What to do in Béziers ? for a weekend
Located on the Mediterranean coast, in the Hérault region to be precise, we only knew Béziers by name. Our 3 days in this city were a great first for us. We were able to discover the centre of Béziers, the famous Canal du Midi, the surrounding area, activities and places not to be missed.
So what to do in Béziers and its surroundings? This is what we will see together with a detailed itinerary over 3 days.
What to do in Béziers – Itinerary and advice
How to get to Béziers?
The city of Béziers is very well served.
? By road, the A9 motorway which runs along the Mediterranean passes close to the town. From Lyon, it took us less than 4 hours. Also count 4h from Bordeaux and 2h30 from Marseille.
? By train, many lines bring to Béziers directly (2h20 only from Lyon).
✈️ By plane, it is possible to get to Béziers by air from most major French cities.
When to go to Béziers?
To make the most of Béziers’ excitement, water activities and beach we recommend a visit between May and October. Even though it can be very hot in the middle of summer, the water is a great place to cool off.
Usually, around the 15th of August, the famous ferias of Béziers take place, where you can party like nowhere else! This year, the festivities will not have the same magnitude as usual, Covid obliges. So we’ll be back next summer to experience it all ?.
Where to stay in Béziers?
We stayed 2 nights at the Hotel XIX and we can only recommend it. ? The location is just perfect, the decoration uncluttered, the welcome very warm and the little + if you take a over rating: a balcony that overlooks the beautiful Jean-Jaurès square. The hotel also has a café terrace, an ice cream parlour (very coveted) and one of the best restaurants in town: the Pica Pica.
Day 1 – What to do in Béziers
Visit the city centre of Béziers on foot
To soak up the atmosphere of the city, we recommend that you start by strolling through the narrow streets. If you stay at the XIX hotel, you will be in the centre of all the places of interest in Béziers ?
Like many of you, we love cities with little traffic! In the hyper centre of Béziers, this is the case. The streets are quiet, there are many terraces, trees in bloom?, colourful buildings and ancient monuments. By the way, you should know that Béziers is officially, since last year, the oldest city in France!
Saint-Nazaire Cathedral
We loved the little streets around the Cathedral Saint-Nazaire in Béziers. The latter is one of the city’s emblems. Thanks to its size (almost 50m high), it can be seen in many places.
On the square of the cathedral, you will find the giant letters of Béziers for the cool Instagram photo ?.
Note: we have the photos of the roof thanks to an exemption, it is usually not accessible.
Think of refreshing yourself!
Two options are available to you:
Le XIX ice cream parlour with its artisanal ice creams and terrace. ?
La Gorge Fraiche, a local brewery in an atypical location in a former sugar refinery, with a warm welcome and excellent beers! Don’t hesitate to chat with the manager who will teach you a lot about the production of their beers. ?
Cruise with discovery of the 9 locks of Fonseranes
It is essential, during a weekend in Béziers, to discover the Canal du Midi and its locks. We tested the cruise proposed by the Bateaux du Midi company. Even if the beginning is a bit monotonous, the passage of the locks is nice to see. This is the main interest of the trip. The cruise lasts 3 hours from the port of Colombiers. The departure is from the city centre with a 15 minute bus ride.
If you don’t have the time or are not interested enough to take a 3 hour cruise, we advise you to walk to the 9 locks of Fonseranes to see the manoeuvres. They are located about 2 km from the centre.
Dinner at Pica Pica
The restaurant Pica Pica is our favourite address in Béziers. ? The menu was designed by Fabien Lefebvre, best worker in France. The place is a mix of brasserie and refined tapas bar. We tasted many dishes, each one better than the other! We recommend this restaurant 100%. Be careful: remember to book as they are victims of their own success.
Day 2 – What to do in Béziers: activities
Take a trip on an electric boat on the Canal du Midi
Go to the Bath’o du Canal for a bucolic trip on the Canal du Midi. The family business will welcome you with a smile and you will be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside. The electric boats, easy to handle, are designed for 5 to 7 people and you can rent them from half an hour. ?
? Price per boat: count €18 for 30 min and €30 for 1 hour.
⚠️ Note: Following a bad experience, we do not recommend renting from the provider Ecocanal.
Discover Béziers by Paddle / Kayak from the Orb
A must if you are in Béziers for the weekend: visit the city from the Orb. The views are magnificent and the river is very calm. Ideal to try paddle boarding or a quiet kayak ride. If you’re wondering what to do in Béziers in terms of activities, this is the one to choose in our opinion! It was our favourite of the trip. ❤️
? To rent the equipment, head to Smile Kayak, accessible on foot from the city centre (10 min walk). The landing stage is at the same place as the Guinguette de la Laiterie. The location is great and the welcome very warm ?.
Count 10€ / person for 1h and 15€ for 2h.
Payment in bank cheques, ANCV holiday cheques and cash.
Fresh break at the Guinguette
After the physical activity, take the time to refresh yourself with a drink by the river. The Guinguette de la Laiterie is ideal for recovering your strength in a natural and calm setting. In the evening, it’s very nice too ?.
Dinner at La Maison de Petit Pierre
Winner of Top Chef 2014, Pierre Augé wanted to create his restaurant in his home town and it’s a great success. The setting is really nice and the restaurant has 4 different atmospheres depending on your desires: the patio, the restaurant room, the cellar or the “appart”. The food is of high quality and well prepared.
The concept that makes it an original address: there is no menu. The menu is based on seasonal products and the Chef’s inspiration. Of course, at the beginning of the meal, you are asked if you have any allergies or if there is anything you absolutely do not want to eat. We discovered some combinations that we would never have imagined!
? We recommend the €45 per person menu with 4 surprise dishes ?. Don’t forget to book!
Day 3 – What to do around Béziers?
The location of Béziers is ideal, with the sea less than 30 minutes away by car and the mountainous hinterland close by.
Option 1: Enjoy the beach
? There are many fine sandy beaches accessible from Béziers. The closest is Valras-Plage. It’s still nice to think that you can go and have lunch with your feet in the sand, go for a swim and get back to town quickly! ?
Option 2: Head inland.
? Visit Saint Guilhem le Désert
A 1-hour drive north-east of Béziers, we wanted to (re)discover one of the most beautiful villages in France: Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. Its medieval aspect, its small shops, its terraces, its proximity to the gorges of the Hérault and the Pont du Diable make it a very popular destination.
? When you arrive, don’t park in the first paying car parks you see. Head towards Saint-Guilhem centre and park in this car park for €5 for 2.5 hours. You will be a few metres from the entrance to the town.
The best thing to do is to let yourself be carried along the narrow streets of the town. If you go there at lunchtime, we highly recommend the O Bistro restaurant. The setting is beautiful (with a bonus view of the abbey), the service is top notch and the food incredibly good ? All for a moderate price!
☔️ The Umbrella Waterfall
Also known as the Cascade de l’Éventail, this spot is truly amazing. Beware, there are 2 difficulties to access this spot:
How to get to the Umbrella Waterfall? Indeed, there is no indication on the road and no parking. Right between Saint Guilhem le Désert and the Pont du Diable (1.5 km on each side), you will find a small building on the edge of the gorges. It is best to park just before this house when you arrive from Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. Also, if you have Maps, just type “les parapluies” from the search bar. GPS point
Access to the Cascade: from the maisonnette, it takes 4 electricity poles (?) to find the path. It is located between the 4th and the 5th. Once you find the path, you can’t get lost but the descent is quite steep. Bring trainers and avoid going down with small children. There is not really a beach to rest on, the place is small and very busy during the day (at least in high season).
Once you’ve arrived, it’s guaranteed happiness ? The cool, clear water offers a breathtaking view of the Umbrella Waterfalls. There is a bit of current, but feel free to go upstream to see the falls up close. It is also possible to cross the Hérault and go above the waterfalls to jump or admire the view.
? Remember to take shoes that can take water so you can swim without your feet hurting.
? The Devil’s Bridge
This one you can’t miss. Just enter “Pont du Diable” on your GPS app. Follow the signs to get to the car park (one-off charge of €6 for the day). It’s a good 5 minute walk to the lake at the foot of the Pont du Diable. The place is large, so you are not stuck with the others. The view on the bridge is magnificent!
If you have children, this is a great place to cool off in safety.
We hope we have inspired you on what to do in Béziers for a weekend. You can find more ideas for trips in France on our blog.
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