Pézenas, Hérault Département, Occitanie, France

🇫🇷 Pézenas is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France.

The origins of Pézenas are unclear, but were influenced by three factors: water from the River Peyne, an ancient pre-Roman route from Rodez to Saint-Thibéry and a defensive hill site.

Road: Route nationale 9, which used to pass through the town centre, was replaced by a bypass which now forms the part of the A75 autoroute from Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers.

Rail: The nearest main line station is Agde. Two single track lines used to serve Pézenas. The track from Béziers has been removed, though the station (Gare du Nord) still exists as a cultural centre. Although notionally still part of the national rail network, in reality the line from Vias, near Agde, is closed. It was used into the 21st century by occasional freight trains serving a quarry further north. Since at least 2011, a section at St Thibéry, some five miles (8.0 km) to the south of Pézenas, is in use as a 'Pedalorail' leisure facility. However, the track remains in place throughout and the Gare du Midi is extant and in use as a medical centre.

Air: The nearest international airport is Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport. Daily flights to Paris Orly ceased in early 2009. Since 2008, international services have been established, currently to the UK, Belgium, Germany and Sweden. There are also flights to Beauvais. Montpellier, Nîmes, Perpignan and Carcassonne airports are all within easy reach. A small grass airstrip at nearby Nizas was closed in 2014 for the expansion of a quarry.