Montpellier – Charming Midsize City in Languedoc-Roussillon

We began our three-and-a-half-month stint in Europe with a month in France. We chose Montpellier, in the south, as our first stop. Turned out to be an excellent choice! Temperate climate (at least in early June), friendly locals, good public transit, walkable, and nearby Mediterranean beaches.

Why Montpellier?

Montpellier popped onto our radar because a few retire overseas resources claimed that the Languedoc-Roussillon region was the least expensive in France. The city also has several highly rated French language schools. We were originally going to spend a whole month in Montpellier learning French. But after researching other areas of France that also purported to be good for expats, we decided to stay only a week. We also thought it best to give the language course a pass until we decided whether France is the right place to set up a part-time home.

Arrival in Montpellier

We flew from New York to Paris on France’s all Business Class La Compagnie. We were on the maiden flight of their newest plane. Then on to Montpellier on Air France. This city’s airport is located a short 7 km southeast of the city and is connected to downtown via a public airport shuttle bus. The cost: €1.60 ($1.80) or €2.60 ($2.92). The higher fare included a ticket on the tram network once downtown. Our Airbnb was in Les Arceaux (the arches) neighborhood close to Tram Line 3, so we chose the latter.

Les Arceaux Neighborhood

The neighborhood of Les Arceaux turned out to be a real find. It is an area of traditional southern French homes with a Roman aqueduct (Les Arceaux) running right through it. Tack on a few local restaurants, a grocery store, a couple of boulangeries.  About a 15-minute walk to the historical core, and right on the tram line if we wanted to wander further afar.

A special bonus: the Tuesday and Saturday market! Under Les Arceaux, an abundance of abundance! Fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, olives, breads and pastries, a sumptuous selection of prepared foods, clothing, jewelry, and more! Plus, vendors that took our minimal French in stride!

The Character of the French People

Prior to arriving in France this time, we had started reading an excellent book, “The Bonjour Effect: The Secret Codes of French Conversation Revealed”. Explaining how French culture is different from English (and American) and how to navigate this chasm, whether visiting or residing. The first chapter, titled “The Bonjour Effect”, set the tone for how to start an interaction with the people of France.

We don’t know if it was following this advice but almost universally, we have found everyone to be very friendly. People appreciate that we try to communicate in French (which Ann is better at, having studied it in high school and college). Most of the time the people switch to English if they know it, and oftentimes a mixture of both languages.

More about Montpellier

Montpellier is located on the Mediterranean coast of France, about two hours by train from Spain. The climate is moderate in winter, hot in summer, mild in spring and fall. It started as a Roman settlement, has a historical core with lots of windy medieval streets to get joyously lost in, a few tourist sites, and a beach that is accessible via mass transit.

What struck us the most was how quiet the town seemed, a limited amount of traffic, a reasonable number of tourists. We did, however, see a lot of young people. The University of Montpellier is one of France’s leading universities. It’s also where Nostradamus studied medicine in 1529. The city has a highly rated Museum and Conservatory of Anatomy, which unfortunately we missed. Maybe next time?

How We Spent Our Time

We did however visit the Musée Fabre. Quite an extensive collection of art including paintings, ceramics, and sculptures by artists of the 16^th to 18^th centuries, plus contemporary paintings. Entrance fee €8.00 ($8.99).

As a favorite pastime is just walking and exploring a new city, we enjoyed wandering the medieval streets in the historic center. Along the way, we admired the Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Pierre (Cathedral of Saint Peter). At the southeast point of the city center, we found Place de la Comédie. We walked through this square to Esplanade de Charles de Gaulle, a lovely park with trees, playgrounds, and fountains.

One afternoon, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll around Le Jardin des Plantes (Botanical Gardens). Founded in 1593 by Henry IV and currently owned by the University of Montpellier, the gardens are the oldest in France.  They hold a lot of history with trees and plants from around the world. Free admission, and we could walk there from our apartment!

A Day at the Beach

If you know us, you know we don’t miss an opportunity to go to the beach. Especially when it’s fairly easy to get there. We took Tram Line 3, €1.60 ($1.80) each way, to the last stop: Perols-Etang de l’Or (note that some of the Line 3 trams end at Lattes Centre). After the 45-minute ride, we walked another 30-40 minutes to visit two beaches on either side of the harbor: Carnon and Palavas-les-Flots. The water was too cold to swim in while we were there (early June). The sand is easy to walk along but there are numerous jetties breaking up the beach which makes walking a bit more difficult.

While there, we walked along the picturesque harbor filled with (mostly) sailboats. We also enjoyed lunch alfresco. Ian had duck skewers (a bit under-cooked for his taste), and Ann enjoyed moules marinières (mussels).She couldn’t finish them all, as there were about four dozen! We both enjoyed some Languedoc rosé.

Food: Okay, by now you’re probably wondering…. we’re writing about France and have barely mentioned food. Not to worry, we promise we’ll get there in future posts.

Note: We did notice one difference in French Airbnbs from those in other countries. They usually do not include a cleaning charge and expect the renters to clean the property before leaving. While it’s nice not to have to pay the cleaning fee, given that we are usually heading for a train or plane, we prefer paying the cleaning fee.

Wrap-Up

Montpellier hit the sweet spot for us, it was a perfect size. Big enough to have things to do and small enough that it was easy to walk just about everywhere. The climate is mild. It has a beach. Everyone seemed friendly, and people were tolerant of our broken French.

On the downside, Montpellier was about 25% more expensive than one of our favorite cities in Spain. Valencia, a bit larger than Montpellier, is about three hours down the coast by train. Then there is the French language. While Ian has a chance of becoming proficient in Spanish, at this point French seems a much higher bar to jump.

Montpellier is definitely on the short list of places to visit and stay longer term. And we can’t think of a better location to study French!

Next Up: Provence: Avignon and a Day Trip to Arles

Ian & Ann