Béziers is a subprefecture of the Hérault department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. In 2017, the commune had a population of 77,177. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred on bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event.
The town is located on a small bluff above the river Orb, about 10 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast and 75 kilometres southwest of Montpellier. At Béziers, the Canal du Midi spans the river Orb as an aqueduct called the Pont-canal de l'Orb, claimed to be the first of its kind.