Little Missy Visits the Oldest City in France
Yes Of Course It's Stylish--It's FRANCE!
Voila! I Give You Beziers!
Here's a Little Missy trick. Remember last summer when I told you about the splendours of Souleiado, one of the oldest textile houses in France, headquartered in the south of the country? I am obsessed with their textiles, so much so that my boyfriend, not usually prone to weighing in on fashion topics, suggested I open a branch in the Bay Area! Genius, Bruce! I will think about it...
Souleiado is a Provencal word meaning the sun after the rain.
Well, here is Little Missy's trick.When visiting Southern France (as opposed to the South of France, which includes the Cote d' Azur and Provence) you are going into the wild Languedoc-Roussillon region, with the Pyrenees mountain range as a backdrop and masses of wild lavender and cultivated vineyards everywhere. Google Souleiado. This company has a brilliant habit of putting their stores in the French towns which are the most historic and most cultured.
It's beautiful here, in a wild and rocky way.
We happened to be in the charming village of Lagrasse for a Royal Opera Ballet festival and were looking for a side trip. I Googled Souleiado stores close to Lagrasse and up popped Beziers! I have always wanted to visit Beziers, but it's a little out of the way...I knew its reputation for being if not the oldest, the second oldest city in France after Marseilles. It was built by the Greeks in the 6th century BC.
Cathedral Saint Nazaire de Beziers.
So we took a one hour drive through the beautiful countryside with our GPS to direct us to the Beziers Souleiado store. I knew we would not be disappointed and in fact I was elated by this charming city. The store of course is located in the finest shopping district which is in the historical district. The Cathedral Saint Nazaire, built in the 13th century, anchors this leafy neighbourhood, with dozens of narrow streets and alley ways, most looking very mysterious and charming.
Paper lanterns add elan.
There's a lot of pride here, and there should be. This city doesn't have to justify its existence to anyone. It's been here longer than the other French cities. And it's had a past which is breathtakingly tragic. The Massacre of Beziers during the Albigensian Crusade on July 22, 1209 killed up to 20,000 men, women and children who were Cathars (a Christian sub-group not tolerated by Rome), Jews and supporters of these groups. The population had been living and coexisting peacefully until this dreadful day.
Church of the Madeleine.
This church looks imposing but very sad and with good reason. Seven thousand men, women and children were killed within these walls during the massacre.
Civic pride is as important here as national patriotism. The food and shopping are great. The real estate is jaw droppingly affordable.
An antique store belies the natural chic and charm of this city.
Beziers is a real Little Missy place. I'm working on getting back before too long. It's still a secret spot but for how long--who knows?
