5 Incredible Reasons to Visit Béziers, One of France’s Oldest Cities

Last Updated on 4th October 2022 by Sophie Nadeau

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With its very own international airport and easy transport links to the rest of France, there is no better time than now to visit Béziers, a historic city in the South of France. Here are five incredible reasons to visit this Southern French city ASAP!

Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to visit Béziers for the first time during a solo trip in the South of France. I’d been searching for a French hidden gem, a diamond in the rough, with easy transport links and a nearby international airport (which was also affordable for me to fly into the following day). The result? Béziers, a city I soon grew to love and am already planning a return trip soon!

Why visit Béziers?

While not as popular as the ever touristic nearby city of Montpellier, Béziers can be found along the secret French Riviera, an area of France which is sure to rise in popularity over the next couple of decades. As such, the best time to visit Béziers is right now, before all the other tourists arrive!

Even if you choose to visit during the European peak season (though I’d personally recommend visiting during the shoulder seasons– late Spring/ early Autumn if you’re able), there will be fewer crowds in the city than if you were to visit Provence or Bordeaux.

Best things to do in Béziers

For those seeking the bright lights of Paris and the attractions that other European cities have to offer, Béziers is not the place for you. Instead, the charm of this underrated city lies in its meandering lanes, few museums, and quieter pace of life.

Highlights of the city, of which the heart of the historic old town is actually a citadel perched high above the river below, include spying some of the best views Béziers has to offer, as well as ascending the dizzying heights of the cathedral bell tower.

Béziers Cathedral

Known in French as Cathédrale Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse de Béziers, this ecclesiastical building was constructed in the Middle Ages and was actually built on the site of a former place of worship  that was destroyed during the Massacre at Béziers?

Stay in a luxury hotel

If you’re looking for a literal luxury, then Béziers has this too. During my time in the city, I was lucky enough to spend two blissful nights at l’Hotel Particulier Béziers, a former family mansion with all the luxuries you’d expect from an up-to-date and modern hotel.

Visit the locks of Fonserannes

From Roman history to more modern events, Béziers is probably best-known for the tragic persecution of the Cathars, the site on which the fortified Béziers cathedral now stands. Elsewhere in the city, Béziers is the birthplace of Paul Riquet, the man who went on to engineer the Canal du Midi.

A twenty-minute walk from the city centre, the neuf Ecluses des Fonseranes (the nine locks of Fonserannes) is included within the UNESCO listing for the Canal du Midi and the impressive stepped locks were opened to the public in 1697.

200 years ago, canals were one of the cheapest ways to transport goods across France. Thanks to a complex system of locks, it was possible to ship goods to Paris all the way from the Mediterranean using only canals! 

Béziers is one of the oldest cities in France

When you think of historical destinations in France, Béziers probably isn’t the first place you think of- and not just because you’ve never heard of the Southern French city before! However, it’s true! Béziers is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in France, having been lived in since 575 BCE.

Nearby Marseille was first inhabited in 600 BCE, making it just a couple of decades older than Béziers. Nearby, Agde was founded in 525 BCE. Today, the city is full of history; the Vieux Pont, Medieval Citadel, and remains of the Roman Arena, to name but a few examples.

Day trips from Béziers couldn’t be easier!

The former Roman port city of Narbonne, the working fishing town of Sete, and the ever-growing settlement of Montpellier can all be found less than an hour via train from Bezier’s city centre. As such, Béziers makes for the perfect place to base yourself over the course of a long weekend.

Should you wish to rent a car, it’s also incredibly easy to drive off into the hills and vineyards surrounding the city and see what the countryside has to offer! For those with four-wheel transportation, the picturesque villages of Roquebrun and Cap d’Agde can both be visited within a forty-five-minute drive of Béziers.

Enjoyed reading this guide to the best reasons to visit Béziers? Pin it now, read it again later!