About Montpellier

Interestingly, Montpellier is one of the few major cities in France which has no Roman or Greek ancestry, the origins of the city dating back to the 10th century when a safer inland settlement was needed as protection against pirates who were causing problems in nearby Maguelone. The 12th and 13th centuries saw the city flourish as a trading centre, the city finally coming under French rule in 1349 when it was sold to Philip VI. In later centuries the city became overshadowed by the prominence and success of Marseilles, though after the French Revolution it became the capital of the Hérault region of France. Only more recently has Montpelier grown in popularity and as a consequence, over the last twenty-five years, has been France’s fastest growing city.

Part of the main charm of Montpellier is the retention of so many medieval buildings ion the centre of the city. As a result, many of the sights are of architectural interest, including the buildings surrounding Place de la Comédie, Saint Pierre Cathedral and the Montpellier Arc de Triomphe – the Porte de Peyrou. Certainly Montpellier is steeped in both history and culture, which perhaps explains why there are so many different guided tours available, which include the main historical city centre, the faculty of medicine and conservatory of anatomy, the ‘history of water and the most beautiful fountains’, plus music and comic opera tours.

With its continued expansion, Montpellier has plenty going on throughout the year where events and festivals are concerned. Every Friday night in the summer between the end of June and beginning of September is time for the Estivales de Montpellier, which is an evening event where you can get a true flavour of the surrounding area with a night time market, food and wine tasting events plus artisanal stalls and art displays. Montpelier is also on the route for the Tour de France cycle race in July, shortly after the Montpellier Dance Festival at the end of June. Les Nuitsd’O are held in August and are based around both cinema and music, while Montpellier is also renowned for its gay pride marches.

With the Estivales de Montpellier it is an ideal way to get a good feel for local gastronomy and the city has superb fresh produce markets which are open 6 days a week. With a city of this size, there are restaurants to cater for every taste and budget, two of the finest being Le Jardin des Sens and La Réserve Rimbaud, both Michelin starred. However, there is a wonderful alternative, and that is to take part in one of many cookery classes run in Montpellier which are one of the finest ways to be introduced to local produce - L’Atelier de Valérie and L’École de cuisine Armand are two of the most popular.