Things to do, see, and eat in Montpellier, Southern France — with photos.
Montpellier, situated in the South of France off the Mediterranean Sea, is a charming city whose surprisingly large size will catch you off-guard.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve trawled the internet for English friendly recommendations that have been tried and tested. Well today’s your lucky day — here are the best of the best that have been vetted by yours truely; what to do, see and eat — recommended to you through the eyes of a local!
How To Get Around:
Montpellier is great because the whole city is connected via tramways in all major tourist spots. Sure, you can catch the bus, but once you hop on a relaxed tram that gets you straight from point A to B for the same price, you’ll never go back. There are 4 lines, each colour coded and represented by different symbols (great for those who are colour-impaired).
Each of the tram lines look PHYSICALLY different — yup! The carriages themselves are patterned according to the line you’re on. This makes it almost impossible to screw up.
Post-COVID19 restrictions being lifted: Masks are obligatory in the carriages and hand-sanitiser dispensers have been setup in each carriage.
Friday Night
Once you check into your accomodation, make your way to Place De La Comedie. Place De La Comedie is Montpellier’s iconic landmark and poses as a great photo opportunity. Walk your way through boutique stores and sandstone buildings (once home to bourgeoisie aristocrats) to the Arch De Triomphe (yes, it’s not just Paris that has one). Conveniently located next to it is the Promenade Peyrou (an inner city park with dazzling views of the city) where your instagram likes are sure to roll in.
Dinner: Be adventurous and choose an alley to go down for dinner. You won’t be disappointed as all the alleys are lined with cute, family friendly restaurants under twinkling fairy lights. If you are lucky to go in the summertime, these twinkling fairy lights will be replaced with shades from leaves of trees planted hundreds of year ago. Some restaurants worth checking out include Le Tire Bouchon (approx. 24 Euro per meal) or Cafe Sainte Anne (approx. 18 Euro per meal) located in a courtyard next to a converted church museum.
Saturday Morning
Breakfast: Come back to Place De La Comedie and stroll to a cafe called Cold Drip Coffee for an Eggs Benedict or Bacon Pancakes. This cafe is owned by a New Zealander so you know you’re going to get a 5 star barista coffee.
Saturday Day
If you have a car, this is your chance to explore the local’s best kept secret — a turquoise watering hole. Cascade De Saint Laurent Le Minier is located about a 1.5 hour drive and is known for it’s pristine clear, turquoise water that is swimmable between the months of May through October. Unfortunately when we went, it had rained the day before so the water (although still blue) was not clear nor swimmable. On an average day, you can channel your inner Tarzan and swing from ropes left hanging from those who came before.
Pack a croissant for the drive, and a baguette with cheese for a picnic during your swimming breaks.
Saturday Night
Dinner: This place is a secret that I want to keep. For dinner, you CANNOT miss going to Halles Du Lez. It is only the best. thing. ever. Decked throughout the undercover mall is approximately 40 different producers and restaurants where you can buy as you please from each shop and eat it on a table (tables have been set up outside ever since the Coronavirus lockdown got lifted). The entire place is covered in local Street Art and live music plays just loud enough to hear your friends and family talking. My top recommendations are:
- Ham platter from Jambon
- Pork Belly Loaded Fries from L’Atelier
- Truffle Lova Pizza from Bambino (if you can only get one thing, get this)
- A bottle of wine to share from any of the wine producer stores
- ‘Healthy Brownies’ from Clara Jung (if you can only get two things, get this second)
Sunday Day
Breakfast: Begin your day with another heart-felt breakfast worthy of the title ‘Sunday Brunch’ at Bonobo. Caution: the ‘potatoes’ are not hashed browns, but my mouth still waters thinking about the Eggs Benny. Fancy yourself to a Matcha Latte for the extra antioxidants, but don’t leave without a barista coffee (latte or flat white) which in my opinion is the best in Montpellier.
To finish off your sunny Mediterranean get-away, catch the tram number 3 to the beach. Despite being on the southern coast of France, this beach is lined with actual SAND (while most beaches in the South are pebbles). If you’re lucky, you’ll see a flock of pink Flamingos flying in V-formation next to wind-surfers testing out their courage. Don’t forget your towel and sunnies.
A big thank you to our dear friends who shared their food, house and love with us throughout our stay. This will be a weekend that we hold close to our hearts for years to come.
