Montpellier
Montpellier is a southern French city known for its car-free medieval old town, about 70,000 students and a Mediterranean coast roughly 10 km away.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Montpellier is a city in southern France, about 10 km inland from the Mediterranean and the capital of the Hérault department in the Occitanie region. It has about 310,000 residents, and around 70,000 students give it a young feel. The historic center, called the Écusson, has mostly medieval roots and was remodeled between the 16th and 18th centuries. Start at Place de la Comédie, the main square, where the Opéra Comédie opened in 1888.
In the 13th and 14th centuries the city was a major spice-trading center. Its medical school, founded in 1220, is among Europe's oldest, and the Jardin des Plantes, founded in 1593, is France's oldest botanical garden. The Promenade du Peyrou, at the city's highest point of 57 m, has a 17th-century triumphal arch. Plan three to four days for the old center, a few museums and a day at the coast. Spring and autumn suit walking best, while July and August are hot and dry.
Montpellier in five
- Stay inside or beside the ÉcussonThe old center, the Écusson, is compact and pedestrian. Hotels around Place de la Comédie and the station are 10–15 minutes apart on foot, and the tram links everything else.
- Use the tram, not a taxiSeveral tram lines run through the center and out to the suburbs and the airport corridor. Buy a ticket from the machine and validate it, as inspectors check.
- Reach the beaches by tram and busThe nearest sand, around Palavas-les-Flots and Carnon, is a short tram or bus ride from the center. Take sun protection; shade is scarce on the beaches.
- Time a day trip to SèteSète is a working fishing port with canals, about 20–30 minutes away by regional train. Go for fish at lunchtime and a walk along the canal.Sète travel guide
- Avoid August midday heatFrom late June to August the center is hot by midday. Plan museums and markets for the morning and use the evening for terraces and the squares.
Things to do in Montpellier
See all attractions in Montpellier
Need to know
- Airport
- Montpellier-Méditerranée (MPL), shuttle and tram to the center
- Getting there
- TGV from Paris about 3–3.5 hrs; Barcelona and Marseille by rail
- Getting around
- Tram, buses and a walkable center
- Best base
- The Écusson or near Place de la Comédie
- Time needed
- 2 days; 3 with Sète and Nîmes
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh12°Low5°Cool, mild daysJanuaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, mild days
- FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh13°Low6°Cool, mild daysFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 59 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, mild days
- MarchPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh15°Low8°Mild, freshMarchPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, fresh
- AprilPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh18°Low10°Spring, terracesAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, terraces
- MayPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh21°Low14°Warm, long daysMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JuneClear7 rainy daysHigh26°Low19°Hot, beachesJuneClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 45 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, beaches
- JulyClear3 rainy daysHigh30°Low21°Hot, busyJulyClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 18 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- AugustClear4 rainy daysHigh29°Low21°Hot, busyAugustClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 38 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- SeptemberClear6 rainy daysHigh25°Low17°Warm, swimSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 87 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, swim
- OctoberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Mild, goldenOctoberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 116 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, golden
- NovemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh15°Low9°Cool, rainNovemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 112 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, rain
- DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh12°Low6°Cool, quietDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
Average daily high and low in Montpellier, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Montpellier
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
11
- Feels like
- 6°
- Humidity
- 63%
- Wind
- 33 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Montpellier
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today15°4°0%Monday: Clear. High 15°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue15°4°28%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 28%.
- Wed11°9°80%Wednesday: Rain. High 11°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 80%.
- Thu14°10°74%Thursday: Rain. High 14°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 74%.
- Fri14°8°78%Friday: Thunderstorms. High 14°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 78%.
- Sat14°7°21%Saturday: Fog. High 14°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 21%.
- Sun18°11°67%Sunday: Rain. High 18°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 67%.
Updated 09:11 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Coming up
Every year
- JulFestival d'AvignonAvignon, a day trip
- Jul–AugChorégies d'OrangeAvignon, a day trip
Day trips by train
Before you go to Montpellier
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Montpellier, checked
- Check entry rules on the France Diplomacy site before you travel, especially if you are not from the EU.Source
- In forest-fire-risk areas, bringing fire or smoke and throwing cigarette butts is forbidden, and breaches can be punished.
- The historic center has been largely car-free since 2004. Park at the Comédie or Corum parking lots, or use park-and-ride facilities near tram lines.
- Free public transport is for residents of the metropolitan area only, so visitors must buy a ticket for trams and buses.
Plan around Montpellier
Regions, cities and entry rules
Read the guideNîmes travel guideRoman arena, 30–40 min by train
Read the guideSète travel guideFishing port and canals, 20–30 min
Read the guideLanguedoc-RoussillonWine, castles and the coast
Read the guidePerpignan travel guideCatalan France to the south
Read the guideMontpellier FAQ
Is Montpellier worth visiting?
Yes, for a lively old center, sunny weather and easy beach and day-trip options. It is less a sightseeing checklist than a good place to spend a few relaxed days in the south.
How many days do you need in Montpellier?
Two days covers the old center, the Promenade du Peyrou and the market. Add a third for the beach or Sète. Skip more unless you plan to tour the Languedoc by car.
Montpellier or Nîmes: which should I pick?
Montpellier for a lively city and the beaches, Nîmes for Roman monuments. They are 30–40 minutes apart by train, so one base can cover both.
How far is Montpellier from the beach?
About 10–15 km to the nearest beaches at Palavas-les-Flots and Carnon, a short trip by tram and bus. Check the transit map for the current route.
Is Montpellier good for a day trip to Sète?
Yes. Trains take about 20–30 minutes and run frequently. Sète works as an easy half or full day, and you can walk the canal quarter and have a seafood lunch.