Montpellier is a lively and
energetic city located in the south of France, on hilly ground near the river
Lez, just 10km from the Mediterranean
coast. Montpellier is home to over
60,000 students who attend university here.
The University of Montpellier is one of the
oldest in the World. Built in 1160, it
was suppressed during the French Revolution but was re-established in 1896. With so many students, the average age of
residents in Montpellier during the academic year is said to be 25, giving the
city an intellectual
and cultural tone.
When you need a
break from beach life, there are many sites and attractions to keep you busy in
Montpellier. The main focus of the city
is the Place de la Comedie, which is a large oblong
square paved with cream coloured marble, with a fountain in the center and
cafes along each side. Be sure to check
out the ornate 19th century Op ra on one side and the beautiful
tree-lined Esplanade on the other. At
the end of the Esplanade lies the Corum concert
hall. Montpellier s most famous museum
is the Musee Fabre, which houses a large and
historically important collection of seventeenth- to nineteenth-century French,
Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Flemish and English paintings. Other sites worthy of mention include the
first botanical garden of France, the 14th century Saint Pierre Cathedral, the Porte du Peyrou Arch, and the Saint Clement Aqueduct. The Festival de Radio France er Montpellier is a music festival held in Montpellier each summer.