History History

First traces of occupation attested on the fertile banks of the Orb, on the site of a protohistoric oppidum.

The Greeks created the first large city. Archaeological excavations highlight the existence of a Greek city of more than 40 hectares, with the presence of pipes and grain silos.

Hannibal and his elephants cross the city, via the Old Bridge and Canterelles Street.

The Via Domitia, the first Roman road in Gaul linking Genoa to Valencia, crosses the city.

The Gallic city of Beteris became the Roman colony of Julia Baetarrae. It was integrated into the Narbonne and became an active economic and commercial center in the Mediterranean.

The communes of Béziers Méditerranée also have their origins in antiquity since many of them were built and developed on ancient Roman villas . On the coast, fishing and maritime trade have allowed Sérignan and Valras to exist.

The territory is under the hegemony of Rome, the city is surrounded by walls and the amphitheater of Béziers is built. It could accommodate 13,000 people.

Conquest of Béziers by the Visigoths who kept it until 720.

Saracen conquest. Coming from Spain, the Saracens crossed the Pyrenees and conquered the city.

The city was taken over by the Franks, led by Charles Martel, the future grandfather of Charlemagne.

Creation of the commune and management of the city by consuls.

Pope Innocent III launches the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathar heresy, with the support of the armies of the King of France, Philip Augustus.

It is the sack of Béziers. The city was conquered by the king's armies, Béziers was in ashes, the Saint-Nazaire cathedral collapsed and the population was massacred. Villeneuve was also burned down, and after this terrible event, it was named Villeneuve-la-Crémade. Sérignan and Valras suffered the same fate. If Sérignan is rebuilt and will be said to be free in 1412, Valras will remain uninhabited for a long time and will then be integrated into Sérignan.

Beginning of the reconstruction of the Saint-Nazaire cathedral which will last until the 14th century.

The city became one of the residences of the Dukes of Montmorency, governors of Languedoc.

Béziers became richer, and several beautiful private mansions were built: the local bourgeoisie lived off the income from their estates where vines and olive trees were cultivated.

Birth of Pierre-Paul Riquet in Béziers. With the support of Colbert and Louis XIV, he will redesign the landscape and commerce of southern France.

Launch of the construction site of the Canal Royal du Languedoc, future Canal du Midi. Conceived and financed by Pierre-Paul Riquet, it was he who directed the construction of this masterpiece of architecture and hydraulic engineering. A lifelong project, the canal shortened and secured trade by avoiding Gibraltar and its pirates in the pay of the King of Spain. The famous Vauban will even say one day about this fabulous builder and his canal: "I would have preferred to have the glory of being the author, to everything I have done or could do in the future".

Inauguration of the Canal Royal du Languedoc, which will be opened to traffic in July 1684, along its entire course. It will be called Canal du Midi after the French Revolution, because the Revolutionaries want to give it a more democratic and popular name.

Construction of the first hotel in Valras. Sea bathing was in vogue, it was a tourist boom. The arrival of the railroad the following year accentuated the attractiveness of the Valras seaside.

The golden age of Béziers la Vigneronne begins. Spared by phylloxera, the vineyards of the Biterrois region supplied wine to all of France. Béziers became the richest city in the Languedoc, which resulted in the construction of pine castles, sumptuous private mansions, the arena and the municipal theatre.

Jean Moulin is born at the Champ de Mars in Béziers.

An electric tramway links Béziers to Valras. Hotels, residences and cafés were built: Valras-Plage became a seaside resort.

Wine revolt in the Languedoc. This was a vast movement of demonstrations by numerous winegrowers against the increasing importation of Algerian wines (arriving through the port of Sète), and the massive chaptalization of wines. This revolt, suppressed by the Clemenceau cabinet, was notably parked by the fraternization of the 17th line infantry regiment with the Biterrois demonstrators: they occupied the Paul Riquet alleys and peacefully opposed the armed forces facing them.

Valras becomes a full-fledged commune

1st title of French Rugby Champion won by the ASB. This same title was won in 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984.

1st Féria of Béziers. A variety show with Pierre Perret, two novilladas and the comic-taurine troupe El gallo were also on the programme. Since then, every year around August 15th, nearly a million people come to Béziers to take part in this major event in the life of the city.

The 9 locks of Fonseranes are classified as Historic Monument, and the same year, the Canal du Midi is classified as World Heritage by UNESCO.

Béziers is awarded the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire label.