Nestled on the southern French coast not far from the Spanish border, Montpellier claims a magnificent Mediterranean setting and youthful vibe as France’s fastest growing city. Students and sun-seekers flock to Montpellier’s maze of atmospheric alleys wrapped around chic boutiques, wine bars, and outdoor cafés. Edging inland from sandy beaches, vineyards producing excellent regional varietals add a delicious dimension.
| Attraction Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Vibrant Neighborhoods | – CAMINEO Creative District: Arts and innovation hub. Port Marianne: Waterfront area with modern architecture. |
| Arts and Culture Renaissance | РLa Panac̩e Arts Center: Contemporary arts hub. Montpellier Danse Festival: Renowned dance festival. |
| Food and Wine | – Wine Tasting Workshops: Exploring local wines. Les Halles Castellane: Iconic market for local delicacies. |
| Historical Exploration | – Ode à la Mer: Historical and futuristic development. Montpellier Cathedral: Gothic architecture. |
| Outdoor and Nature Activities | – Expanded Bike Lanes: Enhanced cycling paths. Parc Zoologique de Montpellier: Large zoo with diverse wildlife. |
| Architectural Innovations | – New Eco-Quarters: Sustainable urban development. Renovated Antigone District: Classical architecture blending with modern designs. |
| Conclusion | Montpellier is a dynamic mix of history, modern development, cultural richness, and natural beauty, offering a wide range of activities for visitors in 2024. |
With massive investment in infrastructure, arts and sustainability, Montpellier emerges in 2024 as one of Western Europe’s most exciting mid-sized cities. New tram lines, parks, cultural venues and upscale hotels will further enhance Montpellier’s coastal cool aesthetic for the influx of visitors expected during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Discover Vibrant New Neighborhoods
Montpellier’s compact size makes wandering atmospheric streets a breeze. Seeking the city’s energetic pulse, popular neighborhoods like chic Écusson or student-filled Boutonnet will become even more vibrant thanks to major 2024 enhancements.
CAMINEO Creative District
Name and Location: CAMINEO Creative District, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: CAMINEO is Montpellier’s up-and-coming creative district located in a former industrial zone now transformed into a hub for arts, innovation and sustainability. Contemporary architecture houses startups, fab labs, eco-businesses alongside galleries, workshops and studios.
What to Expect: A vibrant neighborhood to explore innovative businesses, artistic spaces, and local crafts. Don’t miss La Cité Créative, a collaborative campus for creative enterprises and Nuits CAMINEO art walks on Saturdays.
Visitor Information: Metro Line 1 to Notre Dame de Sablassou. Creative workshops available on pre-booking. Galleries and shops open weekday afternoons and Saturdays.
Alongside the new Sud de France Arena hosting 2024 Olympic basketball, CAMINEO will transform neglected industrial buildings into creative live-work spaces for artists and entrepreneurs. Already home to street artists, craft brewers, urban wineries and arts collectives, CAMINEO will also add pedestrian zones filled with café terraces, cool shops and outdoor concert venues.
Port Marianne
Name and Location: Port Marianne, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: Port Marianne refers to Montpellier’s extensive redevelopment of former docklands along the River Lez into a sustainable modern district with residential towers, corporate HQs, malls and parks. The ambitious urban planning project aims to extend the historic center.
What to Expect: Impressive contemporary architecture and design housing offices, apartments, hotels, shops and eateries in a pedestrian-friendly waterside setting. A smart, green urban space with a cosmopolitan vibe.
Visitor Information: Trams 1,2,3 & 4 stop at Port Marianne. Major sights include the 5-star Odysseum mall and BEMA Tower. Guided tours by boat or walking cover the eco-initiatives.
Montpellier’s extensive port renewal creates pedestrian waterfronts lined with contemporary architecture, upscale shops and alfresco dining options. In 2024 the sleekness continues skywards with the opening of Duo Towers. Reaching 420 and 590 feet respectively, the twin twisted glass structures will be the tallest skyscrapers in southern France. Duo Towers will house the 5-star Mama Shelter hotel, luxe residences, offices and panoramic rooftop restaurant.
Ode à la Mer
Name and Location: Ode à la Mer, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: Ode à la Mer is Montpellier’s revitalized maritime quarter celebrating the city’s historic link to the Mediterranean. Former industrial sites now house seaside restaurants, shops, arty boutiques and water sports outlets along richly restored canals leading to the sea.
What to Expect: A vibrant waterside hub to enjoy seafood, stroll lively quays, cruise the canals, or kayak on open water. Don’t miss the Saturday fish market alongside traditional low-rise homes a 10-minute tram ride from the historic center.
Visitor Information: Access via tram lines 1, 2 and 4 to Place de L’Europe or Rive du Lez stations. Enjoy sunny terraces overlooking the water.
Fronting the sandy coast 3 miles west of Montpellier’s city center, Ode à la Mer ranks among Europe’s most ambitious seaside resort developments. Slated for a 2024 grand opening, the initial project phase includes an open-air shopping/dining village, marina with 440 yacht slips, seaside park, bike trails and outdoor event venues that come alive each summer. Accommodations range from boutique beach hotels to luxury apartments overlooking the sea.
Experience an Arts Renaissance
At the crossroads of Catalan and Provençal cultures for nearly 1,000 years, Montpellier historically embraced progressive thinkers and movements while preserving traditions. After years of planning, 2024 will see enormous investment enhancing cultural institutions and launching new artistic platforms.
La Panacée Arts Center
Name and Location: La Panacée Arts Center, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: La Panacée is a contemporary art gallery housed in Montpellier’s historic Faculty of Medicine building. Following a major renovation, it reopened in 2013 as a cultural hub for avant-garde exhibits, talks, concerts and thematic festivals presented year-round.
What to Expect: Changing exhibitions of modern art in diverse mediums by regional and global artists and collectives. Past shows have examined subjects like health, food sustainability and the Mediterranean. Check website for special events.
Visitor Information: Located 2km from the center. Open Tuesday-Sunday noon-6pm. €7 entrance fee. Tram Line 1 stops outside. Family-friendly.
After extensive renovations, this 14th century hospital reopens in 2024 as Montpellier’s largest contemporary art space. While retaining original Gothic arches and stained glass, four floors of airy galleries with soaring ceilings will host multimedia exhibits and cultural discourse through talks and workshops. Outdoors, a sculpture garden and bistro terrace will make La Panacée equally compelling day or night.
Festival International du Cinéma Méditerranéen
Name and Location: Montpellier International Mediterranean Film Festival
History and Significance: Founded in 1979, this major film festival celebrates cinema from Mediterranean countries and regions around the world. Screenings emphasize social issues and intercultural dialogue. The prestigious festival awarded the Gold Mediterranean Jury Prize.
What to Expect: During the October event, over 200 films screen in avant premieres at venues around Montpellier accompanied by debates and discussions. Look for cinema highlighting regional identities and concerns.
Visitor Information: Festival centers around Le Corum Conference Center. Tickets €6-10 per screening, packages available. Check the program and book tickets online in advance.
Screening over 200 films from 22 countries, Montpellier’s International Mediterranean Film Festival will celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2024. Alongside screenings under the stars in central Place de la Comédie, a new Awards Plaza will host interviews and ceremonies. A parallel industry conference draws Hollywood power players to scout emerging directing and acting talent across the Mediterranean basin and Middle East.
Indulge Food & Wine Passions
Blessed with 300+ days of sun annually, Montpellier nourishes a bounty of vineyards, olive groves and fruit orchards that informed its rich regional cuisine. Savoring local specialties like seafood stew bourride or Camargue bull stew gardiane reveals why Montpellier claims more restaurants per capita than any French city beyond Paris.
Open-Air Food Markets
Name and Location: Open-Air Food Markets, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: As a Mediterranean city renowned for its culinary culture, Montpellier boasts numerous open-air food markets offering fresh local produce and regional specialties. Markets like Les Arceaux and Place Jean Jaurès provide an authentic taste of South of France flavors and convivial atmosphere.
What to Expect: Stalls selling seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh fish and seafood, farmhouse cheeses, Mediterranean spices, and local wines and olive oils. Grab items for a picnic or enjoy snacks from food carts onsite. Go early to get the best selection.
Visitor Information: Markets run mornings daily except Mondays. Look also for night markets during summer. Pay in cash for best value. Arrive by tram or bike to carry purchases.
From the expansive Halles Castellanes featuring 100 vendors to boutique farmers’ stands in every neighborhood, Montpellier’s open-air food markets overflow with just-picked local produce alongside artisanal breads, cheeses, cured meats and seafood. New markets opening in 2024 include an organic-only venue in Port Marianne and a flower market supporting local growers.
Wine Tasting Workshops
Name and Location: Wine Tasting Workshops, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: Capitalizing on the surrounding Languedoc-Roussillon wine region, Montpellier offers beginner wine tasting workshops perfect for learning the techniques of appreciating and analyzing French wines. Workshops are led by expert local sommeliers aiming to demystify wine tasting.
What to Expect: 2-3 hour small group sessions covering aroma identification, proper tasting protocol, pairing principles and describing wine styles and grapes. Includes tastings of 6-8 French wines – typically costs €55-75 per person.
Visitor Information: Wide selection of classes and packages at various locations. Advance booking required, book online. Must be 18+ to participate, maximum group size around 15 people.
Surrounded by no fewer than 18 distinct wine appellations in Languedoc-Roussillon, Montpellier enjoys fabulous nearby vintages often unseen beyond borders. English-language wine workshops launching in 2024 will visit small producers practicing sustainable techniques, learning distinguishing regional varietals like Grenache Noir and Vermentino before indulging long lunch with select wines.
Seafood Trail by Bike
Name and Location: Seafood Trail by Bike, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: Cycling provides the perfect way to taste Montpellier’s renowned seafood by stopping at restaurants along a dedicated bike path from the city center to the Mediterranean coast. The scenic trail allows you to work up an appetite en route to the ocean.
What to Expect: A leisurely half-day ride with stops at seafood shacks and scenic spots along the way to sample Mediterranean catch like oysters, mussels and whole grilled fish. Rentals and route maps available.
Visitor Information: Trailhead starts at Esplanade Charles de Gaulle. Total distance around 25km roundtrip. Rent bikes along the route or at stations downtown. Check times for your return tram ride.
Combining cycles through Mediterranean landscapes with indulging regional seafood, this guided bike touring route opens in 2024. Pedalling quiet backroads between fishing villages like Marseillan, Agde and Sète, stops highlight oyster beds, mussel rafts plus family-run restaurants dishing up the daily catch with panoramas over saltpans and glittering lagoons.
Absorb History & Heritage
Founded in the 10th century and later home to medieval universities, Montpellier preserves an alluring ancient core threaded by tiny lanes and studded with Gothic churches. Alongside historic sights, new museums slated for 2024 will interpret rich facets of regional history and culture.
Fabre Museum Expansion
Name and Location: Fabre Museum Expansion, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: The Fabre Museum is southern France’s top fine arts institution. After a major 8-year renovation, the museum reopened in 2022 with tripled exhibition space showcasing its expansive collections in a refreshed setting combining historic architecture and modern wings.
What to Expect: Vast galleries displaying rich holdings of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts spanning the Renaissance to modern eras. Don’t miss works by big names like Rubens, Delacroix and Giacometti plus a huge collection of French 19th century art.
Visitor Information: Located steps from the historic center. Open daily.
Founded in 1825, Montpellier’s world-class fine arts museum will double in size after a 2024 renovation. The new wing allows Fabre Museum to permanently exhibit one of France’s largest collections of European art. Architect Jean Nouvel’s innovative design includes a glass atrium and stainless steel façade evoking shifting light across canvases.
New Aquarium Blue Museum
Name and Location: Aquarium Blue Museum, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: Opened in 2022, this state-of-the-art aquarium museum aims to educate visitors about marine biodiversity and ocean sustainability through innovative exhibits spanning 3 floors. With over 4,500 species on display, it’s one of Europe’s largest aquariums.
What to Expect: Observe Mediterranean fish and coral, tropical species, jellyfish, seahorses and sharks via walk-through tunnels and massive tanks. Interactive elements explain marine ecosystems and conservation. Expect to spend 2-3 hours.
Visitor Information: Located 15 minutes north of the center. Open daily. Ticket prices around €25. Buy tickets online to skip lines. Easily accessible by tram line 1.
Using cutting-edge technology to showcase regional marine biodiversity, Blue Museum will be France’s largest aquarium when completed in 2024 near Ode à la Mer resort. Visitors navigate underwater ecosystems from Mediterranean coves to Atlantic abyss, getting eye-to-eye with rays, sharks, sea turtles and thousands of mesmerizing species.
Enjoy Outdoor Activities
With spectacular seascapes, vibrant wetlands and a climate encouraging year-round outdoor enjoyment, Montpellier serves active travelers wonderfully through expanded sports infrastructure slated for 2024.
Bike Lanes & Rentals
Name and Location: Bike Lanes & Rentals, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: With over 180 miles of cycling paths and a bike share system, Montpellier is consistently ranked one of France’s most bikeable cities. Biking provides an easy way to traverse its compact size and minimal hills to key attractions and neighborhoods.
What to Expect: Dedicated bike lanes in the heart of the city link to looping greenway routes along the Lez River and out to the sea. Bike share stations are plentiful, rentals widespread. Maps make navigating easy.
Visitor Information: Velomagg bike share day pass €1. Rentals from €15/day. Pick up maps from the tourist office. Follow all traffic laws and wear a helmet.
Currently claiming over 100 miles of dedicated cycling lanes and paths, Montpellier plans to double its bike infrastructure by 2028 to become France’s most cycle-friendly city. An expanded bike share program in 2024 places rental stations every few blocks, allowing effortless jaunts between neighborhoods or out to the beach. Useful bike route maps at stations detail scenic paths along canals, vineyards and coastal forests.
Water Sports
Name and Location: Water Sports, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: Thanks to its Mediterranean location and network of waterways, Montpellier is a great city for water sports like sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing and more. Outfitters offer rentals and lessons for all skill levels to enjoy Montpellier’s aquatic assets.
What to Expect: Paddleboard or kayak along scenic inland canals or on open sea. Many offshore operators provide equipment and offer excursions to nearby coastal sights like the Maguelone Cathedral. Lessons available for beginners.
Visitor Information: Outfitters clustered around Port Marianne Marina and Ode à la Mer districts. Rentals around €20/hour. Check conditions and tides. Wear sun protection.
From stand-up paddleboarding among salt lagoons to kayaking sun-dappled Herault River gorges, Montpellier’s gorgeous aquatic surroundings tempt with adventure. New guided excursions launching from downtown in 2024 make accessing activities easier, like scuba diving to discover Mediterranean wrecks or trying kitesurfing on wide sandy beaches facing stiff sea breezes.
Hiking & Trail Running
Name and Location: Hiking & Trail Running, Montpellier, France
History and Significance: With parks and varied terrain skirting the city, Montpellier provides great options for hiking, walking and trail running just minutes from downtown. Marked circuits range from short urban nature walks to longer trails through garrigue scrubland and hills.
What to Expect: Routes like the Pic St-Loup climb limestone knolls with superb views. Closer trails wind through Lez River wetlands. Download tracks online or get guidebooks at the tourist office. Year-round hikes available.
Visitor Information: Access most trailheads by city bus or car. Bring plenty of water and sun protection during warm months. Check trail conditions after heavy rain. Experience required for advanced routes.
Just beyond Montpellier’s edges, stunning national parks like Cévennes and Haut-Languedoc offer hundreds of miles of hiking trails traversing gorges, peaks and forests. New guided trekking routes opening in 2024 also connect historic Cathar castle ruins that once dotted the Languedoc countryside as mysterious hilltop refuges.
Conclusion
Already alluring as a cosmopolitan hub near gorgeous Mediterranean coastline, Montpellier ups its offerings in 2024 through enormous planned development and investment. From gleaming architectural icons like Duo Towers to expansive green spaces across newly vibrant neighborhoods, visitor infrastructure aligns with locals’ needs.
Yet amid sleek tramways and chic wine bars pulsing with live music, Montpellier’s beguiling medieval lanes still wind past Gothic facades that have witnessed 10 centuries of history. By honoring heritage while creating sustainable urban spaces to elevate quality of life, Montpellier emerges as an alluring French destination for 21st century passions.