castle
Aigues-Mortes
A perfectly rectangular walled medieval port town rising from the Camargue salt marshes and pink lagoons.
26 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeFranceOccitanie
Montpellier
Occitanie, France · Europe
About Montpellier
Montpellier is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Lattes, 42km from Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue.
Montpellier is in Occitanie, France, with about 250,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Lattes, about 5 km away.
Montpellier (UK: ; US: ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the department of Hérault. As of 2023, 310,240 people live in the city proper, while its metropolitan area has a population of 842,923.Read more
Montpellier is the third-largest French city near the Mediterranean coast, behind Marseille and Nice, and the seventh-largest city of France overall. The inhabitants are called Montpelliérains and Montpelliéraines.
In the Middle Ages, Montpellier was an important city of the Crown of Aragon (and was the birthplace of James I), and then of Majorca, before its sale to France in 1349. Established in 1220, the University of Montpellier is one of the oldest universities in the world and has the oldest medical school still in operation, with notable alumni such as Petrarch, Nostradamus and François Rabelais. Above the medieval city, the ancient citadel of Montpellier is a stronghold built in the seventeenth century by Louis XIII.
Since the 1990s, Montpellier has experienced one of the strongest economic and demographic growths in the country. Its urban area has experienced the highest population growth in France since the year 2000. Numbering 70,000, students comprise nearly one-fourth of its population, one of the highest such proportions in Europe. Its living environment, with one of Europe's largest pedestrian areas, along with its rich cultural life and Mediterranean climate, explains the enthusiasm for the city, which is nicknamed the "Gifted". Montpellier was nominated for "Best Emerging Culture City of the Year 2017" by the think tank LCD. It is ranked as a Sufficiency city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Montpellier?
Within an hour or so of Montpellier: Aigues-Mortes (26 km), Pont du Diable (Hérault) (28 km), Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30 km), Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue (42 km).
Are there any good drives near Montpellier?
The nearest famous roads are Millau Viaduct (A75), Gorges de la Nesque Road and Route des Crêtes (Cassis).
Where is Montpellier?
Montpellier is in Occitanie, France, about 5 km from Lattes.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 248,252
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- France
- Region
- Occitanie
- Timezone
- Europe/Paris
- Coordinates
- 43.6109, 3.8763
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in France
Carrying a warning triangle and hi-vis vest in your vehicle is mandatory. Motorway emergency phones connect to official breakdown services only.
Full driving guide for FranceTags
Worth the detour from Montpellier
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
bridge
Pont du Diable (Hérault)
A 11th-century 'devil's bridge' arching over the Hérault above emerald swimming pools in a sun-baked gorge.
28 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
A medieval pilgrimage village around a Romanesque abbey, hidden in a wild gorge of the Hérault.
30 km · about 35 min drive
national park
Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue
A wild wetland delta of pink flamingos, white horses and black bulls between the arms of the Rhône.
42 km · about 50 min drive
natural wonder
Cirque de Navacelles
A perfect horseshoe canyon carved by the Vis, with a tiny hamlet cradled in its abandoned river meander.
43 km · about 50 min drive
ancient ruins
Arena of Nimes
One of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world, still hosting events nearly 2,000 years after its construction.
46 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Montpellier
3 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 28 kmPont du Diable (Hérault)A 11th-century 'devil's bridge' arching over the Hérault above emerald swimming pools in a sun-baked gorge.
- 61 kmMont AigoualThe highest summit of the Cévennes at 1,565 m, crowned by a weather observatory with vast horizons.
Driving in France
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.85/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€10.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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