Montpellier walking route: Place de la Comédie to Old Town
Explore central Montpellier's architectural highlights on this walking route. Visit Place de la Comédie, the grand 18th-century square, then proceed through pedestrianized streets to Place Jean Jaurès, the historic Covered Market, and Peyrou Square featuring the 1691 Arc de Triomphe. The route concludes at the Cathedral of Montpellier and the Medieval Old Town.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Montpellier
- End
- Historic Old Town of Nîmes
- Stops
- 9
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Montpellier — One of the sunniest cities in France, a traditionally student city with grand avenues featuring Haussmannian architecture.
- Place de la Comédie — Main square with theater, described as one of the best places to start in Montpellier.
- Peyrou Square (Arc de Triomphe area) — Features a triumphal arch with Haussmannian architecture reminiscent of Paris, commemorating King Louis XIV.
- Place Jean Jaurès — Pedestrian-only square area with coffee and food options, a short walk away from the main square.
- Covered Market — Historic market institution in the heart of Montpellier dating back to 1858.
- Jardin des Plantes (Botanical Garden) — Oldest botanical garden in France, founded in 1593 by King Henry IV, belonging to the University of Montpellier.
- Cathedral of Montpellier — Fortified cathedral with southern facade in Gothic style, elevated to cathedral status in 1536. Served as defensive stronghold between 1561–1567 during religious wars.
- Nîmes — Known as Nemausus during Roman times, referred to as the greatest Roman city outside of Italy.
- Historic Old Town of Nîmes — Historic district with Roman ruins and 18th-century gardens in French style with fountains.
Useful for your trip
- Tip
- Place de la Comédie is one of the grandest and most beautiful squares to start your time in Montpellier. It's completely pedestrianized and a popular place for locals to hang out, have lunch, or sit at cafes.
- Food
- Visit the covered market dating back to 1858 in the heart of Montpellier for food options, though it's better for dining outside on sunny days.
- Tip
- Jardin des Plantes is the oldest botanical garden in France, founded in 1593 by King Henry IV. It's a gem with wildlife including frogs and red squirrels.
- Tip
- If the Cathedral of Montpellier front entrance looks closed, the real entrance is actually around the side.
- Tip
- Rue Lavier is a famous medieval street in the old quarter with shops selling postcards and restaurants being set up for evening dining.
- Save money
- Pont du Gard site is completely free to visit, though you do have to pay for parking. Book a guided tour if you want to go inside the monument.
- Timing
- Visit Pont du Gard and you may have the option to walk down to the river banks and cool off in the water, depending on the weather.
- Tip
- The amphitheater of Nîmes dates back to the first century and is one of the best preserved amphitheaters in the Roman world. Pick up tickets at the tourist office for access to main Roman monuments.
- Tip
- When visiting historic monuments in Nîmes, there's likely to be scaffolding up as these sites are constantly being renovated and repaired.
- Tip
- Climb to the top ring of the Nîmes amphitheater for fantastic views of both the amphitheater and the surrounding old town.
- Tip
- The Temple of Diana in Nîmes is free to visit as it's in poorer repair compared to other Roman monuments, but still features beautiful carvings and Corinthian columns.
- Tip
- Camargue is a marshy swampland area a short drive from Montpellier and Nîmes, and is one of the best places in Europe to see wild flamingos.
Video on this route
The French City Everyone's Moving To (But Nobody Visits)