Béziers

Béziers (in Occitan, Besièrs ) is a common French, located in the department of the Herault and the area Languedoc-Roussillon.

Its inhabitants is called the Biterrois and Biterrois. By its population, it is the second city of the department of the Herault and the fourth of the Languedoc-Roussillon area (after Montpellier, Nimes and Perpignan)

Geography

The city is located in the plain héraultaise, dominating the Orb and the Canal of the South in a picturesque site.

Last buttress of the Massif Central in the plain of Bottom Languedoc, Béziers is located at 20 km of the Mediterranean and with 50km of the fairly high Mountain S of High Languedoc such as the abrupt solid mass of Caroux (1090 meters of altitude) Espinouse (1124m) and mounts of Lacaune in the Tarn (1267m).

Profiting from an important communal surface (9 548 Hectares), Béziers is the most extended commune of the department of the Herault. Less than half of the communal surface is urbanized, the remainder of the territory is composed of green areas, protected natural zones and agricultural zones (approximately 2.000 hectares) mainly planted in Vigne S.

Urban topography

From the point of view of the urban development, Béziers develops on a plate overhanging in the east Orb, because of the easily flooded character of western bank of Orb, the " Faubourg" located in the alluvial plain. With the Eastern edge of the old city, large the gone Paul-Riquet forms a vast esplanade with the site of the old ditches then play of Email. In north, they lead to the " Theater of Variétés" (XIXème century); in the south, on the park known as Plate of the Poets (arranged in 1887). Other major attractions are related to the Orb: initially the nine locks of Fonserannes on the Channel of the South and the tubular bridge, later. The field of Raïssac , close to Orb in the North-West of the city, has a beautiful collection of Faïence S and Céramiques and is with the head of a wine field of 108 ha.

The residential districts of the XIXème century developed in the east of the alleys, where are the principal stores and, beyond, hospital, arenas and swimming pool, colleges, cooperative wine cave, barracks (current university site Of Guesclin) and firemen. The expansion towards north was later, while in the south the station and Orb formed barrier. The recent growth occupied of vast spaces in south-east, beyond the Béziers railway - Neussargues and until the highway has 9, on nearly 4 km: great whole of Devèze , vast industrial park (Capiscol), hypermarkets with shopping malls (Montimaran, Gayonne), exhibition site, market large, new Stage of the Mediterranean.

Construction remained moderate on Western bank, although the " Faubourg" there accommodated some workshops and a distilling, gardens, a Plain of plays. South-western side, RN113 is accompanied by workshops and warehouses until Colombiers, of which the zone of activities of Fontvieille.

Béziers is also a “node” of transportation routes: beyond the waterways (Orb and channel of the South), Béziers is located at the crossroads of the roads RN112 (of Saint-Pons-with-Thomières, coming from Albi, towards Agde), RN113 (of Narbonne to Pézenas) but also the cD11 (towards Capestang and Carcassonne) and the cD909 (towards Bédarieux) Également of the highways A9 (valley of Rhone-Spain) and A75 (the highway of the Massif Central).

History

Béziers is very an old city: 2700 years of history, which begins with the installation of a tribe on the banks of Orb to the Neolithic era, on the current site of the Thicket.

During the age of iron (before J. - C.), Béziers constitutes one of principal the oppida of Celtic Mediterranean.

Antiquity

The Romans drive out the Celtibères as of settling there and creating there a colony, the Civitas urbs baeterrensis ! Located at a few kilometers of the Mediterranean on the River Orb, crossed by the Via Domitia which connects the Italy to the Spain, Baeterrae , ancient name of Béziers, thrive until where the ambient insecurity leads the city to build walls.

The Middle Ages

The cruel invasions touch full Béziers whip, in the center of a Narbonnaise very disputed: initially with the hands of the Visigoths at the 6th century, it is conquered soon by the Musulmans at the beginning of the 8th century century, then by the Francs which, carried out by Charles Martel ruin it into 737. Sit of one évêché then soon, thanks to Charlemagne, of a county, Béziers continues to strengthen itself, in particular at the beginning of the 12th century, at the time of the southernmost Great War between the house of Aragon and the house of Toulouse, and its enclosure, including the boroughs of Capnau, Saint-Aphrodise and Saint-Jacob, takes his final form.

In 1209, the Viscount of Béziers, Raimond-Roger Trencavel, cannot resist the attacks of cross of North, carried out by Simon de Montfort and come to punish the heretics “Albigensian”: all the inhabitants of Béziers passed by the weapons during one of the greatest massacres of the Moyen-âge (according to a not very sure source, the papal legate Innocent III, the Arnault abbot, would have proclaimed: “ Kill to them all, God will recognize to them his ”. See article Arnaud Amaury.)

The cathedral of Béziers is rebuilt, Béziers integrated into the royal field in 1247. The city is then with the hands of three capacities: the évêché, which knows its apogee at and the 17th century when it is occupied by the family of Bonsi, allied with the Médicis, the consulate, is created at the end of the 12th century, and finally the king, is represented by a viguier for the legal affairs, then by one subdelegated of the intendant as from the 17th century.

Béziers is not worried during the Guerre One hundred Year old.

Rebirth

Charles IX passes in the city at the time of royal sound Tour de France (1564 - 1566), accompanied by the Cour and Large by the kingdom: his/her brother the duke of Anjou, Henri de Navarre, cardinal of Bourbon and Lorraine.

12th century with the Revolution

It is used as a basis back during all the wars of the modern time: especially against the Habsbourg. It is really in danger only in 1710 when the Britanniques, during the War of succession of Spain (1701-1714), unload with Sète and push until a few kilometers of Béziers before being pushed back by the duke of Roquelaure. Béziers is in addition in the middle of the revolt of Montmorency in 1632: it is there that find Gaston of Orleans and the governor of the province at the beginning of the rebellion, it is there too that the king, by the edict of Béziers, in October 1632, removes the privileges of the province, restored in 1649.

During the 18th century, prosperous Béziers, in particular thanks to the culture of the Vine which enables him to be an important center of alcohol trade. At the time of the Revolution, the city does not take share with the movement of the federalists.

Since the 19th century

On the other hand, in 1851, Béziers is one of the only cities to be revolted against the coup d'etat of the prince-president Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte. At the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, Béziers knows its golden age, compromised soon by the crisis of price-cutting of the wine which occurs at the beginning of the 20th century. The area, touched later that the others by the Phylloxéra, will not have to suffer from it too much because one knows already how to cure it. During, the population passes from 15.000 to 50.000 inhabitants, the city extends, of the arenas are built, large arteries is bored, many everywhere high buildings of style haussmannien in the city, the Paul-Riquet alleys equipped with luxurious frontages, a rich person theater, is closed in the south by an astonishing landscaped garden (the plate of the Poets) with the not very common gasolines under Mediterranean latitudes. Many castles are built by the vine growers in the surroundings, witnesses of a great completed prosperity. In 1907, Béziers is the epicentre of the revolt of the Vine growers, and of the soldiers mutineers settle there before being sent to Gafsa, in Tunisia. July 5th 1944, the city is bombarded by the 15th USAAF and of the apparatuses of the Mission Shuttle.

After the Second world war sounds the hour of the decline for Béziers. Initially the fall of the prices of the wine, then the crisis of traditional industries. Transformed by the construction of great whole of HLM after the arrival of the repatriates of Algeria, Béziers is then sadly famous for its unemployment rate. Starting from the census of 1975, the population declines and passes from 80.000 to 70.000 inhabitants.

For as much, Béziers profited since the years 1960 from tourist rise from the Gulf of Lions. The Biterrois can continue their studies with Béziers since the creation of IUT in 1992 and of the university center in 1996. The city currently knows a new phase of development associated with a new demographic rise which benefits the unit from the agglomeration from Béziers, grace in particular on arrival of the A75 (Clermont-Ferrand - Béziers).

Administration

Mayors of Béziers

to see the complete listing: List of the mayors of Béziers

Cantons

Béziers is chief town of four cantons:

Justice

Béziers is the seat of a magistrates' court and a Court of Bankruptcy.

Demography

source:

Education

Primary school education

Nearly 4000 children are registered in the elementary schools of the city. (27 nursery schools including 6 private, 28 elementary schools including 6 private)

Secondary education

Béziers counts 8 colleges including 2 private and 4 colleges including 1 private.

Higher education

IUT of Béziers (University Montpellier 2) and BTS (colleges Jean-Mill and the Trinity and Henri-Iv today), and the development of the university Site Of Guesclin (University Paul-Valéry, Montpellier 3), Béziers takes into account more than 1500 students but does not profit yet from all the infrastructures of a coed city: private university canteen, not of university residence, absence of many university services of life coed (SCUIO, SCAC, etc), absence mitigated partly by the activities of the service youth of the agora. CIRDOC, Center of studies occitanes, is the most important research center on the Occitanie of the south of France.

Economy

Béziers is the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Béziers - Saint-Pons.

Cataroise
Wine
Mechanical engineering

Famous people born in Béziers

Pierre-Paul Riquet (1609-1680), Architect of the Channel of the South
Jacques Spirit (1611-1677), moralist
Paul Pellisson (1624-1693), writer
Jean-Jacques Dortous de Mairan (1678-1771), mathematician and astronomer
Jacques Joseph Viennet (1734-1824), Politician, personality of the Revolution, member of the Convention;
Jean-Pons-Guillaume Viennet (1777-1868), Politician, Poet and Dramatic author French, member of the French Academy, wire of the precedent;
Jean Antoine Ernest Constans (1833-1913)
Gabriel de Lautrec, French writer born in Béziers on February 21st, 1867.
Henri Fescourt (11/23/1880 - 1966), born Marcellin Henri Fescourt, scenario writer, realizer of courts and feature-length films between 1912 and 1942, inter alia the House of the arrow (1930 with Annabella), Casanova (1933), Bar of the South (1938, with Charles Vanel) and Light-back (1942).
Edouard Barthe (1882-1949), deputy, mayor, modernisator of the vine growing and republican opponent to the mode of Vichy.
Yves Nat (1890-1956), type-setter and pianist
Jean Moulin (1899-1943), hero of the Resistance, first president of the National council of resistance
Edgar Faure (1908-1988), president of the council in 1955, directing radical party French
Paul Crauchet (1920), actor of Cinema
Rene Vignal (1926-), guard of the team of France of Football, called " The Flying Frenchman" ; 17 selections in national team.
max Huts (1947-), author of cartoons.
Yves Brouzet (1948-2003), athlete, holder during 34 years of the national record of the shot put (1973-2007)
Julien Rodriguez (born on June 11th, 1978), footballer, champion of France in 2000 with the ACE Monaco.
Rudy Riou (born on January 22nd, 1980), footballer, goalkeeper with Montpellier and Istres, international hope.
Baptist Chabert (born on April 7th, 1983), footballer, former guard replacing with AJ Auxerre.
Jérémy Clement (born on August 26th, 1984), footballer, medium ground, 3 times champion of France with the Olympic Lyonese.
Richard Gasquet (1986-), tennis player
Alexandra Rosenfeld (1986-), Miss France 2006, Miss Europe 2006.
Sebastien Castela (1983-), Matador first French to have reached the honorary title of " figura".

Tourist monuments and places

the cathedral Saint-Nazaire: located on the heights of the city, it occupies a site of most picturesque, visible by far when one arrives at Béziers by the road of Narbonne. Remarkable example of the “southernmost” Gothic of the 14th century, vaults rising with more 30m, exceptional work of ironwork of the protective grills external of the stained glasses (); Master imposing furnace bridge surmounted by a glory and splendid organ case (and 18th centuries). Contiguous cloister and charming garden of the bishops overhanging the suburb. To also see many frontages of the S and private mansions in the historical center.
the plate of the poets: this vast Park with English, container many Statue S of poets and monumental the " statue-cascade" of Titan by Injalbert, connects the station to the alleys Paul Riquet where is the large bronze statue of the brilliant creator of the channel of the South (Pierre-Paul Riquet) by the David sculptor Of Angers. David of Angers which also carried out the low reliefs which decorate the neo-classic frontage of the municipal theater to Italian in top as of these same alleys.
the Arena S: Béziers counts two arenas: one dating from the Roman epoch, rehabilitated after long work, located in the Saint-Jacob district (see Roman Arenas of Béziers), and the other built at the end of the 19th century on the model its Spanish arenas by Fernand Castelbon de Beauxhostes Patron set on Theater and lyric Art (see Arenas of Béziers). Artists of passage in the city produce there concerts and bullfight S are organized during the festivities of the Féria of August.
the museum of the Art schools, located in the private mansions Fabrégat and Fayet and founded in 1859, it receives in 1934 the donation of the widow of Jean-Antoine Injalbert, sculptor known for his monumental work (many achievements downtown and in all the department of Herault), as well as drawings and the collection of art of Jean Moulin in 1975. It also exposes fabrics of Géricault, of Vincent van Gogh, Chaïm Soutine…
the Saint-Jacob museum, installed in an old barracks, present of the collections on the Biterrois life.

Other sites and monuments:

the Channel of the South:
the bridge channel
the locks of Fonserannes
the garden of Plantade.
the mill of Rope-maker, or mill of Bagnols.
the Saint-Jacob church.
the Saint-Aphrodise church.
the church of the Madeleine.
the church Jude Saint.
the church of the Immaculate Conception.
the district of Capnau.
the island of Tabarka, on the Orb.
the Old theater Art nouveau of the Varieties.
the large markets (end).
the Palate of the Congresses
the Field of Bayssan (Left Western)
the Vault of the Garden Notre Dame (XVIII°)

Sport

The town of Béziers was during many years the French capital of the Rugby. Indeed, ASBH gained 11 championships of France between 1961 and 1984. Since, the club is various successes, sailing between the Signal 14 and the Pro D2. The club evolves/moves with the Stade of the Mediterranean. In spite of this loss of domination, the ASBH could profit during several years from an excellent training center.

But Béziers is also present in other sports, such as for example the Volley-ball, with the female team which plays every year the first parts in championship elite. One can also quote the football club created in 2007 (by the bringing together with the team of Chinian Saint), the ACE Béziers, which evolves/moves in CFA 2 (the 5th division) for the season 2007-2008. Also tennis with the young person Richard Gasquet, originating in Sérignan and each year the tournament of the Ace organized in the arenas.

Festivities

City of the south, following the example Nimes, Béziers is a city where the Tauromachie holds an important place. The Féria of August 15th, with its Bullfight S at the Arenas and 5 feastdays continuous in all the city, attracts, each year, approximately a million people on the city during 5 days.

Semi July, the town of Béziers accommodates since 2001 Fèsta d' Oc. Festival of Occitanie, during 5 days the City proposes concerts with the meridian accents in heart of city, a Course Camarguaise with the Arènes, Water tournaments, debates.

"Lo camel" of Béziers.

Twinnings

since 1993
since 1965
since 1982
since 1972

See too

List of the Common bishops of Béziers
of totemic Animal Herault
of Herault

External bonds

Official site of the city
Béziers on the site of the national geographical Institute
Béziers on the site of INSEE
Béziers on the site of Plane Quid
of Béziers on Mapquest

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