A comprehensive guide to living in Montpellier

Getting there

Montpellier is easy to get to as it is served by two motorways (the A9 and the A709) plus it has a busy airport with direct flights to London and Paris. It also has lots of internal flights serving Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and many North African destinations. The nearby Nîmes airport has even more destinations. 

There are good train links to Paris (3h15), Lille 4h45, Brussels (5h08), Marseille (1h30), Lyon (1h35), Toulouse (2h10), Nice (4h10), and Barcelona (2h30).

Getting around town

Public transport in Montpellier is run by TaM, including buses and the famous designer-liveried tramlines. There are also public hire bicycles. The car parks just outside of town offer combined parking and tramway tickets to get you into the mainly pedestrianised centre. 

There is an easy route calculator on tam-voyages.com to show you which bus/tram to take and where to get off. It also has a real time parking space finder. If you plan on only exploring the historic centre you will probably find you can do it all on foot however.

Security

Montpellier is a pretty safe city, especially in the tourist centre. Some of the less privileged areas are less safe and as in all cities you might need to keep your wits about you after dark. The majority of crime is theft, burglary and pick-pocketing. There were 14,489 offences in 2024. 

Healthcare

Home to one of the oldest medical faculties still in operation today, Montpellier has some of the best healthcare in France. As well as the CHU (University Teaching Hospital) which is the 6th largest in France, it has a wealth of private clinics offering a comprehensive range of specialist care. 

The density of doctors in Hérault is 440 per 100,000 inhabitants, and this rises in Montpellier, which has 1,307 doctors for 287,000 inhabitants, putting it in the top ranking for density of doctors in France. 

Climate

Montpellier has an average of 148 sunny days per year, and only 60 days of rain. The average temperature is a balmy 15°C. August can bring thunderstorms, and despite a sea breeze can feel suffocatingly hot. 

The hottest ever temperature was 43.5°C recorded in June 2019, and the lowest ever was -17.8°C recorded in 1963. Average annual temperatures vary from 7.6°C (January) to 24.4°C (July). 

Property prices

Property prices vary substantially, according to the size and location of the property but remain cheaper than prices in Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux for example. 

For less than €100,000 you could buy a studio in the centre or a 2-bedroom flat further out. For around €150,000 you could buy a nice flat, possibly with a balcony, although you would have to juggle m2 against location.

Rental prices

A 2-bedroom flat (65m2) on the Place de la Comédie costs around €800 a month, although a very small studio could be half that price. Prices vary in the different neighbourhoods with the historic centre (L'Ecusson) the most expensive, followed by the nearby boho Beaux-Arts, and Port Marianne (quieter, with lots of modern builds). 

Antigone is quieter than the centre but not far away. North of the centre, Boutonnet is residential, and to the west Hôpitaux-Facultés, near the university campuses, is really quiet. Croix d'Argent is more affordable, and Près d'Arènes is up-and-coming. It really is worthwhile exploring the options.

Education

There is plenty of choice when it comes to education in Montpellier. The International School of Montpellier is a private school taking pupils from 3-14 and teaches in English and French. The Ecole Privée Internationale de Baillargues also teaches in English and French, taking pupils from 3-18. Fees range from around €8,000-17,500 per annum. 

The Antonia International School also offers bilingual teaching, and says it is perfectly adapted for gifted children from kindergarten to lycée. The Eridan International school takes pupils from 2-18. There are also several state schools with European and International sections, offering high-level bilingual education at affordable prices. More information here.

Population and demographics

The population in 1999 was 225,392 and this has increased steadily to 307,101 at the last census in 2022, and it is still growing. It is one of the fastest and most sustained growth rates in France, fuelled by good infrastructure, employment availability and reasonably priced housing as well as the attractive climate and relaxed lifestyle. 

Around a quarter of the population are students, many of whom eventually become permanent residents, and around 17% are estimated to be foreigners; much higher than the average rate of around 10%. 

Twin cities

Montpellier's twin cities include Barcelona, Heidelberg, Louisville (US) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).

Main industries and employment

Dell is headquartered in Montpellier, as is Vestas (the world's largest constructor of wind turbines), and Asics (Japanese sports equipment). Bausch & Lomb, Alstom, Sanofi, IBM also have premises in the city. Main industries include healthcare, IT, multimedia, biotechnologies, pharmacy, and medical research.

I love Montpellier because...

Mary Turiel moved from London to Montpellier in 1980 and is an independent financial advisor. "I love Montpellier being near the sea as well as the Cèvennes mountains, and it is not far from Spain or Italy either. I go to both countries often.

"The city is really buzzing, and full of students although the pace of life is laid back and much of it happens outdoors. I live in a village on the outskirts but by train I can be in the city centre in just 7 minutes.

"There is something to do every night of the week and it is all so easy and fun; cafés, opera, Baroque music, philosophy groups, casual dance classes, café-theatres, etc. I love golf too, and as well as Montpellier golf club, there are quite a few smaller ones around.

"The climate is wonderful, although it can get hot in the summer. But I keep Mediterranean hours. I wouldn't play golf at 15h for example. I go at 18h when it is cooler."