June 30, 2011

In the Languedoc

The City of Beziers is about the size of Fayetteville, Arkansas with 70,000 inhabitants. Somehow it seems much larger. The downtown is bustling with commerce and the preservation of the historic buildings and central square is impressive. Allées of centuries-old sycamore trees line the square where the city market is held.

Beziers is in the Languedoc, an area just west of Provence where vineyards abound.

Although we already had plans to come to Béziers as part of our buying trip, another reason came to light just before we left the States. We learned that Harrison, Renée and Terry’s son and Alexander’s brother, had been placed in Beziers by the Rotary Youth Exchange program for his senior year of high school in France. This was the perfect opportunity for us to see where he would be living and to meet his host family. Coincidentally, his host father is a former antique dealer and was happy to introduce us to his colleagues in the area…which led us to some amazing finds.

Nineteenth century hand carved marble column with grapes and grape vines.

A FABULOUS bronze and Baccarat crystal chandelier with sixteen lights, c. 1830-1840

We attended a party this evening with Laurence and Patrick, Harrison’s French host parents, at their friends’ villa. Their collection of art and antiques made it hard for us to concentration on minding our manners.