Beziers

		ACCESS : - Autoroute A9, sortie Béziers, - Aéroport Béziers/Vias, - Gare SNCF. ACCOMODATION Renseignements : Office de Tourisme et des Congrès*, 29 avenue St-Saens- 34500 Béziers - Tél. 04 67 76 84 00 - Fax 04 67 76 50 80 - e-mail : tourisme@ville-beziers.fr - G.P.I.H. (Groupement Profes-sionnel de l'Industrie Hôte-lière) ; - A.S.P.I.H. (Association de Promotion de l'Industrie Hôte-lière) - 59, avenue Albert Premier - Tél. 04 67 30 06 28 - Fax 04 67 09 07 80 O.T.S.I. - Tél. 04 67 76 47 00 - Fax 04 67 76 50 80. HISTORY Béziers, on the tracks of our local heritage : Béziers, protected by its cathedralfortress, stands proud against the blue Mediterranean sky. A jewel with many different facets, it only reveals the secrets of its 6,500-year history little by little : Roman Béziers was one of the oldest towns on the Mediterranean as can be seen from the recently restored amphitheatre; Cathar Béziers fought the Crusaders; Saint Madeleine's Church and Saint Nazaire Cathedral still bear the traces ; Discrete Béziers has beautiful private mansions, with gemel bays and Gothic windows; Opulent Béziers dates from the town's 19th C golden age: its wide avenues, Allées Paul Riquet and the new Arena evoke the atmosphere of the period ; And poetic Béziers with its gardens, fountains, from Antonine's Villa to the Plateau des Poètes... So many different facets of Béziers long, eventful history. The Canal du Midi The Canal du Midi, a ribbon of water linking the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, makes its way past Béziers and across the plain, which is only justice as the engineering genius who built the canal was born here. A few hundred yards from the town, he had to build a series of seven locks to enable the canal to climb the Fonséranes hill. Today this is one of the major sites in Languedoc- Roussillon. Not far away, an ingenious bridge was built to take the Canal over the Orb River. A topsy-turvy world! Now classed by UNESCO as part of our World Heritage, the three-centuries-old canal was always more than a waterborne highway. The Romans first dreamed of linking the two seas, but in the end it was Paul Riquet from Béziers who managed to realise their ambition. Today, the Canal's days carrying goods are over, and it has become a unique, very different way of exploring the area. PLACES OF INTEREST Wandering through the town, you will see remains of the past heritage, but even more, you will notice the vital spirit committed to enjoying the good life to the full, both now and in the future. What can you discover in Béziers: - a cathedral with its cloisters. - four Romanesque churches. - the arenas; the new arena and remains of the roman amphi-theatre. - ten officially classed sites and sixteen officially listed sites. The Allées Paul Riquet : At the beginning of XIXth century, the moats of the old city were filled in to create the promenade which we can see now. On Fridays, the flower market, which fills the pro-menade, is a delight for all to see. The Theatre : At the top of the "Allées", the theatre is a practically unique example in France of the XIXth century "bonbonnières" theatre. The "Plateau des Poètes" : At the other end of the "Allées", this park, set out over five hectares in the ‘jardin à l'anglaise' style, was created in 1865. It is an inviting place for those who want to take the time to appreciate nature's gentle pace. The plateau was classed as a historic site in 1995. The Penitent's chapel : This chapel in the flamboyant gothic style can be found rue du 4 septembre. St Nazaire Cathedral : The typical postcard image of Béziers, Saint Nazaire Cathedral was also witness to the Cathar tragedy. The cathedral was first mentioned in the 8th C. In 1130, the master builder Gervais built a Romanesque church of which little is left today. In fact, it was burned down on 22 July 1209 as part of the Crusade against the Albigensians. It was said that the cathedral "split in half like a pomegranate". Rebuilt between the 13th and 15th Cs, it is still a superb example of southern Gothic architecture with magnificent frescoes, a fascinating organ case, and other interesting items. In many ways repository of the town's history, it is also an invitation to come for a peaceful stroll or just to rest awhile: the cloisters and the Bishop's garden are cool havens of peace on the hottest day. These are magical places, hidden from public view, which is typical of Béziers, but only to best preserve the atmosphere for those who choose to visit. Saint Madeleine's Church : Though closely surrounded by buildings, Saint Madeleine's Church has retained aspects of its Romanesque origin in spite of some rebuilding. Today in a peaceful Italian-style square, it was a consular parish church until the French Revolution. It was also the site of a number of violent episodes in the town's history: not only was Raymond de Trencavel assassinated in the church in 1167, but one of the worst massacres of the Cathar Crusades took place here. When the townspeople sought refuge in the church on the arrival of the Crusaders, the Papal Legate ordered them all to be burnt, saying "Kill them all! God will recognise His own". The Cordier Mill : Built by a man from Béziers, a Mr Cordier, who installed a steam pump there in 1827 to raise water from the Orb River to the town on the hill. Saint James' Church (Saint Jacques) : On the top of Saint James' hill, this church outside the walls is near the Roman amphitheatre. It is not known when the original church was built but it was first mentioned in 908. Nothing remains of the 10th C church however. One can admire the five-section East end with its strange stone lacework from the garden around the church, which also has a magnificent view of the cathedral and the Béziers plain. Inside the church, the 12thC half-dome apse is a perfect example of Romanesque architecture. This magnificent building has recently been restored, revealing a hitherto little known, but glorious example of medieval Romanesque art. The Amphitheatre : Built under the Roman Flavian emperors (1st C AD) on the uninhabited Saint James' hill, it held 13,700 spectators. In regular use until the end of the 3rd C, when it became a source of dressed stone before being taken over by potters and other craftsmen from the Middle Ages to the 19th C. Recently renovated and partially restored, this unique example of the antique city of Béziers is only accessible to the general public on guided tours. The old arena : Built by the Romans in the first century AD, the ancient arena was the site of major archaeological research. The amphitheatre measured 108.3 metres by 88.6 metres and would have held 13,700 spectators. Guided visits by appointment. Call (33) 467 768 400. The new Arena :** Béziers is a town of numerous passions, and the Arena is home to one of today's most popular events, the ferias! At the end of the 19th C, the town built a veritable plaza in brick and stone. Started in 1897 and completed in 1905, it is now the site of Béziers famous corridas. At the beginning of the 20th C however, it was intended for operas and other lyric events. Camille Saint-Saëns was persuaded to mount his opera, Déjanire, there by his friend Castelbon. It was a triumph, and marked the start of the Arena's role as "opera house". Other operas followed, such that for over 25 years Béziers became a sort of French Bayreuth. The town's bull-fighting traditions only date from the end of the First World War, the first major corrida being held on 29 May 1921.