US paper just loves Montpellier

MONTPELLIER has been named one of the world's top places to visit in an article in the New York Times which goes on to show the best way to spend 36 hours in Languedoc-Roussillon's capital.

The newspaper highlights what it calls "Europe’s sexiest tram system" with the existing two lines being joined by two more featuring designs by Christian Lacroix - and tells readers: "Think of it as France’s longest fashion runway".

It also celebrates the architecture of Jean Nouvel in the blue cube-like city hall and the RBC Design Centre, which opens next year - and Zaha Hadid's Pierres Vives municipal archive which opens before the end of this year.

However, it bemoans that lack of decent places for a Sunday lunch "when nearly all of the worthy restaurants are shuttered".

Top of the NYT's 45 places to go in the world is Panama, followed by Helsinki, Myanmar and London. Montpellier is No40.
Graphic - screengrab from New York Times