Beziers Why do anglophones avoid this vibrant city and its Arabic influences?
Dick Fowler writes..
F
or a long time I’ve been intrigued by that vast area of Béziers which extends from Place Jean Jaurès down to the railway station , the river Orb , and up to the Cathedral . For me it’s a black box, full of people from the Mediterranean edges - yes , Arabs . You know, the area where the mayor says more than 60% live 16
The HAT September 2014.indd 16
off social security; well, here it’s probably a whole lot more. I have walked miles along ancient alleys up to the Eglise St Jacques and am amazed by what a legacy of old buildings are to be found; an Englishman’s dream, buy up a wreck and bring it back to life. Plenty of scope here. A bit daunted by the desire to dig into the people who live here I managed to
persuade Arnaud Gaulthier from the Midi Libre siège in Béziers to hold my hand and take me in! Did he speak Arabic , who did he know ? Well we walked from the siège across the bottom of Les Allées and straight into the nearest Khebab restaurant and in no time I arranged to meet a guy later who would answer questions. On to another restaurant where a guy who at first was
The Herault & Aude Times
01/09/2014 04:24:23