Béziers Fair: Robert Ménard acclaimed by thousands of people during the pregón

The 2026 Béziers Feria officially kicked off Wednesday evening in a particularly enthusiastic atmosphere. Before several thousand people gathered for the traditional pregón, Robert Ménard received a long and enthusiastic ovation upon his arrival. The Marseillaise also rang out through the crowd before the mayor delivered a speech dedicated to Béziers' identity and the defense of local traditions.

It took only a few seconds to gauge the continued popularity of Robert Ménard in his city. On Wednesday, August 12, for the launch of the Béziers Feria, several thousand people gathered to witness the traditional pregón, which marks the opening of the festivities.

Upon his arrival, the mayor of Béziers was greeted by cheers from a large part of the crowd. The Marseillaise was then sung, giving the opening of this 2026 edition a particularly popular and patriotic tone.

Re-elected as mayor of Béziers since his arrival at the town hall in 2014, Robert Ménard maintains a unique relationship with this event, which he has progressively made one of the showcases of the city.

"Here, we are a strong people, a free people."

Addressing the crowd, Robert Ménard rightly chose to speak less about the festival and more about identity. For the elected official, the Feria goes far beyond the few days of festivities that attract several hundred thousand visitors to Béziers each year.

"This is much more than a celebration," the mayor declared, before strongly defending local characteristics and the traditions of the South.

"Here, we are a strong people, a free people," he continued, mentioning "love, beauty, poetry," but also "resistance" and "the refusal to be like others."

The message is clear: Béziers intends to preserve its identity, even when some of its traditions are controversial. "We are who we are and we stand by it, even if it bothers some people," Robert Ménard declared to applause.

This speech directly echoes the positions defended by the mayor for several years, particularly regarding bullfighting. Just days before the Feria, Robert Ménard reiterated that he personally had "little taste" for bullfights, while categorically refusing their abolition: "A feria without bullfights is like a good dish without salt."

A demonstration of popularity for Robert Ménard

Beyond the launch of the Feria, the images from Wednesday evening also demonstrate the mayor's local popularity. Twelve years after his first municipal victory, Robert Ménard continues to enjoy strong support among a segment of Béziers' residents, as evidenced by the cheers that greeted his arrival.

Over the course of his terms in office, the Feria has become an event particularly associated with his municipal actions. The mayor notably claims to have wanted to make the event more family-friendly while preserving the traditions that, according to him, constitute the identity of Béziers.

This year again, the municipality has deployed an exceptional security operation. Nearly 500 municipal and national police officers, military personnel, riot police, and security agents are to be mobilized around the festivities. "My obsession is the safety of those who come to have fun," explained Robert Ménard a few hours before they began.

But on Wednesday evening, before the checks, the bodegas and the bullfights, it was above all the image of a mayor carried by a large crowd that marked the launch of the Feria.

And Robert Ménard had summed it up a few days earlier: "The Béziers Feria is such a great calling card!"