Coordinates: 43°36′43″N 3°52′38″E

Montpellier
Montpellier (UK: /mɒntˈpɛlieɪ/, US: /ˌmoʊnpɛlˈjeɪ/,
French: [mɔ̃pəlje, -pɛl-] ( listen) ;[3][4] Occitan: Montpelhièr [mumpe Montpellier
ˈʎɛ]) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of Montpelhièr (Occitan)
the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania, Montpellier is the
prefecture of the department of Hérault. In 2018, 290,053 people lived Prefecture and commune
in the city, while its metropolitan area had a population of 787,705.[2]
The inhabitants are called Montpelliérains.

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 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 of France.

Since the 1990s, Montpellier has experienced one of the strongest

economic and demographic growth 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.[5] Its living
environment with one of Europe's largest pedestrian area,[6] along
with its rich cultural life and Mediterranean climate, explain 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.[7] It is ranked as a Sufficiency city by the
Globalization and World Cities Research Network.
Clockwise from top: The Place de la
Comédie, Port Marianne's lake, Lez's bank
with the Montpellier Town Hall, and the
Contents Cathedral of Saint Peter.

Status
History
Medieval period
After the Reformation Flag Coat of arms
Modern history
Location of Montpellier
Geography
Climate
Neighborhoods
Population
Heraldry
Sights
Education
History
Universities
Grandes Ecoles
Transport
Sport
Culture
International relations
Notable people
Other locations named after Montpellier
See also
Montpellier
References
Citations
Sources
Further reading
External links

Status
Montpellier
Montpellier is the third-largest French city near the Mediterranean
coast, behind Marseille and Nice. It is the seventh-largest city of
France, and is also the fastest-growing city in the country over the past
25 years.

Coordinates: 43°36′43″N 3°52′38″E

History
Country France
Region Occitania
Medieval period Department Hérault
Arrondissement Montpellier
In the Early Middle Ages, the nearby episcopal town of Maguelone Canton Montpellier-1,
was the major settlement in the area, but raids by pirates encouraged 2, 3, 4, 5 and
Montpellier –
settlement a little farther inland. Montpellier, first mentioned in a
Castelnau-le-
document of 985, was founded under a local feudal dynasty, the Lez
Guilhem, who combined two hamlets and built a castle and walls Intercommunality Montpellier
around the united settlement. The name is from medieval Latin mons Méditerranée
pisleri, "Woad Mountain" referring to the woad (Latin pastellus, Métropole
pestellus) used for dyeing locally. There is no real "mountain" in the Government
area, with the mons referring to a pile of stones.[8] The two surviving • Mayor (2020–2026) Michaël
towers of the city walls, the Tour des Pins and the Tour de la Babotte, Delafosse
were built later, around the year 1200. Montpellier came to
Area1 56.88 km2
prominence in the 12th century—as a trading centre, with trading
(21.96 sq mi)
links across the Mediterranean world, and a rich Jewish cultural life
• Urban 310.0 km2
that flourished within traditions of tolerance of Muslims, Jews and
(119.7 sq mi)
Cathars—and later of its Protestants. William VIII of Montpellier gave
• Metro 2,414 km2
freedom for all to teach medicine in Montpellier in 1180. The city's (932 sq mi)
faculties of law and medicine were established in 1220 by Cardinal
Conrad of Urach, legate of Pope Honorius III; the medicine faculty Population (Jan. 2019)[1] 295,542
has, over the centuries, been one of the major centres for the teaching • Rank 7th in France
of medicine in Europe. This era marked the high point of • Density 5,200/km2
Montpellier's prominence. The city became a possession of the Kings (13,000/sq mi)
of Aragon in 1204 by the marriage of Peter II of Aragon with Marie • Urban (2018[2]) 449,187
of Montpellier, who was given the city and its dependencies as part of • Urban density 1,400/km2
her dowry. (3,800/sq mi)
• Metro (2018[2]) 787,705
• Metro density 330/km2
(850/sq mi)
Montpellier gained a charter in 1204 when Peter and Marie confirmed Demonym(s) Montpelliérain
the city's traditional freedoms and granted the city the right to choose (masculine)
twelve governing consuls annually. Under the Kings of Aragon, Montpelliéraine
(feminine)
Montpellier became a very important city, a major economic centre
and the primary centre for the spice trade in the Kingdom of France. It Time zone UTC+01:00
was the second or third most important city of France at that time, (CET)
with some 40,000 inhabitants before the Black Death. Montpellier • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00
remained a possession of the crown of Aragon until it passed to James (CEST)
III of Majorca, who sold the city to the French king Philip VI in 1349, INSEE/Postal code 34172 (https://
to raise funds for his ongoing struggle with Peter IV of Aragon. In the www.insee.fr/fr/
14th century, Pope Urban VIII gave Montpellier a new monastery statistiques/14
05599?geo=C
dedicated to Saint Peter, noteworthy for the very unusual porch of its
OM-34172)
chapel, supported by two high, somewhat rocket-like towers. With its /34000, 34070,
importance steadily increasing, the city finally gained a bishop, who 34080, 34090
moved from Maguelone in 1536, and the huge monastery chapel
Elevation 7–121 m (23–
became a cathedral. In 1432, Jacques Cœur established himself in the 397 ft)
city and it became an important economic centre, until 1481 when (avg. 27 m or
Marseilles overshadowed it in this role. 89 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which
From the middle of the 14th century until the French Revolution
excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2
(1789), Montpellier was part of the province of Languedoc.
(0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river
estuaries.
After the
Reformation

At the time of the Reformation in the

16th century, many of the inhabitants of
Montpellier became Protestants (or
Huguenots as they were known in
France) and the city became a
stronghold of Protestant resistance to the Montpellier in the 16th century
Tour de la Babote. Catholic French crown. In 1622, King
Louis XIII besieged the city which
surrendered after a two-month siege (Siege of Montpellier), afterwards building
the Citadel of Montpellier to secure it. Louis XIV made Montpellier capital of Bas
Languedoc, and the town started to embellish itself, by building the Promenade du
Peyrou, the Esplanade and a large number of houses in the historic centre. After
the French Revolution, the city became the capital of the much smaller Hérault.

Modern history

Peyrou water tower During the 19th century the city thrived on
the wine culture that it was able to produce
due to the abundance of sun throughout the
year. The wine consumption in France allowed Montpellier's citizens to become
very wealthy until in the 1890s the phylloxera induced fungal disease had
spread amongst the vineyards and the people were no longer able to grow the
grapes needed for wine.[9] After this the city had grown because it welcomed
immigrants from Algeria and other parts of northern Africa after Algeria's
independence from France. In the 21st century Montpellier is between France's Rue Foch with its typical 19th-
number seventh and eighth largest city. The city had another influx in century architecture
population more recently, largely due to the student population, who make up
about one-third of Montpellier's population. The school of medicine kickstarted
the city's thriving university culture,[10] though many other universities have been well established there. The coastal
city also benefited in the past 40 years from major construction programs such as Antigone, Port Marianne and
Odysseum districts.
 Geography
The city is situated on hilly ground
10 km (6 mi) inland from the
Mediterranean coast, on the river Lez.
The name of the city, which was
originally Monspessulanus, is said to
have stood for mont pelé (the naked hill,
because the vegetation was poor), or le
Antigone, Montpellier mont de la colline (the mount of the
hill).

Montpellier is located 170 km (106 mi) from Marseille, 242 km (150 mi) from
Toulouse, and 748 km (465 mi) from Paris.
Montpellier seen from Spot satellite
Montpellier's highest point is the Place du Peyrou, at an altitude of 57 m
(187 ft). The city is built on two hills, Montpellier and Montpelliéret, thus some
of its streets have great differences of altitude. Some of its streets are also very narrow and old, which gives it a more
intimate feel.

Climate

Montpellier has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa), with cool, damp winters, and hot, rather dry summers. The
monthly mean ranges from 7.2 °C (45.0 °F) in January to 24.1 °C (75.4 °F) in July. Precipitation is around 630
millimetres (24.8 in), and is greatest in fall and winter, but not absent in summer, either. Extreme temperatures have
ranged from −17.8 °C (−0.04 °F) recorded on 5 February 1963 and up to 43.5 °C (110.3 °F) on 28 June 2019.
 Climate data for Montpellier (MPL), elevation: 1 m (3 ft), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1946–present

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

Record high 21.2 23.6 27.4 30.4 35.1 43.5 37.5 37.7 36.3 31.8 27.1 22.0 43.5
°C (°F) (70.2) (74.5) (81.3) (86.7) (95.2) (110.3) (99.5) (99.9) (97.3) (89.2) (80.8) (71.6) (110.3)

Average 12.0 13.1 16.4 18.7 22.6 26.9 29.5 29.3 25.2 20.7 15.7 12.5 20.2
high °C (°F) (53.6) (55.6) (61.5) (65.7) (72.7) (80.4) (85.1) (84.7) (77.4) (69.3) (60.3) (54.5) (68.4)

Daily mean 7.6 8.3 11.4 13.9 17.8 21.8 24.4 24.1 20.2 16.4 11.6 8.3 15.5
°C (°F) (45.7) (46.9) (52.5) (57.0) (64.0) (71.2) (75.9) (75.4) (68.4) (61.5) (52.9) (46.9) (59.9)

Average low 3.3 3.5 6.4 9.2 12.9 16.7 19.3 19.0 15.2 12.2 7.4 4.1 10.8
°C (°F) (37.9) (38.3) (43.5) (48.6) (55.2) (62.1) (66.7) (66.2) (59.4) (54.0) (45.3) (39.4) (51.4)

Record low −15.0 −17.8 −9.6 −1.7 0.6 5.4 8.4 8.2 3.8 −0.7 −5.0 −12.4 −17.8
°C (°F) (5.0) (0.0) (14.7) (28.9) (33.1) (41.7) (47.1) (46.8) (38.8) (30.7) (23.0) (9.7) (0.0)

Average
56.2 39.2 41.5 55.8 44.0 32.9 17.1 35.9 86.7 94.7 78.1 57.1 639.2
precipitation
(2.21) (1.54) (1.63) (2.20) (1.73) (1.30) (0.67) (1.41) (3.41) (3.73) (3.07) (2.25) (25.17)
mm (inches)

Average
precipitation
5.8 4.1 4.6 5.8 5.2 3.6 2.5 3.4 4.5 6.2 6.7 5.5 57.8
days
(≥ 1.0 mm)

Average
0.7 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 1.5
snowy days

Average
relative
75 73 68 68 70 66 63 66 72 77 75 76 71
humidity
(%)

Mean
monthly
145.6 170.1 218.8 228.6 271.4 315.7 344.8 305.1 246.6 175.5 145.7 137.4 2,705.2
sunshine
hours

Source 1: Meteo France (snow 1981–2010)[11]

Source 2: Infoclimat.fr (relative humidity 1961–1990)[12]

Neighborhoods
Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighborhoods,
themselves divided into sub-neighborhoods. Each of them possesses a
neighborhood council.

Montpellier-centre : historical centre (Écusson), Comédie, Gares,

Faubourg Boutonnet, Saint-Charles, Faubourg Saint-Jaume,
Peyrou, Les Arceaux, Figuerolles, Faubourg du Courreau,
Gambetta, Clémenceau, Méditerranée, boulevard de Strasbourg, Le
Triangle, Polygone, Antigone, Nouveau-Monde, Parc à Ballons, Les
Aubes, Les Beaux-Arts, Saint-Lazare. Celleneuve
Croix-d'Argent : avenue de Toulouse, Croix d'Argent, Mas Drevon,
Tastavin, Lemasson, Garosud, Mas de Bagnères, Mas Nouguier, les
Sabines, Lepic, Pas du Loup, Estanove, les Bouisses, Val-de-Crozes, Bagatelle.
Les Cévennes : Les Cévennes, Alco, Le Petit Bard, Pergola, Saint-Clément, Clémentville, Las Rebès,
La Chamberte, La Martelle, Montpellier-Village, Les Grisettes, Les Grèzes.
Mosson : La Mosson, Celleneuve, La Paillade, les Hauts-de-Massane, Le Grand-Mail, Les Tritons.
Hôpitaux-Facultés : Malbosc, Saint-Priest, Euromédecine, Zolad, Plan des 4 Seigneurs, Hôpitaux, IUT,
Père Soulas, Universités, Vert-Bois, Hauts de Boutonnet, Aiguelongue, Justice, Parc zoologique de
Lunaret, Agropolis.
 Port-Marianne : La Pompignane, Richter, Millénaire, Jacques Cœur,
Consuls de Mer, Grammont, Odysseum, Montaubérou, La
Méjanelle, Cambacérès.
Prés d'Arènes : Les Prés d'Arènes, Avenue de Palavas, La Rauze,
Tournezy, Saint-Martin, Les Aiguerelles, Pont-Trinquat, Cité Mion.

Population Port-Marianne

The whole metropolitan area had a population of 510,400 in 2006. And in a

study made by INSEE from 2007 to 2012 Montpellier saw the strongest population growth of France's main communes
(+1.1%), ahead of Paris and Lyon. In 2018, the estimated population of the metropolitan area was 787,705.[2] For most
of its history, and even today, Montpellier is known for its significant Spanish population, heritage and influence.
Montpellier also houses significant Occitan, Moroccan, Algerian, and Italian communities.

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a. Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1793 32,897 — 1901 75,950 +0.54%
1800 32,723 −0.08% 1906 77,114 +0.30%
1806 33,264 +0.27% 1911 80,230 +0.80%
1821 35,123 +0.36% 1921 81,548 +0.16%
1831 36,029 +0.26% 1926 82,819 +0.31%
1836 35,506 −0.29% 1931 86,924 +0.97%
1841 40,746 +2.79% 1936 90,787 +0.87%
1846 45,828 +2.38% 1946 93,102 +0.25%
1851 45,811 −0.01% 1954 97,501 +0.58%
1856 49,737 +1.66% 1962 118,864 +2.51%
1861 51,865 +0.84% 1968 161,910 +5.29%
1866 55,606 +1.40% 1975 191,354 +2.42%
1872 57,727 +0.63% 1982 197,231 +0.43%
1876 55,258 −1.09% 1990 207,996 +0.67%
1881 56,005 +0.27% 1999 225,392 +0.90%
1886 56,765 +0.27% 2007 253,712 +1.49%
1891 69,258 +4.06% 2012 268,456 +1.14%
1896 73,931 +1.31% 2017 285,121 +1.21%
Source: EHESS[13] and INSEE (1968-2017) [14]

Heraldry
The arms of Montpellier are blazoned:
Azure, a madonna proper, vested gules and azure, sitting on an antique throne Or, holding a Baby
Jesus proper vested azure, in chief the uncial letters A and M, and in base on an inescutcheon argent a
torteau (gules).

The virgin is "Notre Dame des Tables", named for the money changing tables at the
Basilica of Notre-Dame des Tables. The A and M are for "Ave Maria". The
inescutcheon is the arms of the Lords of Montpellier (Guilhem).

Sights
The main focus point of the city is the Place de la Comédie, with the Opéra Comédie built in 1888.
 The Musée Fabre.
In the historic centre, a significant number of hôtels particuliers (i.e.
mansions) can be found. The majority of the buildings of the historic
centre of Montpellier (called the Écusson because its shape is
roughly that of an escutcheon) have medieval roots and were
modified between the 16th and the 18th centuries. Some buildings,
along Rue Foch and the Place de la Comédie, were built in the 19th
century.
The Rue du Bras de Fer (Iron Arm Street) is very typical of the
medieval Montpellier. Place de la Comédie.
The mikve, ritual Jewish bath, dates back to the 12th century and is
one of very few old mikves preserved in Europe.
The Jardin des plantes de Montpellier—oldest botanical garden in
France, founded in 1593
The La Serre Amazonienne, a tropical rain forest greenhouse
The 14th-century Saint Pierre Cathedral
The Porte du Peyrou, a triumphal arch built at the end of the 17th
century, and the Place Royal du Peyrou built in the 17th century, are
the highest point of the Ecusson.
The Tour des Pins, the only remaining of 25 towers of the city
medieval walls, built around 1200. Porte du Peyrou.
The Tour de la Babotte, a medieval tower which was modified in the
18th century to house an observatory.
The Saint Clément Aqueduct, built in the 18th century.
The Antigone District has been designed by the postmodern
architect Ricardo Bofill from Catalonia, Spain
A number of châteaux (such as Château de Flaugergues, Château
de la Mogère or Château d'O), so-called follies, built during the 18th
century by wealthy merchants surround the city
Nearly 80 private mansions were built in the city center from the
17th to 19th century, and some of their interior courtyards are open Saint Clément Aqueduct.

Education

History

The University of Montpellier is one of the oldest in the world, founded in

1160, and having been granted a charter in 1220 by Cardinal Conrad von Urach
and confirmed by Pope Nicholas IV in a papal bull of 1289. It was suppressed
during the French Revolution but was re-established in 1896.
Saint Pierre Cathedral
It is not known exactly at what date the schools of literature were founded
which developed into the Montpellier faculty of arts; it may be that they were a
direct continuation of the Gallo-Roman schools. The school of law was
founded by Placentinus, a doctor from Bologna University, who came to
Montpellier in 1160, taught there during two different periods, and died there in
1192. With regard to the school of medicine, there were excellent physicians at
Montpellier. The statutes given in 1220 by Cardinal Conrad, legate of Honorius
III, which were completed in 1240 by Pierre de Conques, placed this school
under the direction of the Bishop of Maguelonne. Pope Nicholas IV issued a
Fabre Museum in Montpellier
Bull in 1289, combining all the schools into a university, which was placed
under the direction of the bishop, but which in fact enjoyed a large measure of
autonomy.
Theology was at first taught in the convents, in which St. Anthony of Padua, Raymond Lullus, and the Dominican
Bernard de la Treille lectured. Two letters of King John prove that a faculty of theology existed at Montpellier
independently of the convents, in January 1350. By a Bull of 17 December 1421, Martin V granted canonical
institution to this faculty and united it closely with the faculty of law. In the 16th century the faculty of theology
disappeared for a time, when Calvinism, in the reign of Henry II of France, held complete possession of the city. It
resumed its functions after Louis XIII had reestablished the royal power at Montpellier in 1622; but the rivalries of
Dominicans and Jesuits interfered seriously with the prosperity of the faculty, which disappeared at the Revolution. The
faculty numbered among its illustrious pupils of law Petrarch, who spent four years at Montpellier, and among its
lecturers Guillaume de Nogaret, chancellor to Philip the Fair, Guillaume de Grimoard, afterwards pope under the name
of Urban V, and Pedro de Luna, antipope as Benedict XIII. But after the 15th century this faculty fell into decay, as did
also the faculty of arts, although for a time, under Henry IV of France, the latter faculty had among its lecturers
Casaubon.

The Montpellier school of medicine owed its success to the ruling of the Guilhems, lords of the town, by which any
licensed physician might lecture there; there was no fixed limit to the number of teachers, lectures were multiplied, and
there was a great wealth of teaching. Rabelais took his medical degrees at Montpellier. It was in this school that the
biological theory of vitalism, elaborated by Barthez (1734–1806), had its origin. The French Revolution did not
interrupt the existence of the faculty of medicine.

The faculties of science and of letters were re-established in 1810; that of law in 1880. It was on the occasion of the
sixth centenary of the university, celebrated in 1889, that the Government of France announced its intention—which has
since been realized—of reorganizing the provincial universities in France.

Universities
University of Montpellier: sciences, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law, business, sports
Paul Valéry University: arts, languages and social sciences

University of Montpellier 1 and University of Montpellier 2 reunified in January 2015 to form the University of
Montpellier. Paul Valéry University Montpellier, remains a separate entity.[15]

Moreover, Montpellier was ranked 119th best student city in the world for 2013, according to QS Best Student Cities
2023 ranking.[16]

Grandes Ecoles

Science

E-Artsup
École Polytechnique Universitaire de Montpellier (Polytech)
National Superior Architecture School of Montpellier (ENSAM)
École nationale de l'aviation civile
ENSCM: chemistry
École pour l'informatique et les nouvelles technologies
Institut supérieur européen de formation par l'action École nationale de l'aviation civile.

Montpellier SupAgro: agronomy

SUPINFO International University: private institution of higher education in general Computer Science

Business

Montpellier Business School

SupExup Higher Education Institute

Transport
 Montpellier is served by railway, including TGV highspeed trains. Montpellier's
main railway station is Saint-Roch. Since 2018, there is also a station on the
high-speed railway linking Nîmes and Montpellier with the LGV Méditerranée,
called Montpellier-Sud de France.[17]

The Montpellier – Méditerranée

Airport is located in the area of
Fréjorgues, in the town of
Mauguio, southeast of
Line 1 of the tramway network, at the Montpellier.
Corum stop.
The Transports de
l'agglomération de Montpellier
(TaM) manages the city's public transportation, including its 56-kilometre
(35 mi) tramway network consisting of four lines and several parking
facilities.[18] Line 1 runs from Mosson in the west to Odysseum in the
east. Line 2 runs from Jacou in the northeast to St. Jean-de-Vedas in the
southwest. Line 3 and Line 4 opened in April 2012. Line 3, which is
22.4-kilometre (13.9 mi) long, links Juvignac and Perols with a branch to
Lattes and serves 32 stations. Line 4 circles the centre and serves as a
connector line between the various arms of tram system. They intersect at
Gare St. Roch station, Rives du Lez and Corum.
Montpellier tramway map
The TaM also manages the large bike sharing scheme Vélomagg', started
in June 2007, comprising 1200 bicycles and 50 stations.[19][20]

Sport
Montpellier was the finish of Stage 11 and the departure of Stage 12 in the 2007
Tour de France. It was also the finish of Stage 11 and the departure of Stage 12
in the 2016 edition. The city is home to a variety of professional sports teams:

Montpellier Hérault Rugby, of the Top 14 who play rugby union

formerly at the Stade Sabathé and now at the Altrad Stadium. In the
2010/2011 season, the team made it to the Top 14 Final against the
Stade Toulousain.
Montpellier HSC of Ligue 1 who play association football at the Stade de la Mosson
Stade de la Mosson. MHSC became French Champions on 20 May
2012.
Montpellier Red Devils who play rugby league in Elite 1 division at the Stade Sabathé[21]
Montpellier Agglomération Handball are a team handball club playing in the French National League.
Montpellier Hérault Sport Club Volley-Ball who play in the LNV Ligue A and have 8 National titles, last
in 2021-22 season.
Montpellier Vipers of France's Division 1 ice hockey Federation, play at the Patinoire de
l'Agglomération de Montpellier at Odysseum
Montpellier Water Polo play in the National League and European Cup competitions.
Barracudas de Montpellier is a baseball club, and competes in Division Élite, a French top level
baseball league.

Montpellier was one of the hosts of the FIBA EuroBasket 2015.

The city is home to the Open Sud de France tennis tournament since 2010, and will host the XXXI World Rhythmic
Gymnastics Championship.

The main athletics stadium is the Philippidès Stadium, which is owned by the University of Montpellier.
Culture
The city is a centre for cultural events as there are many students. Montpellier has two large concert venues: Le Zenith
Sud (7.000 seats) and L'Arena (14.000 seats). Le Corum cultural and conference centre contains three auditoriums.

The Festival de Radio France et Montpellier is a summer festival of opera and other music held in
Montpellier. The festival concentrates on classical music and jazz with about 150 events, including
opera, concerts, films, and talks. Most of these events are free and are held in the historic courtyards of
the city or in the modern concert halls of Le Corum near historical city center.
The annual Cinemed, the International Mediterranean Film Festival Montpellier, held in the fall, is the
second largest French film festival after the Cannes Film Festival. Held since 1979, it offers screenings
of over 200 long and short films, documentaries, animated films, trailers, and a special program of
student films.[22] Other events include panel discussions, exhibitions, and gatherings. Venues include
Le Corum and cinema halls.

International relations
Montpellier is twinned with:[23]

Barcelona, Spain since 1963

Bethlehem, Palestine, since 2012
Chengdu, China, since 1981
Fes, Morocco since 2003
Heidelberg, Germany, since 1961
Kos, Greece, since 1962
Louisville, United States, since 1955 Sign on the Esplanade Charles de
Obninsk, Russia, since 2017 Gaulle, showing Montpellier's sister
cities
Palermo, Italy, since 2016
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil since 2011
Sherbrooke, Canada, since 2006
Tiberias, Israel, since 1983
Tlemcen, Algeria, since 2009

Notable people
Montpellier was the birthplace of:

Abraham ben Isaac of Narbonne (c. 1110–1179), rabbi and author of the halakhic work Ha-Eshkol
Nicholas of Poland (c.1235-c.1316), Dominican healer
Saint Roch (1295–1327), pilgrim to Rome, venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church
Pierre Magnol (1638–1715), botanist, founder of the concept of plant families
Charles Bertheau (1660–1732), French pastor
Étienne-Hyacinthe de Ratte (1722–1805), mathematician and astronomer
Suzanne Verdier (1745–1813), writer
Cyrille Rigaud (1750–1824), poet
Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès (1753–1824), lawyer and statesman, author of the Code
Napoléon
Guillaume Mathieu, comte Dumas (1753–1837), military leader
Louis-Sébastien Lenormand (1757–1837), chemist, physicist, inventor and the first modern parachuting
pioneer in the world
Auguste Comte (1798–1857), a founder of the discipline of sociology
Antoine Jérôme Balard (1802–1876), chemist
 Émile Saisset (1814–1863), philosopher
Charles Bernard Renouvier (1815–1903), philosopher
Édouard Albert Roche (1820–1883), astronomer
Alfred Bruyas (1821–1876), art collector
Alexandre Cabanel (1823–1889), painter
Renaud de Vilbac (1829–1884), composer, organist
Frédéric Bazille (1841–1870), Impressionist painter
Eugène Baudouin (1842–1893), painter
Henri-Charles Puech (1902–1986), historian of religion
Léo Malet (1909–1996), crime novelist
Henri Carol (1910–1984), French composer and organist
Adèle Charvet (born 1993), operatic mezzo-soprano
Jeanne Demessieux (1921–1968), organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue
Monique de Bissy, member of the Resistance during World War II (1923–2009)
Juliette Gréco (1927-2020), singer and actress
Jean-Luc Dehaene (1940–2014), Prime-Minister of Belgium
Didier Auriol (born 1958), rally driver, 1994 World Rally Champion
Rémi Gaillard (born 1975), famous French prankster
Sophie Divry (born 1979), writer, winner of the 2014 Prix Wepler

Other famous inhabitants include:

François Rabelais (1493–1553), student at the University of Montpellier

Nostradamus (1503–1566), student at the University of Montpellier
Ioan Iacob Heraclid, ruler of Moldavia from 1561 to 1563
Pierre-Joseph Amoreux (1741–1824), zoologist
Jean-Louis Michel (1785–1865), fencing master, who lived in Montpellier from 1830 onwards
Agénor Azéma de Montgravier (1805–1863), deputy director of l'Ecole d'Artillerie de Montpellier, died in
Montpellier in 1863
Gaston Darboux (1842–1917), mathematician
Josias Braun-Blanquet (1884–1980), botanist
Jean Moulin (1899–1943), famous French resistant during WWII, studied and worked in Montpellier
Alexander Grothendieck (1928–2014), mathematician
Nikola Karabatić (born 1984), handball player
Paul Valéry (1871–1945), student at the University of Montpellier
Enver Hoxha (1908–1985), student at the University of Montpellier
Grégory Vignal (born 1981), Birmingham City F.C. full-back
Taha Hussein (1889–1973), student at the University of Montpellier
Michel Navratil (1908–2001), survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic
Guy Delisle (born 1966), Canadian-born cartoonist, animator and author[24]
Adamantios Korais (1748–1833), Greek humanist scholar and a major figure in the Greek
Enlightenment, studied at the University of Montpellier

Other locations named after Montpellier

"Montpellier" is used as the name of other towns and streets in as many as four continents.[25] Many places in England,
Scotland, Wales and Ireland carry the name Montpellier. Often they are in resort locations claiming some of the healthy
attributes for which the French city was renowned in earlier centuries. The variant spelling "Montpelier" is common,
and is of quite early provenance. Brewer uses that spelling. The first example was the early 19th-century suburb of
Montpelier in Brighton.[26]
The capital of the American state of Vermont was named Montpelier because of the high regard in which the Americans
held the French[27] who had aided their Revolutionary War against the British. Several other American cities are also
named Montpelier.

Places named Montpellier/Montpelier are also found in Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the Caribbean.

James Madison, the United States fourth president, named his plantation Montpelier (Orange, Virginia), after the resort-
like properties associated with the city at the time.

See also
Communes of the Hérault department
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montpellier

References

Citations
1. "Populations légales 2019" (https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/6005800?geo=COM-34172). The
National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2021.
2. Comparateur de territoire (https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/1405599?geo=AAV2020-012+UU2020-34
701+COM-34172), INSEE, retrieved 20 June 2022.
3. "CSA.fr - Êtes-vous [montpeulier], [montpélier] ou encore [montpéyé] ? / Langue française -
Prononciation de certains noms de villes / Les dossiers d'actualité / Etudes et publications / Accueil" (ht
tps://web.archive.org/web/20170417033902/http://www.csa.fr/Etudes-et-publications/Les-dossiers-d-act
ualite/Langue-francaise-Prononciation-de-certains-noms-de-villes/Etes-vous-montpeulier-montpelier-o
u-encore-montpeye). Archived from the original (http://www.csa.fr/Etudes-et-publications/Les-dossiers-d
-actualite/Langue-francaise-Prononciation-de-certains-noms-de-villes/Etes-vous-montpeulier-montpelie
r-ou-encore-montpeye) on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
4. Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-
0.
5. "Montpellier Tourist Information and Montpellier Tourism" (http://www.montpellier.world-guides.com/).
Montpellier Information and Tourism. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
6. "Itinerary of a walk in Montpellier" (https://www.voyageurssansfrontieres.com/france-en/itinerary-of-a-wa
lk-in-montpellier/). Travelers without borders. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
7. "Nomination de Montpellier aux "Leading Culture Destinations Awards 2017" " (https://www.montpellier.
fr/evenement/20512/3624-destination-culture-nomination-de-montpellier-aux-leading-culture-destinatio
ns-awards-2017-montpellier-vient-d-etre-officiellement-nominee-aux-leading-culture-destinations-awar
ds-2017-dans-la-categorie-best-emerging-culture-city-of-the-year-2017-.htm). www.montpellier.fr (in
French). Retrieved 31 October 2020.
8. Everett-Heath, John (13 September 2018). The Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names (https://book
s.google.com/books?id=iVRuDwAAQBAJ&q=%22mons+pislerius%22&pg=PT1172). Oxford University
Press. ISBN 9780192562432 – via Google Books.
9. "Montpellier History Facts and Timeline: Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France" (http://www.world-
guides.com/europe/france/languedoc-roussillon/montpellier/montpellier_history.html). world-
guides.com. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
10. Hoad, Phil (13 March 2017). "Montpellier in the spotlight: development mania in France's fastest-
growing city" (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/mar/13/montpellier-spotlight-development-mani
a-france-fastest-growing-city). The Guardian. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
11. "MONTPELLIER–AEROPORT (34)" (https://web.archive.org/web/20220523105147/https://donneespub
liques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_34154001.pdf) (PDF). Fiche Climatologique:
Statistiques 1991–2020 et records (in French). Meteo France. Archived from the original (https://donnee
spubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_34154001.pdf) (PDF) on 23 May 2022. Retrieved
14 July 2022.
12. "Normes et records 1961–1990: Montpellier-Frejorgues (34) – altitude 3m" (https://web.archive.org/web/
20160315075546/http://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie-07643-montpellier-frejorgues.html) (in French).
Infoclimat. Archived from the original (http://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie-07643-montpellier-frejorgues.
html) on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
13. Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Montpellier (http://cassini.e
hess.fr/fr/html/fiche.php?select_resultat=23741), EHESS. (in French)
14. Population en historique depuis 1968 (https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-34172#a
ncre-POP_T1), INSEE
15. Cougnenc, Rémy. "L'université de Montpellier à l'épreuve de la fusion – Journal La Marseillaise" (http://
www.lamarseillaise.fr/herault/education/34545-l-universite-de-montpellier-a-l-epreuve-de-la-fusion).
Lamarseillaise.fr. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
16. "QS Best Student Cities 2023" (https://www.topuniversities.com/city-rankings/2023).
topuniversities.com. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
17. "Railway Gazette: Southern LGV projects make progress" (http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/sing
le-view/view/southern-lgv-projects-make-progress.html). Railwaygazette.com. Retrieved 14 February
2011.
18. "Vivre > Transport > Tramway" (http://www.montpellier-agglo.com/vivre-transport/tramway) [Living >
Transport > Tramway]. Montpellier-agglo.com (in French). Retrieved 26 December 2014.
19. Midi Libre (http://www.midilibre.com/articles/2009/04/06/20090406-vide2-La-location-de-velos-ca-ne-ro
ule-qu-39-a-Montpellier.php5#) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20090613053745/http://www.midi
libre.com/articles/2009/04/06/20090406-vide2-La-location-de-velos-ca-ne-roule-qu-39-a-Montpellier.ph
p5) 13 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine (a major daily newspaper in the South of France): "In 2008,
76,000 stations, used 800,000 times, have been registered in Montpellier. A success, and little
vandalism compared to the Velib in Paris."
20. Tous à Vélo (http://www.tousavelo.com/Velo-Velo/0230_nbww6qqdocumentww2620.html) Archived (htt
ps://web.archive.org/web/20150912003658/http://www.tousavelo.com/Velo-Velo/0230_nbww6qqdocum
entww2620.html) 12 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine AFP 19 October 2007: "Paris, Orléans
and Montpellier receive the 'Bicycle Trophy 2007' for their achievement in Bike Sharing programs".
21. "Rugby League Montpellier XIII - LES DIABLES ROUGES" (https://web.archive.org/web/20081103054
057/http://www.rugby13montpellier.com/). Archived from the original (http://www.rugby13montpellier.co
m/) on 3 November 2008.
22. "Cinemed: Montpellier International Festival of Mediterranean Film – Montpellier Tourist Office" (http://w
ww.montpellier-france.com/Prepare-Book/What-s-on/Not-To-Miss-Events/Mediterranean-Film-Festival-
Cinemed). Montpellier-france.com. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
23. "Jumelages" (http://www.montpellier.fr/30-six-villes-jumelees-a-montpellier-un-jumelage-sur-4-continent
s.htm). montpellier.fr (in French). Montpellier. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
24. France3 and AFP (31 January 2015). "Le dessinateur montpelliérain Guy Delisle va passer du cocon
familial à la Tchétchénie" (http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/languedoc-roussillon/2015/01/31/le-dess
inateur-montpellierain-guy-delisle-va-passer-du-cocon-familial-la-tchetchenie-645069.html). France3.
Retrieved 14 May 2015.
25. "All the Montpelliers" (http://www.allthemontpelliers.org). 2005.
26. "Montpelier & Clifton Hill Conservation Area Character Statement" (http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/sit
es/brighton-hove.gov.uk/files/downloads/conservation/Character_Area_Montpelier_Clifton__Final.pdf)
(PDF). Brighton & Hove City Council (Design & Conservation Department). 20 October 2005. p. 1.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20140819082203/http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/sites/brighton-
hove.gov.uk/files/downloads/conservation/Character_Area_Montpelier_Clifton__Final.pdf) (PDF) from
the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
27. Swift, Esther Munroe (1977). Vermont Place Names: Footprints of History. Houghton Mifflin. pp. 451–
454. ISBN 0-8289-0291-7.

Sources
Lewis, Archibald (1971). The Guillems of Montpellier: A Sociological Appraisal.
Further reading
"Montpellier" (https://archive.org/stream/handbookfortrave1861john#page/468/mode/2up), A handbook
for travellers in France, London: John Murray, 1861, OL 24627024M (https://openlibrary.org/books/OL24
627024M)
"Montpellier" (https://archive.org/stream/southeasternfra00firgoog#page/n90/mode/2up). South-eastern
France (https://archive.org/details/southeasternfra00firgoog) (3rd ed.). Leipsic: Karl Baedeker. 1898.
"Montpellier" (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Montpellier).
Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 18 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 789.

External links
Official website (https://web.archive.org/web/20060620014817/http://us.montpellier.fr/)

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