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    City Guide: Montpellier, France

    July 26, 2017

    Over 24,000 steps and five hours of travel time later, I can say I’ve experienced the charming city of Montpellier in the south of France.  In 2017, I took my first day trip to Montpellier, France, to meet up with my French pen pal, Wendy. But since moving back to France in 2020, I wanted to explore Montpellier even more. My good friend Kelly lives in Albi, and Montpellier was more or less the halfway meeting spot for us. This quaint, little big city is sure to charm you with its cobblestone streets and boutiques. After several mini trips, here are some of my favorite things to do in Montpellier, France.

    Promenade du Peyrou

    Easily my favorite site of the day!  Just minutes after hopping off the train, Wendy took me to this darling courtyard.  Even though we couldn’t go inside the pavilion, I enjoyed walking up the steps to enjoy some epic views of the city.

    Peyrou Montpellier France
    Promenade du Peyrou Montpellier France
    Peyrou Montpellier France Round Trip Travel

    Cathédrale Saint Pierre

    Read: idyllic small French town.  Even though I didn’t go inside, this huge and majestic castle-like cathedral was worth a look.

    Cathédrale St-Pierre Montpellier France

    La Place du Comédie

    This city square boasts a cute carousel, cafes, shops, a flea market and fountain all overlooked by the city’s opera house.

    Place du Comédie Montpellier France

    Café Riche

    With my alarm going off before 5 a.m. to make my train (which I missed—but that’s a story for another day), I was ready for an early lunch, and that meant restaurants still served breakfast food.  (And I’m a sucker for a good omelet!)  At Café Riche I ordered an omelet with ham and cheese along with a strawberry peach smoothie because it was blazing outside.  The omelet’s portion size was very generous, and I felt très fancy with my sophisticated smoothie.  And to top it off, this café is located in La Place du Comédie, which means convenience and a view.

    Café Riche Place du Comédie Montpellier France

    Libraire Sauramps

    I’m not much of a bookworm, but for some reason,  I absolutely love bookstores.  And when it’s in a foreign language in a different country, there’s so much more exploring to do.  It’s pretty difficult to miss the huge bookstore from the street; it’s a worth a stroll to enjoy some shade and culture.

    Les rues montpellier france

    Stroll through Polygone

    Because what’s vacation without shopping?!  I’ve been to malls before, but shopping in a foreign language and culture is a completely different experience.  At Polygone, Wendy and I stopped at Moa to get some shades for the beach, and the Monoprix provided me with some orange San Pellegrino for the beach (which made it onto my top 5 list for June).

    Cacti Montpellier France Travel

    Joy Healthyfood

    Kelly and I started off our day with blueberry pancakes from Joy Healthyfood. I’m gluten-intolerant and she’s vegan, so it’s no small task finding somewhere suitable to eat for the both of us. But Joy Healthyfood fit the bill with these flavorful pancakes and chai tea lattes. I was pleasantly surprised and finished every last bite. The space is thoughtfully decorated and also includes a yoga studio. 

    L’Atelier d’Amaya

    I could browse through jewelry shops for hours and fell instantly in love with its dainty, stylish earrings, bracelets and necklaces from this Bordeaux jewelry brand. If you like souvenirs that you wear again and again, l’Atelier d’Amaya must be on your list.

    Les Demoiselles de Montpellier

    Another win for us gluten-free and vegan gals, Les Demoiselles de Montpellier was packed the moment we walked in. We picked up pastries to enjoy in between our sightseeing stops. I enjoyed a piece of gluten-free chocolate cake topped with caramelized peanuts. This cute cafe is filled with plants and offers brunch and lunch along with their pastries.

    Marché du Lez

    We’d read good things about the Marché du Lez, which is outside the city center but still accessible with the tram. It’s an indoor food hall along with several shops. We went in hopes of browsing the shops but were bummed that it was mainly eats — only because we’d already eaten lunch. And we also went in the middle of the afternoon around 3 or 4 p.m., and many stalls had closed for an afternoon pause. In retrospect, we should’ve made that our lunch spot. 

    Restaurant l’Angelus

    And now for the best part of our day trip: Restaurant l’Angelus. If you’re looking for a classy dinner with an interior marked by stone archways and chic lighting, this is the spot. It’s the perfect spot for a romantic dinner or, if you’re like us, two American gals living up their expat life in southern France. I ordered the duck with seasoned vegetables in a honey sauce, and I did all but lick my plate. Absolutely divine! We were bummed that we had to rush to make our train and that we couldn’t stay for dessert.

    Beach

    Although the commute was about an hour for our crew, the Mediterranean Sea offers fantastic views.  The large seaside rocks and cityscape framing the sea were a dream.  Our group had fun playing with crabs, climbing the rocks and eating ice cream.

    Mediterranean Sea Montpellier France
    Carnon Plage Mediterranean Sea Montpellier France
    Montpellier France Mediterranean Sea

    I wish my visit to Montpellier wouldn’t have been so rushed, but at least I can add another postcard to my collection.  Happy traveling!

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    6 Comments

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    Comments

    1. earthsmagicalplaces says

      July 27, 2017 at 8:27 am

      What an adorable little town! Great guide 🙂

      Reply
      • roundtriptravel says

        July 27, 2017 at 1:51 pm

        Hi Rachel! I so agree–such a sweet, small town. Happy travels!

        Reply
    2. avoyageonearth says

      July 27, 2017 at 4:51 pm

      Great photos, I just loved going to Montpellier, definitely need to go back soon

      Reply
      • roundtriptravel says

        July 30, 2017 at 2:48 am

        Thanks for the read! Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did 🙂 Happy traveling!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. My Biggest Travel Fails – round trip says:
      June 12, 2019 at 8:40 am

      […] was a great deal; I’ll make it work.  A cheap train ticket to Montpellier with a departure before 6 a.m. isn’t glam, but I liked the low price.  What I didn’t think […]

      Reply
    2. 7 Ways to Learn A Foreign Language – round trip says:
      February 12, 2020 at 9:15 am

      […] inevitably meet more. For example, at my Pure Barre class, I heard a woman talking about Montpellier. By her accent, I knew she wasn’t talking about Vermont, and I gently butted myself in and […]

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator living and working in southern France. You can find me planning my next weekend trip, sharing my best expat trips and sipping iced coffee.
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    Hey there, I'm Kristin, a Missouri girl living and working in southern France. I love planning weekend trips, sharing my best expat tips and sipping iced coffee.

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