Quartier des Arènes

The Quartier des Arènes lies on the Saint-Jacques hill, to the south of the old centre of Béziers, and its name recalls the amphitheatre that stood here when the town was the Roman Baeterrae. Béziers was among the first Roman colonies in Gaul, founded in the first century BC for veterans of the legions, and the town grew rich on wine and on its position on the Via Domitia, the road that linked Italy with Spain. The amphitheatre, built in the first century AD, was a large oval arena where gladiator fights and other shows took place, and its position outside the town centre is typical of Roman cities. Little of the original structure can be seen above ground today, since stone was reused in later buildings, so the visitor needs some imagination to see the ancient town in the present streets.

The name of the district is also a reminder of the modern Arènes de Béziers, the bullring, a large arena built at the end of the nineteenth century, which stands near the Plateau des Poètes, the town's park. Béziers is known throughout France for its Feria, a festival of bullfighting, music and street celebrations held in August that draws hundreds of thousands of people over several days, and the arena is its centre, with the corridas, in the Spanish style, taking place in the afternoons. Bullfighting is a controversial subject, and visitors who do not wish to attend can still enjoy the atmosphere in the streets, with bands and bodegas. Outside the Feria, the arena is used for concerts and other shows, so there is a good chance of seeing a performance in the same space.

The district itself is a mixture of historic and modern buildings, with the old streets of the town behind it, and it can be reached on foot from the centre. A walk through it combines the sense of Roman history with local life, and there are cafés and shops. For the full picture of the Roman past, visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the archaeological collections in the town, where finds from Baeterrae are shown.

Béziers has much else to offer. The Cathédrale Saint-Nazaire stands on a hill above the river Orb, with a terrace that gives wide views over the valley and the old bridge, and it was the scene of a massacre in 1209 during the Albigensian Crusade, an episode that still marks local memory. The Église Saint-Pierre, the Place de la République and the Porte Narbonnaise, a fragment of the old fortifications, are close to the centre. The town was also the birthplace of Pierre-Paul Riquet, the builder of the Canal du Midi, and the canal is a major attraction just outside it, with the Fonseranes locks, a staircase of eight locks that raise boats up the hill.

The district suits those interested in Roman history, in the Feria and in the life of a southern French town. Opening arrangements vary with events, so check before you go.