Montpellier

Graceful and easy-going, Montpellier is a stylish metropolis with elegant buildings, grand hôtels particuliers (private mansions), stately boulevards and shady backstreets, and gorgeous white-sand beaches on its doorstep.

Unlike many southern towns, Montpellier has no Roman heritage. It was founded in the 10th century by the counts of Toulouse and later became a prosperous trading port as well as a scholarly centre – Europe’s first medical school was established here in the 12th century.

The population swelled in the 1960s when many French settlers left independent Algeria and relocated here, and it’s now France's fastest-growing city and one of its most multicultural. Students make up over a third of the population, giving it a spirited vibe.

Explore Montpellier

Musée Fabre
Founded in 1825 by painter François-Xavier Fabre, this exceptional museum houses one of France’s richest collections of European art. The galleries…
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Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran
Attached to the Musée Fabre is L’Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran, a lavish Montpellier mansion that belonged to local notable Madame Frédéric…
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Jardin des Plantes
One of Montpellier’s hidden gems, the Jardins des Plantes is the oldest botanical garden in France. Established in 1593, it was used as a model for the…
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Arc de Triomphe
Built in 1695, Montpellier's 52m-high triumphal arch is dedicated to Louis XIV. The tourist office organises guided tours in summer that take you up 103…
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Place Royale du Peyrou
At the eastern end of this wide, tree-lined esplanade is the 1695 Arc de Triomphe. From the Château d’Eau, an elaborate hexagonal water tower at its…
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Planet Ocean Montpellier
Part of the Odysseum shopping centre, this aquarium recreates nine aquatic environments, from polar waters to tropical forests. Kids will love the…
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Cathédrale St-Pierre
Noted for its disproportionately tall porch, Montpellier’s monumental Cathédrale St-Pierre began life as a church attached to the 14th-century monastery…
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Carré Sainte-Anne
The landmark neogothic St Anne's church, with dazzling stained-glass windows, was deconsecrated in the 1980s and is now a spectacular setting for…
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Plage de l'Espiguette
Find this attractive beach a a few kilometres southeast of La Grande-Motte. It features a nature reserve with dune systems. It's exposed to the prevailing…

Musée Fabre
Founded in 1825 by painter François-Xavier Fabre, this exceptional museum houses one of France’s richest collections of European art. The galleries…
H
Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran
Attached to the Musée Fabre is L’Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran, a lavish Montpellier mansion that belonged to local notable Madame Frédéric…
J
Jardin des Plantes
One of Montpellier’s hidden gems, the Jardins des Plantes is the oldest botanical garden in France. Established in 1593, it was used as a model for the…
A
Arc de Triomphe
Built in 1695, Montpellier's 52m-high triumphal arch is dedicated to Louis XIV. The tourist office organises guided tours in summer that take you up 103…
P
Place Royale du Peyrou
At the eastern end of this wide, tree-lined esplanade is the 1695 Arc de Triomphe. From the Château d’Eau, an elaborate hexagonal water tower at its…
P
Planet Ocean Montpellier
Part of the Odysseum shopping centre, this aquarium recreates nine aquatic environments, from polar waters to tropical forests. Kids will love the…
C
Cathédrale St-Pierre
Noted for its disproportionately tall porch, Montpellier’s monumental Cathédrale St-Pierre began life as a church attached to the 14th-century monastery…
C
Carré Sainte-Anne
The landmark neogothic St Anne's church, with dazzling stained-glass windows, was deconsecrated in the 1980s and is now a spectacular setting for…
P
Plage de l'Espiguette
Find this attractive beach a a few kilometres southeast of La Grande-Motte. It features a nature reserve with dune systems. It's exposed to the prevailing…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Montpellier.

See
Musée Fabre
Founded in 1825 by painter François-Xavier Fabre, this exceptional museum houses one of France’s richest collections of European art. The galleries…
See
Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran
Attached to the Musée Fabre is L’Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran, a lavish Montpellier mansion that belonged to local notable Madame Frédéric…
See
Jardin des Plantes
One of Montpellier’s hidden gems, the Jardins des Plantes is the oldest botanical garden in France. Established in 1593, it was used as a model for the…
See
Arc de Triomphe
Built in 1695, Montpellier's 52m-high triumphal arch is dedicated to Louis XIV. The tourist office organises guided tours in summer that take you up 103…
See
Place Royale du Peyrou
At the eastern end of this wide, tree-lined esplanade is the 1695 Arc de Triomphe. From the Château d’Eau, an elaborate hexagonal water tower at its…
See
Planet Ocean Montpellier
Part of the Odysseum shopping centre, this aquarium recreates nine aquatic environments, from polar waters to tropical forests. Kids will love the…
See
Cathédrale St-Pierre
Noted for its disproportionately tall porch, Montpellier’s monumental Cathédrale St-Pierre began life as a church attached to the 14th-century monastery…
See
Carré Sainte-Anne
The landmark neogothic St Anne's church, with dazzling stained-glass windows, was deconsecrated in the 1980s and is now a spectacular setting for…
See
Plage de l'Espiguette
Find this attractive beach a a few kilometres southeast of La Grande-Motte. It features a nature reserve with dune systems. It's exposed to the prevailing…

Guidebooks

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