After taking annual vacations to Europe for over a decade, I followed my dream and moved abroad right after my 32nd birthday. I initially did a six-month stay in Bordeaux, France, before heading to Barcelona, Spain, in early 2020.
21.07.2023 - 07:28 / roughguides.com / Philippe Starck
It’s got the sunshine, the beach and a cool art museum. No wonder France’s youngest city (by age of the population – the city itself was founded sometime in the 900s) is growing fast as a hub for visitors in search of the Mediterranean lifestyle. Now this city firmly has its moment in the sun, this is our pick of the best things to do in Montpellier.
The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guide to France , your essential guide for visiting France .
Montpellier has become a hub for students and language exchanges. There are plenty of great things to do in Montpellier. You can wander the backstreets of the Old Town, hit the beach, or simply soak up the laid vibe. Don't miss the chance to sip a glass of local Languedoc wine at a pavement café. Think of all the attractions of the better-known Cote d’Azur without the overpriced restaurants and fake pretensions.
With its contemporary art museum, high-season flights from Heathrow and Bristol and places to try local food, it’s a great place to visit. With all its youthful charm, Montpellier is a beautiful place to visit.
The opening of the Montpellier Contemporary (MOCO) is the latest development in a city embracing art. There was always a flirtation with street art and a regular summer arts festival but MOCO has really put the city on the map as a hub for all things conceptual. The temporary collections find a new home in the 17th-century Hotel Montcalm, providing a striking counterpoint to the classical building.
South of the Corum is the Musée Fabre, the city’s most trumpeted museum and one of the largest in the Languedoc. Its huge collection features seventeenth- to nineteenth-century European paintings. You'll find here works by Delacroix, Zurbaran, Raphael, Jan van Steen and Veronese, as well as ceramics and contemporary art.
The exterior of the MOCO art museum © Valerie Paduano
Strolling the cobblestone backstreets of the Old Town is one of the best things to do in Montpellier for history and souvenir hunting. Take a walking tour through the city’s heritage, starting from the Tourist Office on Place de la Comédie, to trace its medieval origins to the 19th-century heyday.
You will visit Rue du Bras-de-Fer, the steep passageway with brightly coloured steps that makes for the ultimate Instagram post. You can stock up on vintage postcards and prints on Rue de l’Ancien Courrier, the oldest pedestrian street in the city.
Contrast the Old Town with a stroll around the modernist architecture of the Port Marianne district, taking the tram over the Lez River. This sprawling new district is pushing the city limits eastwards towards the coast. It features some landmark buildings, such as The Cloud, designed by architect Philippe Starck, and the
After taking annual vacations to Europe for over a decade, I followed my dream and moved abroad right after my 32nd birthday. I initially did a six-month stay in Bordeaux, France, before heading to Barcelona, Spain, in early 2020.
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