Free walking tours in Montpellier and what to see

Must-sees

Montpellier revolves around Place de la Comédie, a wide pedestrian square with the opera house and the Fountain of the Three Graces. From there you enter the Écusson, the old town, a maze of lanes with stone mansions, hidden courtyards and small squares with café terraces. Inside are Saint-Pierre cathedral, which looks almost like a fortress, and the old Faculty of Medicine next to it, still in use. The Musée Fabre has an important collection of European painting.

At the top of the old town, the Promenade du Peyrou has a triumphal arch, an equestrian statue of Louis XIV and the Saint-Clément aqueduct in the background. The Jardin des Plantes is close by. Towards the River Lez, the Antigone district shows off modern neoclassical architecture. The Mediterranean beaches, such as Palavas-les-Flots and Carnon, are a few kilometres away.

Free tours and guided visits

There is a free walking tour of the centre covering the Comédie, the Écusson and the Peyrou. If you prefer to move faster, there is an e-bike tour, and for foodies, a food tour and a tasting of regional wines. For day trips, you can go to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, a medieval village beside an abbey, or to Aigues-Mortes, the walled town of the Camargue, with a stop at the Tour Carbonnière.

How long to spend

In one day you can cover the Comédie, the old town and the Peyrou. With two you can visit the Musée Fabre, stroll around Antigone and end the afternoon on the beach. A third day allows a trip to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert or to the Camargue and Aigues-Mortes.

Where to stay

The Écusson and the area around the Comédie are the best base: the old town, the restaurants and the train station are all within walking distance. Antigone and Port Marianne, to the east, have modern hotels well served by tram. If you are travelling in summer and want the beach, you can stay in Palavas-les-Flots or Carnon and come into town by tram or car.