French Cuisine
If you enjoy spending time in small shops and in your kitchen, you will find everything in the town centre while supporting the local economy. Here are some basics of French food:
Bread
There is no meal without bread in France. What you are looking for is a traditional bakery using a stone oven: “pain cuit au feu de bois”.
Boulangerie L’Authentique, traditional breads and baguettes, but also organic and wholegrain bread. 7, rue Faubourg-de-la-Saunerie - Open from Monday to Saturday, from 6:30am to 7:30pm.
Boulangerie Perdriel Jean-Claude 84 rue Faubourg Figuerolles - Open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 6am to 1pm and from 4pm to 8pm, and Sunday morning from 6am to noon.
Cheese
Quality cheese or AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlée) can be found in several Fromageries (cheese shops). Do not hesitate to ask and try before buying.
Fromagerie Puig, 23 rue St Guilhem - Open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 8:00am to 1:00pm and from 4:00pm to 7:00pm.
Local Products
The best way to try local products is to go to various producers’ shops in the town centre. Here is one address to try out:
Sentiers des Cévennes: wine, olive oil, jams and delicious chestnut preparations from the Cévennes in the north of Montpellier - 28 rue Paul-Brousse
Farmer Markets
There are many markets in Montpellier, but be cautious, some merely import food from Spain or Italy. Focus on farmer markets or marchés paysans where you will find local and often organic fruits and vegetables.
Marché Paysan des Arceaux - Boulevard des Arceaux (under the aqueduct) - Tuesday and Saturday morning, from 7am to 1pm.
Marché paysan d’Antigone - Avenue Samuel de Champlain, Antigone area- Sunday morning, from 7am to 1pm.
Groceries
There are lots of supermarkets in Montpellier, but, if you are looking for quality organic food there are health food stores where you can find everything from flour to wine.
Biocoop Germe de Vie: the cheapest and biggest one, out of town and accessible by tram - 10 route de Nimes - LE CRES - Open on Monday from 1pm to 7:30pm and from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 7:30pm.
In the city centre: La Remise - 53 Boulevard des Arceaux
Restaurants
If you want to taste French local food, here are restaurants for all tastes.
L'école buissonnière - An English-friendly restaurant and café where you can have wholesome breakfasts and healthy meals cooked with fresh products from the market.
The menu changes everyday. You can have the assiette de l'écolier or the plat du jour (today’s special) + the café gourmand (coffee and pastries) for €11.50
7 rue du puits du temple - Open from Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm - 06 22 36 36 77
Tripti Kulai – Vegetarian restaurant and tearoom. 20 rue Jacques Cœur
Open from Monday to Saturday, from noon to 9:30pm - 04 67 66 30 51
Au Bonheur des Tartes - A restaurant where you can eat healthy food from the farm and the daily market and drink local wines.
From Tuesday to Saturday, from 12am to 3pm: home made tarts and typical southwestern French products.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday Evening (until 10pm): Bistrot Toulousain and southwestern French cooking only.
4, Rue des Trésoriers de la Bourse - 04 67 02 77 38
Entertainment
Exhibitions
The main museum in Montpellier is the Musée Fabre. Located in the Esplanade, between Place de la Comédie and the Corum building, the 9,200 square metre space offers permanent and temporary collections from the 15th to the 21st centuries. Right in front of the museum, you can find the Pavillon Populaire, which offers all kinds of exhibitions – check before going, since there is no permanent collection to ensure all-year opening.
Our tip: the Museum entrance is free for Paul Valéry and art students
Musée Fabre - 39 boulevard Bonne Nouvelle - Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm, Wednesday from 1pm to 9 pm and Saturday from 11am to 6pm.
04 67 14 83 00
Pavillon Populaire - Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle - 04 67 66 13 46
The Opera
The Opera is situated at the heart of Montpellier on the Place de la Comédie. It offers a wide range of shows at different prices. Discount tickets can be purchased for people under 27 and unemployed people.
Opéra Comédie - 11 boulevard Victor Hugo – 04 67 60 19 99
Opéra Berlioz - Esplanade Charles de Gaulle – 04 67 61 67 61
Theatres
Théâtre des Treize Vents – Domaine de Grammont
04 67 99 25 25
Domaine d’O - 178 rue de la Carrièrasse
0 800 20 01 65
Kawa théâtre - 18 rue Fouques
04 67 58 15 45
Théâtre de la plume - 6 rue Guillaume Pellicier
04 67 58 73 78
Théâtre du hangar - 3 rue Nozeran
04 67 41 32 71
Théâtre Pierre Tabard lakanal - 17 rue Ferdinand Fabre
04 67 16 28 82
Movies
There are several movie theatres in Montpellier that offer a wide choice of French and foreign films. If you want to watch an art film in original version with French subtitles (VOST), Diagonal Capitole and Utopia Campus – near Paul Valéry University – are the reference in town. The Royal cinema and the Gaumont Comédie – right at the heart of town – will delight blockbuster amateurs. They show some movies in VOST. You can also go to the Gaumont Odysseum or the Mega CGR in Lattes.
Diagonal – 5 Rue de Verdun - 04 67 58 58 10 - www.cinediagonal.com
Utopia – 5 Avenue du Docteur Pezet - 04 67 52 32 00
Royal - 13 Rue Boussairolles - 04 67 92 71 59
Gaumont Comédie - 10, Place de la Comédie - 08 36 68 75 55
Mega CGR- ZAC des Commandeurs, 34970 Lattes – 08 92 68 85 88
Our tip: The Federico Fellini Library provides free movie projections every week, but you can also watch movies on individual TV sets or borrow them. For more information, call 04 99 06 27 47.
You can also rent movies at these English-friendly video stores:
Vidéo Club Las Rébès - 656 av Prof Louis Ravas - 04 67 63 22 07
Vidéo Star 34 - 8 av Bouisson Bertrand - 04 67 54 96 98
Vidéo Charlie Chaptal - 5 rue Raoux - 04 67 92 98 47
Concerts
Pre-sales available at music stores and supermarkets
Zenith - Domaine de Grammont avenue Albert Einstein - 04 67 64 50 00
Rockstore - The famous concert hall is also a pub and a nightclub. The red Cadillac hanged on the entrance will help you find it.
20 Rue de Verdun - 04 67 06 80 00
Corum - Esplanade Charles de Gaulle - 04 67 61 67 61
Libraries and Bookshops
Montpellier has a wide network of libraries, which offers low price subscriptions. Located in Antigone, the Emile Zola Library is the biggest library in Montpellier with more than 600,000 documents to borrow or consult there. It offers access to its 1,400 foreign newspaper database.
Our tip: To improve your French or learn a foreign language, you can check for free individual apprenticeship cabins. The sole condition is to subscribe to the library network.
Specialized in cinema, the Federico Fellini Library has important audio and video resources that can also be loaned or watched on the spot. Subscribers can find classical French movies or American blockbusters.
Our tip: If you do not know how libraries work, you can ask for a group visit. Private group projection can be also organized. For more information, call 04 99 06 27 47.
Subscriptions: full price: €10, reduced price: from €5 to €8, see conditions on www.montpellier-agglo.com/mediatheques
Le bookshop is an English/German bookshop/café in the city centre of Montpellier. You are invited to explore a large collection of books or enjoy a snack or a drink in the shade of its charming terrace.
Le Bookshop organizes English/French conversation exchanges on Friday from 5pm to 7pm, and an English/French book club once a month.
Emile Zola - 218 Bd. de l'Aéroport International - 04 67 34 87 00
Federico Fellini - Place Paul Bec - 04 99 06 27 47
Le Bookshop – 8 rue du Bras de Fer - 04 67 66 22 90 – Open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm, on Monday from 1pm to 7pm
Additional Tips
Pass’Culture: CROUS of Montpellier offers to all students under 30 a card to see various performances at low prices.
The Pass’ Culture card costs €9; with it you can buy movie tickets at €3.70 and show and concert tickets from 5 to €10.
You can buy the card in Pass ‘Culture kiosks:
CROUS kiosk - 2, rue Monteil - Tram stop Boutonnet.
UPV kiosk - Université Montpellier 3 – in front of the library.
Itinerant kiosk - It goes around every campus.
Other Pass cards
Pass Danse: if you are under 26 you can see 4 dance shows for €15 with this card.
Pass Théâtre: if you are under 30 you can see 4 shows for €15. You can purchase it at: Opéra Comédie hall, Sauramps bookshop, Théâtre de Grammont.
Tutti’Pass: if you are under 27, you can see 4 shows at the Opéra Comédie for €15. You can purchase it at the Opéra Comédie hall.
Pubs
O’Carolans
O’Carolans is one of the international bars of Montpellier. Employees are native English speakers. Located in the historical centre, it is a very friendly place. It broadcasts all major world sports events; “Darts Night and Student Pitcher Party” on Mondays.
5, rue du Petit Scel - 04 67 60 98 18 – Open every day from 1:30pm to 1am, week ends from 12:30pm to 1am
FitzPatrick’s Irish Pub
Fitzpatrick’s Irish Pub is a very popular and crowded bar. It broadcasts all major world sports events and frequently holds live traditional music concerts on Friday nights.
5, place St Côme - 04 67 60 58 30 – Open every day from 12pm to 1am
The Shakespeare Pub
It is a typical English pub. Employees are native English speakers. The atmosphere is very friendly.
Happy hour every night from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. It broadcasts all major world sports events; pub quiz every Tuesday at 9pm.
12, rue de la Petite Loge - 04 67 60 22 25 – Open every day from 5pm to 1am
Bars
Le Circus
It is a French lounge bar where Erasmus students hang out frequently. It has two pool tables, a wide selection of whiskey, beer and cocktails, and nice music and terrace.
3 rue Collot - 04 67 60 42 05 – Open every day from 6pm to 1am
Le Vert Anglais
Le Vert Anglais is a popular bar. They serve lunch every day from 12:00pm to 2:30pm, with happy hour every night from 9pm to 10pm, and Quiz Night on Thursdays from 9pm
3, place Castellane - 04 67 66 03 03 – Open from Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 1am, on Sunday from 10am to 11pm
Ayers Rock Australian Café
You can find a wide selection of cocktails and Australian beers. Happy hour every day from 6pm to 9pm. Foreign Students Night on Monday. Students Night (happy hour all night long), theme nights (Cow-boys & Indians, Beach Party, Disco…) once a month on Tuesdays, “Body and Soul” Night (House) every 2nd Sunday of the month.
108 rue de Rhodes - 04 67 65 54 76 – Open every day from 6pm to 1am
Le Point Zéro
This music bar organizes student parties. There are two floors, each with a different atmosphere.
4 Quai du Verdanson - 04 67 79 39 06
Manhattan Low Cost Café
A New-York style bar with very low prices. You can grab drink on the terrace from €1.50 or dance through the night with pints available for only €3.50. Mainstream and “electro-chic” atmosphere.
Esplanade de l'Europe - 04 67 13 28 28
Open every day from 5pm to 1am.
Clubs
It is a popular bar and its music varies from Electro to Disco. Girls’ Night on Tuesdays (free welcome drink), Students’ Night on Wednesdays (happy hour all night long).
4, rue Cauzit - 04 67 66 22 89 – Open from Tuesday to Saturday from 12am to 6am
Cargo
The Cargo is popular for its student parties with a dance floor and pool tables. Latin Night on Tuesdays (free salsa courses from 8pm to 10pm, Cuba Libre €3 all night long), Erasmus Night on Wednesdays.
5, rue Grand St Jean - 04 67 29 96 85 – Open from Tuesday to Thursday from 8pm to 2am (free entry), from Friday to Saturday from 8pm to 5am (free entry until midnight)
Panama
The Panama is a bar where you can party all night long and meet foreign people. Kitsch Nights from Monday to Saturday (Room 1), Latina Nights from Friday to Saturday (Room 2).
5, rue de la République - 06 12 24 02 99 – Open from Monday to Saturday from 8pm to 6am.
