Montpellier boasts more than 340 sunny days a year, making it the sunniest city in France. It also gets warm damp air blowing up from the sea, however, meaning that in July and August the city swelters in humid heat.
Perhaps that is why the pace is definitely cool. No one dashes anywhere in Montpellier, they take their time to enjoy the simple pleasures, one of which is people-watching. Sit outside any of the cafés and enjoy the parade of life as it unfolds before you.
Montpellier is often cited as the city most French people dream of moving to and its population has increased steadily since the 1960s. Once a very sleepy backwater indeed, Montpellier is now the seventh largest city in France and for the past 25 years, has been one of the fastest growing cities in France.
One particularity is that unlike most other cities in southern France, there are no Gallo-Roman traces in Montpellier because it wasn't founded until the Middle Ages. Unlike in Nîmes to the east, Sète to the west, and Sommières to the north, there are no ancient temples, no ruined Roman baths.
More significantly, unlike in all the surrounding towns, there is no bullfighting arena and therefore no bullfights, neither La Course Camarguaise nor La Corrida.
The Tour des Pins is part of the fortifications which protected Montpellier from the 12th to the 13th Centuries. One of 25 tours, it is one of the last remaining vestiges, along with the Tour de la Babote, the Porte de la Blanquerie, and the Porte du Pila Saint Gély, and the Saint-Clément aqueduct dates from the 18th century.
Perhaps in an effort to rebalance the scales, Georges Frêche, during his tenure as maire of Montpellier (from 1977-2004) oversaw the construction of swathes of new developments notably the Antigone district, designed by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill.
Linking the historic centre with the river Lez, it is one of the largest urban development projects ever undertaken in France.
The neo-classical extends even to the name of the entirely modern shopping mall leading off the Place de la Comédie; Polygone.
In Montpellier, residents take their time to enjoy the simple pleasuresMontpellier Tourist Office
Georges Frêche also instigated the installation of the new tram lines, replacing a tramway system that was ripped up in 1949. In the face of fierce resistance from the local maire, he constructed a tramline going almost all the way to Carnon Plage. For years, the last stage of the journey had to be accomplished by bus, but the tramline now goes all the way.
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The city's tramway is a fabulous transport systemOT3M
In places the tramway lines have chopped ruthlessly though the old city, but it is undoubtedly a fabulous system, and is free for residents. Each tramline has its own distinctive livery, making the system very easy to use.
Line 1 trams are painted blue with white swallows. Line 2 is decorated with multicoloured flowers. Line 3 sports underwater scenery, and Line 4 is golden, in reference to the Sun King. Line 5, construction of which is in the early stages, will feature white carriages decorated with greenery.
Gay-friendly Montpellier
Montpellier made history in May 2013 when Vincent Autin and Bruno Boileau got married in the city, becoming the first ever same-sex couple to marry in France.
Montpellier Pride has been held every June since 1994, and is one of the largest events in southern France. Both festive and political it attracts thousands of participants in a warm family-friendly atmosphere, positively supported by the city's administration which has a longstanding commitment to lGBTQIA+ rights.
Montpellier Pride is one of the largest events in southern FranceOT3M
As well as the parade itself, Pride week includes debates, concerts, exhibitions, and parties across the city - particularly in the neighbourhoods of Figuerolles and the historic centre.
La Folle de Rage is a monthly queer tea dance hosted by Julien de Bomerani, an icon of the local gay/drag DJ scene born in Sète to immigrant parents. He performs regularly across France as well as in Switzerland and Belgium. He DJ'd the two official after-parties for Madonna's 2023 concerts in Paris.
For the last two years La Folle de Rage, has been held in June at the Zénith venue, drawing massive crowds. In 2025 the event included guest stars Yelle, and Piche the drag queen from the Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony.
Throughout the year, Montpellier's 70,000 cosmopolitan students contribute to maintaining that visibility along with a social culture of openness and tolerance. Across the city you will find rainbow zebra-crossings, LGBT flags on public buildings, pride stickers in shop windows - Montpellier wears its inclusivity proudly.
