Enchanting and typically Mediterranean, Montpellier in southern France is a terrific tourist city well marked with iconic monuments. This city is about 3 hours from Barcelona (Spain ) and Italy, and just about 11 km from the Mediterranean Sea. With a southern vibe to its ambiance, Montpellier is among the cool places to visit in Europe.

However, the city has not pulled enough crowd like the likes of Marseille and Nice, and that makes it attractive. If you are looking to have a quiet getaway vacation, Montpellier is a good option. And with students making about a third of the population, the city is student-friendly. 

As a show of its cultural affluence, Montpellier plays host to popular events such as FISE (International extreme sports festival), Tour de France cycling tournament, dance festivals, and so on. The city is waiting for you to explore. 

We Have Come up With a List of Interesting Things to Do in Montpellier:

Treat Yourself to Some Scrumptious Local Delicacy 

The city enjoys the reputation of having the world’s largest wine region. The Languedoc-Roussillon region makes more bottles than lots of countries. Pic Saint-Loup is a local red wine produced here and white wine, Picpoul-de-Pinet goes well with seafood.

 The Mediterranean influences the local diet around here. It is why many restaurants in the city have crab, oysters, fish stews, and mussels on their menus. The city is also has a cosmopolitan spirit with the heavy presence of North African and Vietnamese foods, which all have their own interesting flavors. 

When you dine out, you might want to take home some food like honey and licorice candies and Grisettes.

Experience the Suburban Charm at Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert

For a natural suburban setup, the medieval settlement of this place is one of the coolest villages in the country. The village is hemmed in a slender valley below a gorge where the Herault and Gellone rivers meet.

Have the best of times on these sleepy stone streets, where the buildings are actuated by the spectacular limestone landforms around them. Then ensure you visit the village’s Benedictine abbey in its striking early-ninth century glory. 

The religious residence and the garden in the center are as blissful as one would expect, while inside, you will see the 18th-century organ, which was designed by Jean-Pierre Cavaile, the celebrated master-organ maker.

The organ is historic because it is the best-preserved of the many Cavaile made and one of the last organs made in the area prior to the French Revolution.

Take Some Peachy Beach Trips

A vacation in Montpellier without seeing the beaches is incomplete. At resorts like La Grande Motte, Carnon, and the Palavas-Les-Flots, the beaches have pristine sands and are suspended from the coast by lagoons. 

The blue flag beaches’ density in the area is magnificent. There were about 19 inside a 40-minute drive from the Old Montpellier. If you are considering the closest resort to visit, the Palava-Les-Flots is a good one. It has extended sweeps of pebbles and sands that make up a 7 km stretch, protected from the open sea by breakwaters.

Hiking at Pic Saint-Loup

Some places in Montpellier are the perfect sites for a challenging hiking expenditure. Whether you are an expert hiker or not, Pic Saint-Loup has just what you need to have a nice out outdoor. The place is a craggy mountain around 20 km north of the city.

The 658 m summit is in a flurry landscape of limestone cliffs, vineyards, and sunflower fields. For the observant travelers, the peak is visible from much of the Herault area. Starting from the south side, you can take on the Pic Saint-Loup on foot, on a 6 km pathway while most of the bluffs on the north face can be conquered with the help of a guide.

Pic Saint-Loup’s wine area is one of the most prestigious in Languedoc-Roussillon. So after your descent, you have a wide range of vineyards and caves to discover. At the place, fantastic red wine, with Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre blends are made. Wine tour of Pic Saint-Loup is a must-do. 

Adore Nature at Aquarium Mare Nostrum

On an extraordinary rainy day, you can easily spend some hours at the city’s aquarium, which has 400 freshwater and marine species in tanks making up three million liters. The highlight of this natural tourist spot is the 10-by18 m central pool, which is the largest in the country.

To see the beauty in biodiversity, book a ticket to the Aquarium Mare Nostrum. There are penguins from South Africa, a large range of rays and shark, and a touch pool where children can discover what a starfish’s back feels like.

Most tours to the place will lead visitors through a recreated tropical rainforest that has iguanas, monkeys, and tanks filled with piranhas.

Château de Flaugergues

Located in the eastern rural parts of the city, the massive estate is one of the many summer residences around Montpellier for 17th and 18th-century aristocrats. Flaugergues was built in the late 17th-century and today has been covered by the city, perched in a modern area of commercial estates and warehouses.

Visit the well-pruned gardens and proceed to see the delicately beautiful interiors with historic furniture and paintings, and 5 Flemish tapestries that date back to the 1670s showcasing the life of Moses. 

You will also find 30-hectare vineyards on the estate that belongs to the Côteaux du Languedoc area. The estate organizes a tasting session as part of a tour. 

Greet Nature at Montpellier Zoological Park

Go on a trip to the zoo to behold nature’s fascinating diversity. Established in 1964 and bordered by a nature reserve on the rough banks of the Lez River, the Montpellier Zoological Park is one of the city’s prestigious landmarks. 

In the zoo, you will find more than 750 animals from 140 species with the likes of giraffes, white rhinos, Syrian brown bears, and cheetahs. Casings are in six separate “biozones”, highlighting habitats from different parts of the world. 

Step Into the Fantastic Fabre Museum 

The city’s obsession with arts is heavily evident. Locals invest in arts and cultural causes as one would notice upon visit. Little wonder the artists from around the city helped turn the fantastic Fabre Museum into a large art attraction. Starting with François-Xavier Fabre, whose donation in the 1820s led to its foundation. 

Since then, the collection has increased to over 800 works. Donated by people like Frédéric Bazille later that century, and Pierre Soulages more recently. From Veronese to Rubens to Zurbarán to Rigaud, Fabre museum’s paintings are showcased in an orderly manner. Dive right into the perfect art fortress to see the wonderful baroque. 

Be Allured by The Arts at Pavillon Populaire

Built at the end of the 19th-century is the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle, a beautiful building in a strategic position. For more than a hundred years, this place has been the site of various public exhibitions. In the late 20th-century, however, it saw more significant temporary exhibitions of photography. 

At the Pavillon Populaire, there are three exhibitions a year, showcasing the most celebrated 20th-century photographers like Jakob Tuggener, Brassaï, and Bernard Plossu. When you visit the Pavillon Populaire, the love of arts will be reignited in you. 

Bask in Louis XIV’s pride at the Arc de Triomphe (Triumphal Arch)

The Sun King, Louis XIV, as the legendary Hercules, stands at the city’s end, reminding locals of the French monarch’s conquests. Completed in 1693, the royal entryway was crafted on the Porte Saint-Denis in Paris. 

French history lovers will find the Triumphal Arch amusing as they get free access to Louis XIV’s era. Chronicling, albeit one-sided, story of major happenings in the king’s reign, history lovers will also have the chance to look into the arch’s inscriptions and reliefs. 

Experiencing Comfort at Montpellier’s Hôtels

Among the many things that endow Montpellier’s old center, its class is the many hotels, having luxurious 17th and 18th-century mansions. A good number of these are from when the city was the Languedoc’s capital during Louis XIV’s reign and was built for members of his administration. 

There are 13 mansions, and you can lay your hands on a full itinerary from the tourist office. Among the highlights here are the Hôtels des Tresoriers de France. It is from the 15th-century but has a lush façade that was added in 1675. There is the Hôtel de St-Come, that jas an anatomical theatre built with funds donated by Louis XV’s Royal Surgeon, Francois Gigot de la Peyronie. 

Check Out the Historic Montpellier Cathedral

The French Wars of Religion in the 16th-century has a massive impact on the city’s churches. Despite sustaining damages, the gothic Cathedrale de Saint-Pierre survived the rage.

For accuracy’s sake, this place has not always been a cathedral because it started as a monastery chapel. This happened till the diocese of Maguelone was transferred to the city in the reign of Francis I.

You might be awestruck because the cathedral is hidden among the nest of streets in the old quarter. The highlight here is the large portal with its twin pillars that are more than 4.5 meters in diameter. 

Do a Walk at La Promenade Royale du Peyrou

This phenomenal spot has well-pruned gardens that look over the city and out to the wonderful Cévennes parklands. At an end, fruit and vegetable markets show the nice colors and pleasing smell of Southern France. You have the chance to buy odd gifts and artifacts at a big weekend flea market nearby. 

There are also many intricate details you might observe, like Louis XIV’s statue, which is from 1828, replacing an earlier version that had been converted to make cannons. It shows him on a horse, with his arm stretched towards Spain.

Take a Segway Tour Around Montpellier

There is no better way to see a French city than taking a Segway tour to see incredible sights and attractions from a different angle. Tour companies manage this for the benefit of tourists. Most of them start the trip with a small training session on how to drive the Segway. Then, participants will visit Montpellier’s historic streets for an hour and 45 minutes.

There, they will have the chance to admire the many squares like the Place de la Comédie, which has a fountain of the Three Graces. They will pass by the city’s cathedral and the opera house (the Corum). The Segway tour comes close to the impressive neoclassic Antigone area with splendid architecture. There, participants can see the Lez river from the Esplanade de l’Europe.

Things You Should do in Montpellier – Summary

If you are looking to spend your next vacation in Southern France or would like to tour the region, the city of Montpellier is a brilliant place to kick things off. Great weather, nice beaches, scrumptious food, classic monuments, velvety wines, and colorful streets- what is not to like about Montpellier?!