“Thanks to Béziers antique, our neighborhood will shift into modernity”: local residents discover the Agglo's new tourist project

A view (non-contractual) of the future site of ancient Béziers at 5 years of existence. Agglo de Béziers

The same site of ancient Béziers but seen after 30 years of construction. Agglo de Béziers

Les riverains du quartier des Brégines ont découvert, mardi soir, le projet de Béziers antique qui sera implanté près de chez eux. Diane Petitmangin

The Agglo of Béziers presented to local residents, this Tuesday, December 3rd in the early evening, the future site of "Béziers antique" which will be located on the road to Lespignan.

“It's quite tasty and even funny to think that thanks to the Béziers antique project, our neighborhood will finally switch to modernity…” The Agglo organized, this Tuesday, December 3rd in the evening, in its premises, a public meeting around the future Roman city.

Around fifteen local residents, including winemaker Jean-Pascal Pelagatti from the Les Graviers estate and Corinne Amiel from the Montjoie estate, attended the presentation, chaired by Robert Ménard.

Focusing on a different kind of tourism

“There are many Roman remains, from Nîmes to Narbonne, but here in Béziers, we have never managed to highlight the ancient past of the city, even though it is located on the Via Domitia”, began Jean Muller, the director of the community tourism office.

“The idea is therefore to highlight this Roman past but in a different and more original way, more educational and immersive”. Relying on less seaside tourism but more focused on heritage, yes, but not with the help of yet another museum.

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Techniques and materials of the time

Béziers antique aims to show what the city was like in Antiquity, by rebuilding it with the techniques and materials of the time, over the course of “a living construction site (read below). We will not come to see a finished site but a place under construction”, like the Guédelon fortified castle in Yonne.

The chosen location is an agricultural plain located on the Lespignan road (RD14), a stone's throw from the Domaine de Bayssan, near rural road 154 and composed of plots belonging to the City for many years and others acquired very recently in order to allow “quality accessibility”.

Difficult access to the RD14

This is what has raised some questions among local residents, who highlighted the sometimes difficult exits from rural roads, particularly for agricultural machinery, onto the RD14 due to traffic. “Will the Lespignan road be adapted if road traffic increases?”

But what delighted them was learning that, from the start of the project, the city's water supply will be effective, “because it's been a while since this Brégines district has had anything: water, sanitation, fiber…, declared Jean-Pascal Pelagatti. “Of course, we'll start with that and you'll be the first to have water and electricity”, confirmed the president of the Agglo Robert Ménard.

This question remains unanswered: will Béziers antique make use of the old Brégines stone quarry ?

A project that focuses on the long term term

The Agglo Béziers Méditerranée will entrust, through a public service delegation, to a private service provider (it should be known next spring) the task of animating the site. This delegate will, of course, base himself on the Roman discoveries already made and on those to come but also on the expertise of the archaeological service of the City and of the academics. For a schedule that aims to spread the constructions over 30 years.

“The idea is that people come but especially come back to see the buildings (forum, theater, villa…) rise from the ground”. That children, who witnessed the emergence of the forum, for example, pass by again and see a city with a completely different face, 5, 10 or 20 years later. The trades (masons, blacksmiths, sculptors or roofers) will be highlighted and workshops (stone cutting, mosaics, etc.) offered to the general public wishing to get involved, as well as historical events and shows. The goal is to throw the first spade blow within two years.

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