Montpellier - A little History
Montpellier is a relatively new town, as it began during the 10th century AD, rather than from Roman times. It is built on 2 hills - Montpellier and Montpellieret, with often steep streets between the two.
In earlier times, settlement was around Maguelone - (vist the Cathedral) - but because of pirates, the population moved inland.
The counts of Toulouse created castle and walled town so that Montpellier became an important trading center in the 10th century with a liberal tolerance where Jews, Muslims, Cathars, and later Protestants were able to live together peacefully. Under this umbrella William VII of Montpellier established a faculty of medicine in 1180 - later to become the foundation of the University in 1220.
Between 1213 and 1349 Montpellier was under the rule of the Kings of Aragon. In 1349 it was sold to France and French king Philip VI. In the reformation Montpellier became the haven of the Huguenots (Protestants) and became the object of King Louis XIII siege.
During the 19th century Montpellier grew as an industrial center; in the 1960s it grew larger with an big influx of Algerians (13,000), escaping Algeria, after its independance from France.
Montpellier - The Old Town
Really coming into its own, as it the favoured home of the kings of Mallorca in the 1200s - Montpellier became second in size to Paris in the 13th century due in most part as it being the center for arts, medicine, and the law.
Entering the old town by the Rue de la Loge, you will find your way to Hotel de Varennes - where the ground floor is almost all gothic, with a splendid 14th century salle de Pétrarqueh - a long hall with stone ribbed vault. Around the rue de Cannau, you will find a grouping of splendid homes with beautiful doorways and windows. The 17th century Ursuline convent is now a dance performance space. The Hotel de la Vieille Intendance, the old govennors mansion, was once the home to Auguste Comte, as well as Paul Valéry. After the pretty place du Chabanneau, and the broad Place de la Canourgue, with its grand 17th century buildings, you reach Montpellier's Cathedral, with massive towers, dating back to the 14th century.
A little further on, you can walk in the Jardin des Plantes, a royal herbal garden, now under the control of the University botany department. It is the oldest botanical garden in France. The is nice place to visit in the heat of Summer.
Arc de Triomphe, Montpellier
Antigone Hotel de Region, Montpellier
With more than 15,000 students, Montpellier 2 University - primary studies are science and technology in 7 departments.
University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3
With over 16,000 students the Faculty of Letters, Arts, Languages and Social Sciences is the University of Montpellier 3
Montpellier - The Museums and Galleries
Musée Fabre
Immense collection of paintings, from 15th - 19th centuries - includes Flemish and Dutch artists including Breughel, Rubens, Ruisdael; European painters including Nicholas Poussin, Zurbaran, Bernini, Montpellier-born painter Bourdon; neoclassic paintings by Vernet, Greuze, David, and sculptures by Houdon, more Modern art by Gustave Courbet, Montpellier painter Frédéric Bazille, Matisse, Van Dongen, Delaunay, Dufy, and contemporary art of today. The decorative arts are well represented in Hôtel Sabatier d’Espeyran.
Musée Languedocien
An interesting museum with pretty 17th century courtyard, with exhibitions of medieval items, furniture, and more recent decorative household element. Recent exhibitions have included glass work from over 3000 years, and Daily Life in 13th and 14th century Montpellier
Musée Atger and Anatomy Museum
This fine collection of drawings from the Flemish, Italian, Dutch, German and French Schools
was left to the Medical school by Xavier Atger, also includes work by Van Dyck and Rubens. On the first floor is the Anatomy museum, that attests to the fact Montpellier was one of the first universities to offer training in Medecine.
Odysseum shopping centre with APPLE Store and IKEA
ACCESS - Direct flights - Check for seasons some just fly in the Summer months
Air France flies into Amsterdam, Ibiza. Easyjet flies to Paris CDG, Berlin, Porto, Basel-Mulhouse, Bristol, London Gatwick, London Luton. Volotea flies to Ajaccio, Bastia, Brest, Lille, Nantes, Strasbourg. Chalair flies into Bordeaux, Rennes. Air Algeria flies to Algiers, Oran. Norwegian fly to Copenhagen. Eurowings fly to Dusseldorf. Aer Lingus flies to Dublin. Air Arabia flies to Casablanca, Errachidia, Fez, Marrakech, Nador. KLM flies to Amsterdam. Transavia flies to Rotterdam. Ural Airlines flies to Moscow. British Airways flies to London Heathrow
SNCF Montpellier has connections to TGV trains to all over Europe.
MONTPELLIER CUISINE
Escargots de Montpellier
Snails, anchovies, walnuts, and armagnac, with croutons
Croquettes de Montpellier
Macaroni and brageoles (a mixture of meat from beef and tomato sauce) (it could be fish) that was brought over by Italians who settled in Sete
Montpellier Butter
Blanch watercress leaves, parsley, chervil, chives, tarragon, chopped shallots, andspinach leaves. Drain, cool, press and pound in a mortar with pressed capers, gherkins, a garlic clove, and anchovy fillets.
Mix paste with butter; add yolks boiled eggs and raw eggs, and finally pour in oil. Strain. Season with salt and cayenne.
Use the butter to deck large fish, such as salmon, and trout.
"Montpellier is a favored destination for shopping - IKEA and APPLE have a large stores next to the autoroute exit for the airport"
Montpellier is an energy boosting city to visit any time of the year!