We are on our way to Valras Plage, with no camp site booked. That will be the way from this point on as David only planned our campsites as far as Collioures. He thought it would be nice to have the freedom to wander at will, and guessed that there would be plenty of free spaces at this time of year. He was right in one way – there are plenty of spaces, just as long as the site is open. As we drive along, we note that many sites are closed: we are now officially into  “low season” camping.

Before searching for a campsite, we head off to have a look at Beziers. We walk through dusty, rundown streets to find a roman amphitheatre which is barely recognisable as an amphitheatre, andoverrun by feral cats. Everywhere are tantalising clues of roman occupation, of medieval buildings and of a prosperous 18^th century past but in general the town feels quite neglected with dog shit and rubbish strewn about. The dark side of France – high unemployment, homelessness, lack of public funds – is here to see. On the other side, posters announce that a programme of restoration is planned. There are two beautiful churches and a busy covered market in which to buy our lunch. We picnic in an elegant square outside the Eglise Madeleine,  French school kids flirting and fighting their way through lunch break. The church was built on the sight of a massacre. In 1209, 20,000 citizens of Beziers were massacred by crusaders lead by Simon de Montfort on the order of the Pope. They wanted to route out the Cathars, a reforming Christian sect who were critical of the corruption of the Catholic church.  When de Montfort asked the pope how the troops were to distinguish between Cathars and Catholics, he commanded,  “kill them all. God will recognise his own!” 

After lunch, we go in search of more roman remains. Oppidum D’Enserune is an ancient hilltop town which dates back to the 6^th century B.C. It was discovered in 1860 and the main excavations were carried out from 1915-1967.  I found the remains quite hard to decipher,  although I can see there are sophisticated systems in place for water and food storage, with vast “doliam” (earthenware vases) for grain storage. The views are spectacular, looking across the Beziers plain and the mountains to the North. There’s a weird and beautiful formation in the fields below, not unlike a massive crop circle. It is ‘L’Etang de Montady’ – the swamp of Montady. In the 13^th century, the Bishop of Narbonne ordered this wetland to be drained. It was achieved by digging irrigation ditches between each ‘wedge of field. The ditches all converge in the centre, and the water is drained by underground pipes and carried several kilometres to the South. It is a real feat of engineering, the only one of its kind in Europe and it still in use today.

Perhaps draining the land was a bad idea: it’s a very hot day, and the land looks very dry. As we are watching, some fields catch fire. We watch the flames moving far below as the fire engines and waterplanes arrive. It’s the second forest fire we’ve seen since our arrival in France: apparently it’s a particularly bad year.

A visit to the museum reveals an impressive collection of pots, jewellery, tools and lamps. I am particularly taken with a two handled ‘Attic ceramic’ pot, varnished in black and decorated with red figures, dating back to the 4^th century. Just the thing for swigging wine at a feast.

Back to Valras Plage to track down a campsite. We find one quite quickly, and as the man behind the desk takes down details of our address he pipes up, “Swanage? I’m from Weymouth!”

“What brings you here?”

He nods to a woman who just stepped through from the office. “Fell in love with a French girl, didn’t I?”