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Origin and history

The ancient cloister of the Carmelites of Béziers, built between the 15th and 4th quarters of the 16th century, is one of the rare remains of a convent whose history dates back to the 13th century. According to tradition, the Carmelites first settled near the Orb before being authorized by Pope Clement V in 1305 to settle in the city. Their permanent establishment near the present site dates from 1390 or 1425, after several moves, including a three-year stay in the Betizac hotel, transferred by Charles VII in 1387. The convent occupied the place until the French Revolution.

The current remains consist mainly of the cloister and old entrance. The partially preserved cloister has eleven arches to the east, seven to the west and three to the south, characterized by ground broken arches resting on column pillars. These galleries, not vaulted but ceilinged, frame a central well, typical of medieval cloisters. The entrance, located to the southwest, is distinguished by two vaulted spans with diagonal arches decorated with crows carved in coiled consoles, followed by a covered passage and a arch in the middle of the hangar.

Ranked Historic Monument since February 12, 1951, the site specifically protects the vaulted entrance, well and several spans. The property is now shared between the municipality of Béziers and private owners. Although sources mention an approximate location at the Impasse Pompon, cartographic accuracy remains limited (level 6/10), reflecting the challenges of conservation of a fragmentary heritage.

The architecture of the cloister illustrates the transition between the late Gothic (broken arches, columnettes) and the influences of the Renaissance (grounded end), typical of the religious buildings of southern France at that time. Its current state, though partial, offers an overview of monastic practices and medieval town planning in the city centre, marked by the gradual implantation of begging orders.

The Carmelites, a religious order founded in the 12th century, played a major role in the spiritual and social life of Béziers, as evidenced by their successive moves, often linked to seigneurial or pontifical gifts. Their convent, before its partial destruction, probably housed teaching, preaching and assistance to the poor, according to their rules. The French Revolution ended their presence, as for many religious communities in Occitanie.

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