the five days. Whether you’re for it or against it, bull fighting is enormous in this neck of the woods, and the Ferias or Fêtes that take place around it have something to offer for everyone. A time of the year, when even sleepy little towns come to life day and night, if you’re planning a summer trip to Béziers, it’s probably worth catching at least part of the Féria, to contrast the town in its normal day-to-day life and during party time.

Béziers, One of the Oldest in France

One of the oldest cities in France, Béziers boasts records dating back to 575 B.C., putting it just behind Marseille, which has historic roots dating back to 600 B.C. And, funnily enough, wine has been at the heart of the area since the start and remains one of its jewels today.

Particularly renowned years ago for its white wine, it’s better known today for a host of reds, although some of the vineyards are reworking their whites to appeal to today’s wine lovers. Some of the more common grapes in the area are Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay and Viognier. Not surprisingly, the abundance of local wine has given rise to many wine bars in Béziers, and we appreciated and enjoyed them immensely.

In our view, there are a handful of “must-see spots” in Béziers, and these include:

• The Cathedral - A 13th-century Romanesque affair, Béziers’ cathedral is quite a sight. It’s well worth taking a tour and taking time to look out over the landscape from this spot.
• The Musée des Beaux-Arts in Béziers is also well worth a visit while you’re here and features resident exhibitions by Rubens and Delacroix, as well as regularly changing local artwork.
• The Summer Festival - As we’ve already mentioned, the Féria is well worth incorporating into a visit – make sure you can keep up with the pace!
• The Canal du Midi - Renowned worldwide, the Canal passes through a whole host of lovely villages and is only a stone’s throw from Béziers. If you have time, it might be worth considering spending some time on the water while you’re here.
• Roquebrun - This stunning little village seems to defy gravity as it clings to the cliff face above the Orb River. Again, only a short drive from Béziers, it’s celebrated locally for its wine and river swimming.

When it comes to considering if this part of Occitanie might be attractive to us, if we were thinking about a whole new life or a holiday investment,  we have to say a big “yes” From a climate point of view and from a beauty point of view, this part of the world ticks all of our boxes.

Here’s our selection of properties for sale near Beziers to get your search started.