When the early Christian missionary Aphrodise arrived from Egypt in Béziers, his camel must have thought he was in paradise. The River Orb and the lush lands of this part of southern France are in stark contrast to Heliopolis from where they had travelled. However, his new life could have been derailed by the fact that Aphrodise - considered the first bishop of Béziers - fell out with the Romans and was beheaded. Aphrodise miraculously picked up his head and became a saint... and the camel became the town’s mascot. Béziers is said to be one of France’s oldest cities and its craze of narrow ancient streets and wide Haussmann boulevards pay testament to its rich history and economic influence. There is a larger-than-life camel outside the tourist information centre and I have lunch at Le Chameau Ivre (the Drunken Camel). This is a restaurant that takes its wines seriously and serves up a delicious market menu. My mussels in Thai sauce are delicate, wild cod puree intense and the chocolate mousse dusted with caramelised hazelnut and a shard of meringue hits all my sweet buttons. The suggested wine – a Loire aligoté – is a perfect match, even though it is not from one of the 150 domaines which lie within 25km of the city. We sit outside to enjoy the pretty dishes as children play in the jets of the dancing fountains in Place Jean Jaurès. After lunch there are the shops – including Galeries Lafayette – of Allées Paul Riquet to take in. This grand boulevard is named after the creator of the Canal du Midi which is why we head to the nine locks of Fonseranes. This Unesco World Heritage site is about 4km from the city centre and worth the walk – or a trip in the tourist train which has a commentary about the city as you ride. In the 1660s, Riquet, a tax inspector, sold Louis XIV the concept of a canal to link the Mediterranean and Atlantic and the 240km Canal du Midi was constructed between 1666 and 1681 from Toulouse to Sète, with a193km extension from Toulouse to Bordeaux added in 1856. At Fonseranes, the Canal du Midi needed to drop 25 metres to the River Orb and a staircase of locks was Riquet’s ingenious solution. The old lock-side inn has been transformed into a visitor centre with surround-sound-and-vision experience. There is also a restaurant with panoramic views, as well as boat trips and walks, so it makes a very pleasant destination. The city authorities have spent a lot of money on its attractions in the last few years including around Fonseranes and the walkway to it from the city. To climb the steep escarpment from river to cathedral and the city beyond there are now lifts making it a wheelchair, or bike, friendly route. The final lift is convenient for another impressive viewpoint: The Bistro at Hôtel La Prison has a terrace which overlooks the plain and down to the coast. Béziers might be only a few miles from the Mediterranean but doesn’t have the swanky veneer of the Cote D’Azur. There is plenty to the city – a famous rugby team, bull fighting, eye-catching murals, historic buildings and markets that make it perfect for a weekend break. Down at the coast is an ecologically important nature reserve. Bordered by the sea and the Orb, Les Orpellières is a wilderness of dunes and wetlands, home to flamingos, herons and gravelots (ringed plovers). Its visitor centre serves as an informative introduction to its plants, wildlife and conservation efforts, band there’s a cafe with local artisan products and jazz under the stars. The 71-step climb up the former water tower delivers a magnificent view of the dunes, Orb estuary and north across the plain to Béziers. Hôtel La Prison – a jail until 2009 – is in the shadow of the Cathedral of St Nazaire and St Celse and after exploring them both, I have a coffee at the Brasserie du Palais in Place de la Révolution. Around me excited wedding guests gather and pigeons bathe in the gurgling fountain. Across the square, there’s a poignant memorial by Béziers-born sculptor Jean- Antoine Injalbert. A statue of a grieving woman stands below a tall column topped by the city’s hero of the coup d’etat by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte in 1851, Mayor Casimir Péret. He led the stand in Béziers and was arrested, deported and died in an escape attempt. The female statue of Marianne, captures the grief not just in her expression but in every fold of her clothes. This artistry sets me off on a new hobby – spotting the work of Injalbert. I find examples in the Old Cemetery where among the pines and cypress trees, the tombs of Béziers’ great and good vie for attention with their elaborate decorations. As Injalbert is noted for the bust of Marianne, the familiar symbol of the French Republic, his style soon becomes easy to recognise. My weekend visit coincides with another French institution: the national Fête de la Musique. Declared by President François Mitterrand in the early 1980s as the annual day to celebrate music, the Biterrois are out in force to enjoy the singers and musicians on stages throughout the city. We secured a terrace table in a prized location on Place Jean Jaurès at Pica-Pica, a Michelin Bib Gourmand recommended restaurant which serves inspired tapas with a twist and as the crowds gather ahead of the climax of the Fête de la Musique, like magpies, we pick gems from the menu. We savour goat cheese ravioli, Catalan lamb kebabs, duck breast and grilled aubergine caviar served with the thinnest imaginable flatbreads for an eclectic feast. Soon it is time to join the throng and step out to the rhythm of the city’s batucada band as it approaches the fountains which then burst into colour and action and we sing along to French hits... and Abba’s “Dancing Queen”. I make a note that I need to be in France for this glorious musical extravaganza every Midsummer’s Night. FACTFILE Office de Tourisme Béziers Méditerranée www.beziers-mediterranee.com Nine locks of Fonseranes www.9ecluses.com Hôtel La Prison www.beziers-hotel-la-prison.com Les Orpellières www.beziers-mediterranee.uk/explore/the-orpellieres/ Pica-Pica 20, boulevard Jean Jaurès www.pica-pica.fr Le Chameau Ivre, 15 place Jean Jaurès www.facebook.com/LeChameauIvre/ Ryanair flies twice a week June to September from Edinburgh to Béziers www.ryanair.com Hôtel La Prison Review