Montpellier

France

Things to do in Montpellier:

View the Gallery Traditional Architecture

Montpellier Restaurants

Cheap (18)

Salad & Pasta

Does what it says on the tin - salad and pasta with prices as cheap as chips.� A great lunchtime filling station, and you can also get a takeout or delivery.�� read more
Affordable (15)

Au Jardin

With a Sunday brunch buffet served from midday till 4am, this is the best place to hang out after doing the Sunday morning markets. read more
Good quality (14)

Cadres et D�lices

Genuinely decent cooking - think salmon and goats' cheese profiteroles and veal in marsala sauce. Be prepared to wait though, because the waiters aren't clock-watchers. Still, what better way to... read more

Montpellier Nightlife

Chilled (15)

Del Mon

Free olives and random d�cor, including a statue of the Virgin Mary, 1970s armchairs and a huge wooden canoe, make this an interesting venue choice. Happy "hour" is 6pm-9pm every day. read more
Live Music (15)

La Pleine Lune

An unpretentious little bar filled with arty night owls, all of whom are here for the same thing: music. From rock through folk to funk and Latino, all musical life is here. There's also a rolling... read more
Clubbing (13)

Le B4

Come for cocktails, shooters and some impressive le flair bartending - it's worth the entrance fee for the spectacle. read more

This Month in Montpellier (March):

By Samantha David

Shopping: Desigual is conquering France with bright, bubbly fun designs for grown-ups. Don't miss this brand-new store, on Level One of the new Odysseum Centre Commercial - the tram stops right under it.

Sightseeing: The Property Fair at the Corum is fab for dreaming and, if you have the cash, scheming to live the dream. It takes place on 12-14 March, with houses and concepts to suit all tastes, including lots of green schemes (salonimmobiliermontpellier.com).

Key areas: Port Marianne has plenty to keep you busy: IKEA and the Odysseum, a multiplex, restaurants, clubs, skating rink, aquarium, planetarium and brand new shopping mall. It's the perfect place to get rid of those last few euros from your wallet.

Day trips: Sete is a half-hour drive along the coast and boasts a working fishing port, plus cruise ships and a tumble-down town scattered over a hilltop, making it a seriously good exploring spot. Stop for some fresh fish for lunch when you get hungry.

Montpellier News & Gossip

Port River Gauche

If you think you've left it too late to whisk your family down to the South of France this summer, think again. Port Rive Gauche was once the local wine store of the idyllic Languedoc fishing village of Marseillan.

After a major overhaul, it has just reopened its doors as a rather chic retreat with 11 sumptuous suites overlooking the sea. A suite sleeping four with flatscreen TV, wireless Internet and air-con will only set you back �170 a night and a little extra will get you a large, private roof terrace. On-site massages with local lavender, honey and Camargue salt, and wine-tasting at a cave bar nearby can be arranged.

www.garrigaeresorts.com

Montpellier Trivia

March: Rabelais, a major French Renaissance writer, doctor and intellect, used to conduct public human dissections, and lectured on syphilis and hysteria in Montpellier.
February: The Odysseum complex gets more than two million visitors a year.
January: After epidemics killed half the population of Montpellier in the 14th century, the inhabitants made a 400m long candle and burned it in front of the Notre Dame church. The situation duly improved.