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Francis Hannaway Web Site
A Visitor to
Montpellier
France
cette page en francais
I went to Montpellier for four weeks of French lessons, during February and March, 2001. As part of the course I had to give a presentation. I chose to talk about Montpellier and this is what resulted . . .
Looking down at the main square
The Place de la Comedie has got lots of choice for outdoor cafes
The Place de la Comedie The Place de la Comedie is the town square and it's a good place to start a visit to Montpellier. Spring-time arrives quite early in Montpellier, so - even in February - this grand square comes alive with bustling crowds.The square is a good place to eat, with plenty of cafes and restaurants bordering it. There are also other places to eat, like McDonald's, or its French equivalent - Quick. The Esplanade Crowds of shoppers pass by artists, perhaps musicians and lots of statues which - all of a sudden - come to life! At the end of the Place de la Comedie there's an avenue of trees, the Esplanade, headed by the Corum, a modern building for the opera and the Palace of Congress. This avenue is a good place to rest after a tourist's busy day, because there are always lots of people taking a stroll here. You'll also find others who ride their skate-boards or go roller-blading. A little children's park will ensure a steady stream of parents with toddlers on their shiny tricycles, in pink or blue or red. While the lights are coming on in the evening and the last game of table tennis is about to finish, between a tired father and a tired child, the Place de la Comedie starts to fill up with people.They come to eat, to go to the cinema or the theatre. Others want to meet up with friends. Who would think that under this town square there's a huge underground car park? The Old Quarter Near to the Place de la Comedie is the old part (or Old Quarter) of Montpellier.. The alleys which snake with arches of stone, paved with stone, which have been polished by people's feet for hundreds of years, reveal the names of the trades of their former occupants. It's picturesque - yet it also forms a part of modern life. New shops have replaced the old.
A view of the Promenade Peyrou
- the water tower and statue of Louis XIV are both visible.
The Promenade Peyrou Pass by the little flower stalls and you'll finally come to the Promenade Peyrou.
I was most impressed with the flower stalls,
which seemed to go on forever
- so I took this picture.
Go through the Arc du Triomphe and you'll be able to see, on a horse, the Sun King, Louis XIV. This statue was errected when the king revised the laws to do with the rights given to Protestantism in France (France is still a Catholic country). The park is a nice spot to sit in the sun and look down on a really good view of quite a big part of Montpellier down below. They say that when the sky is clear you can see the sea. (17 km) In the same square as the statue of the Sun King is a magnificent water tower. This was built between 1767 and 1774. It looks like a Greek temple - with its Corinthian columns and its double flight of steps. Beyond the old water tower is an aquaduct to carry water. It was constructed between 1754 and 1762. Its got lots of arches. Transport If you visit Montpellier you'll want to get around easily. Transport in Montpellier is good and are have got even better recently. Trains and buses - local, national and international arrive right in the centre of town. The railway station has, like much of Montpellier's archetecture, an elegant facade. Opposite the railway station there are plenty of bus-stops with clear maps for each bus route next to each one. There's a ticket machine in the street, or you can buy one from the driver. The tickets become less expensive when you buy ten at a time. It doesn't matter where you're going, all the tickets are the same price - even to go as far as the beach at Pallavas which is15km from the centre of Montpellier. The buses are in good order and frequent, but watch out! - don't go out after eight o'clock in the evening because the buses stop running around this time. Another way to see the town and the countryside is also available. The town council has bought some bicycles. Anyone who can prove his or her identity and pay a deposit can hire one for 40 Francs a day. Along with the buses, which have started to run on natural gas, it's another encouraging gesture by the Council to cut the use of cars and, therefore, heavy traffic and pollution.
The house I stayed in
(there's my laundry on the balcony!)
The Tramway But the best thing to arrive in Montpellier is the Tramway. Tourists and locals, from the summer of 2000, will be able to take advantage of the brand new tram system. It'll come into commercial service starting on the first of July at 5 o'clock in the morning. The 28 trams will be able to transport 75000 people a day! - quickly and in a way which is ecologically friendly - without noise and without pollution! It will help to form part of the modern image of Montpellier. Le grand succès du tramway! LE MONDE- 22.02.01 | 12h38 In no time at all, it's snaking through the streets of Montpellier with its blue bodywork flanqued with white swallows, designed by Elizabeth Garouste and Mattia Bonetti, and the locals have got used to it very quickly. Plenty of Dogs In Montpellier, like in so many French towns, there are lots of dogs. Lots of dogs go everywhere with their masters, great big dogs and tiny dogs alike. The people like their dogs and the dogs like their owners. Unfortunately, only a few people take responsibility for the primary product of dog - doggy-doos or dog dirt. And the reality is that the amount of doggy doos is directly in proportion to the number of dogs! This makes a big impression on a visitor to Montpellier, and not a good one. The Beggars There are some other distractions in the street, there are the beggars, each one with his or her dog, each one with his or her bottle of beer, each one with pierced lips, pierced nostrils and other parts of the body pierced. They make graffitti in the little alleyway and offer their hands to recieve money in all the large squares of this pretty town. Pallavas and the beach After a short journey by coach or car, you arrive at the sea - The Mediterreanian Sea. And as you leave the town you'll see lots of really old buildings - isolated and solid. They're ideal for night clubs. For example, there's one called La Villa Rouge . And there's lots of them. After a while, you'll arrive at Pallavas, but not before you've seen the flocks of flamingos in the marshes.
Here's a map of the town centre, Montpellier.
You can see the Antigone shopping mall
in the top right corner.
The Place de la Comedie
and the Place du Marche aux fleurs (flower market)
are also visible.
Go in Spring to see the boats and the holiday villas, the fine sanded beach, the warm sea . . . and you'll avoid the hordes of summer tourists.
L'Antigone I'd like to mention all the interesting buildings in Montpellier and its surrounding area: the tranquil cathedral of Maguelone by the sea, which has several times been refuge of the popes; St Peter's Cathedral, built by Pope Urban V, who was neither interested in politics or power, but was very interested in philosophy and science. Or, perhaps, the buildings in the comercial centre, the Polygon. But, more than that, I think that one of the most interesting buildings to visit is the Antigon. In 1977, the town council had moved towards something radically opposite to the design of the Polygon and all the the other modern designs and decided to build a new neighbourhood, the Antigon. There are lots of shops, offices, restaurants, appartments and plenty of choice for the needs of a small town. It's biult in a clover leaf - or trilobe - form, and really is different to the buildings that we're used to. Half of the housing is social housing. They've really scored a hat-trick with this!
Yoko, Laura, Francis (that's me!) and tennis playing Reto.
Yoko, Laura, Claire, and Reto
4 of the 5 Amigos
who studied French in
Montpellier.
Copyright © 2002 by Francis Hannaway. All rights reserved.
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