Montpellier is a major hub of learning and culture, a truly vibrant city with an old quarter but a young heart.

Here one can visit St. Peter’s Cathedral, and next door, Europe’s oldest medical school (Rue de l’Ecole de Medecine); the Mikve (a Jewish ritual bath) from the 12th century, the Triumphal Arch of 1830 and the beautiful mansions with intimate courtyards that punctuate much of the oldest part of the city.

But it is essential to enjoy the delights of strolling through the labyrinth of lanes, with their independent small shops, galleries, bars and restaurants.  No visit to Montpellier would be complete without time spent relaxing, with a drink, at one of the many pavement cafes that surround the Place de la Comédie, an interchange for the cities’ network of trams.