Holidays in Béziers

Languedoc's dramatic hilltop wine capital

Béziers is where the real Languedoc reveals itself – a proud city perched dramatically above the River Orb, where spectacular mediaeval architecture meets authentic southern French life. The majestic Cathedral of Saint-Nazaire, standing sentinel on the city's highest point, dominates the skyline and offers views that will stay with you forever, across vineyards stretching all the way to the Mediterranean. What we particularly love about Béziers is its unspoiled character - while other southern cities have polished themselves (perhaps a little too much) for tourism, Béziers remains delightfully genuine, especially during its famous Feria when the streets explode with music, dancing, and celebration – although we really hope the bullfighting soon becomes a thing of the past.

The UNESCO-listed Canal du Midi curves through the city's lower reaches, offering plane tree-shaded towpaths for cycling and walking (or boat trips), while the Fonserannes Locks provide one of the canal's most impressive engineering spectacles. In the historic centre,café-lined squares and elegant boulevards reveal the city's wealthy wine-trading past, while the modern Polygone shopping centre brings contemporary retail therapy to this ancient city. It's this blend of historic grandeur and everyday French life that makes Béziers so captivating.