MEDICAL COLLEGE OF MONTPELLIER

Altough The Medical university of Montpellier was officially founded in 1220 A.C, it did not have buildings on its own, until early 14th century. Medical students used to attend their lectures in their master’s home, because there were no specefic place to study medicine. 

The former premises concecrated for lectures of the medical college was in “Rue de l’école de pharmacie”, consultations were made in Saint Firmin Church.

After the french revolution, the convention confiscated from the diocèce, the Saint Benoit et Saint Germain monastries located next to Saint Pierre Cathedral in Montpellier city center, and turned it into a faculty of medicine.

The facutly of medicine is at the same time a prestigeous facutly with international influence for its high teaching quality, and a tourist attraction for being the oldest Faculty of medicine in the occidental world.

ANTIGONE MONTPELLIER

Antigone is the modern part of Montpellier city center. It was Built between late 70’s to late 90’s , under the insctructions of the former mayor of Montpellier “George Frèche”  who was fan of Ancient Roman civilization.

Antigone is located in the southern part of Montpellier city. It was designed by the spanish architect “Ricardo Bofill” based on the ancient roman style, the same as the Peyrou walk and the Roman aquaduct of  the Arceaux, both located in the northern part.

The Olympic swimming pool and the biggest Montpellier’s library “Médiathèque Emile Zola” are located in the Antigone Area. The regional council of Languedoc Roussilon “Hotel de Région”  is the highest building of this area. 

There are two openings through the buildings which are on each end of Antigone, so that if you stand at the Regional council building you can see through the whole area, The Polygone shopping center that is at the other end of Antigone.

There are many offices and hotels in Antigone, accommodation is quite expensive, because of the good area situation: Not far from the comedy square, near the University of Economics, and served by three tramway lines.

Antigone has a long pedestrian area from the “Regional council” to “Polygone Shopping center”. While you walk along, you can notice around, many copies of ancient roman sculptures such as Venus of Arles and Zeus. 

A wonderful semi circular building is just opposite the Regional Council, facing a row of restaurant and bars on the Lez riverside.  That part of Antigone is called “Place de l’Europe”

 

LA GARRIGUE

La Garrigue (in occitan: Garriga) is a scrubland in low altitude, located in the Mediterranean region. The Garrigue is caraterized by soft-leaved plants communities growing  in calcareous plateaus, with some part where the vegetation is more dense, forming what is called “Maquis”.

You can find The Garrigue landscape, a few miles from Montpellier. Many part of Languedoc Roussillon and Provence Regions are covered by the Garrigues, because the seacoast is a perfect habitat for that kind of vegetation.

Many grape varieties grow in the Garrigue. Many wine producers in that region add the word Garrigue as part their label name.

LA CAMARGUE IN MONTPELLIER REGION

The Camargue is a french geographic region located in the south of France, near Arles, between the Mediterranean sea and the two arms of Rhône River Delta. It covers some parts of The French communes of Arles and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, which are the largest communes in the Metropolitan France. An expension of the Camargue lies on the neighboring Depatment of Gard, it is called The Petite Camargue (Little Camargue)

The Camargue covers an area of about 930 Square Kilometers, that makes it the West Europe’s largest river delta . The third of the Camargue region is lakes or marshland, its brine ponds provide one of the rare European habitats for The Flamingo.

The Camargue is famous for the Camargue bulls and Camargue horses. Its flora is adapted to cope with the saline conditions, so you can notice Sea lavender and tamarisks flourishing along.

The central part of the Camargue, which is located around “Etang the Vaccarès” Shoreline, has been protected as a regional park since 1927. Now it is incorporated into the “Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue” for its importance of being a haven for wild birds.

As it is a great economic actor in The Region, the Camargue was designated a “Ramsar Site” as a “Wetland of international importance” in 1986.  The Camargue is a perfect habitat for rice plantation, and sea salt production, as well as for many grape varieties such as “pinot gris” that gives “Vin des Sables” known as Pino Grigio, in many parts of the world.

Many parts of the Camargue are similar to African landscapes, which served as shooting sites for film producers who simulated african scenery in many footages of their movies, such as: “The Professional” in 1981, starring Jean Paul Belmondo.

Many Safari Tours are organized in the Camargue, by many local tour operators, including the Tourist Office of Montpellier.

THE VIADUCT OF MILLAU (LE VIADUC DE MILLAU)

The viaduct of Millau is a multi cable-stayed design bridge, located in the Languedoc Roussillon region, in the South of France near the city of Millau. The viaduct is linking the Causse Rouge to the Causse of the Larzac. 

Built with 205,000 tonnes of concrete and 35,000 tonnes of steel, The viaduct of Millau stands on 7 pillars, 270 meters over the river Tarn. The height of the summit of the pilons is 343 meters, that makes it the highest bridge in the world.

The viaduct of Millau was built in less than 3 years. It was inaugurated by the former President Jacques Chirac on the 14th of December 2004 and opened to traffic two days later.

Montpellier is 122 kilometers from the Viaduct of  Millau. The automobilists no longer need to take the bends over the mountain to reach Millau city. It is safer and faster to reach the city of Millau by the Viaduct.

The viaduct of Millau was the missed link on A75 motorway that links Paris to Perpignan and Clermont Ferrand to Béziers. Thanks to The Viaduct of Millau you can save around 30 minutes driving than the former itinerary that used to take you into Millau traffic jam.

LE PONT DU DIABLE SAINT GUILHEM DE DESERT

The real name of this bridge is “Pont du Gourg Nègre” (in occitan: Gurgite Nigro) (in English: Black Abyss) because of the abyss over which the bridge was built.

Many historians pretend that “Pont du Diable” was built before the “Abbey of Gellone” in the middle ages. Because a written agreement dates back to around 1025-1030 A.D, between two abbots was discovered. It mentionned the name of the bridge. The Abbot Pons of Aniane agreed with the Abbot Geoffroy of Gellone to built a bridge across the Hérault river, in order to open a road for pilgrims coming from Aniane, to Santiago de Campostella (Spain)

This bridge is called now “Pont du Diable” (in english: Devil’s Bridge)  like all the bridges in the same style all over Europe. It was said that this kind of architecture was realized by Devils help or by the Devil itself, because it was very hard to built bridges in this style at that time.

We can notice that the architecture style of “Pont du Diable” is the same as the one we can see in the Abbey of Gellone, that let us suppose that both of them were built by the same craftmen.

Pont du diable is also listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in conjunction with the Saint James’s way to Santiago de Compostella (Spain)

Nowadays, you can swim under the bridges, as you can practice canyoning along the Hérault river, passing under the “Pont du Diable”

You can rent canyoning equipement near  “Pont du diable” on the river side.

LA TOUR DE LA BABOTE

La Tour de la Babote (in english: La Babote tower) is a medieval watch tower that was a part of Montpellier enclosure. It is one of the two remaining watch tower amongst the 25 that used to ensure the security of Montpellier in the middle ages.

La tour de la Babote was built in the 12th century. The occitan word “babota”  means “ghost”, because it was said in the middle ages that this tower was haunted by ghosts;

In 1745, the french royal academy of sciences established an astronomy observatory on the tower.

In 1832, a telegraph antenna was set up on the top of La babote Tower.

During the 19th century, la Babote tower was home of the pigeon racing federation of Hérault.

From 1902 to 1922, the astronomers regain the tower to pactice their observations.

Since 1981, la Babote tower has been home for the french federation of popular astronomy.

There is also a restaurant at the bottom of the tower, called “Astrée” open 7 days a week from 9h30 a.m to 11h00 pm.

It serves french cuisine, in a romantic ambiance. You can also enjoy concerts and shows that are occasionaly organised there.

PONT DU GARD IS NEAR MONTPELLIER

The Pont du Gard (The Bridge of the Gard) is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge located in the Gard département of southern France. It is part of the Nîmes aqueduct that was built built by the Romans to carry water from a spring at Uzès to the Roman colony of Nemausus (Nîmes) that is situated 50 kilometers from the spring. The aqueduct was built mostly underground, but took a long, winding route that crossed the gorge of the Gardon, because the terrain between the two points was hilly. That required the construction of an aqueduct bridge.
The Pont du Gard was Built in the 1st century AD. It is the highest of all Roman aqueduct bridges and is the best preserved after the Aqueduct of Segovia (Spain). It was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1985 because of its historical importance.

The best way to get to the Pont du Gard From Montpellier is by car, please find below the link to the itenerary From Montpellier to Pont du gard:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=fr&tab=wl

Otherwise you can go by bus, but from Nîmes, because there are no buses from Montpellier to Pont du Gard.
First you need to take the train from Montpellier railway station to Nîmes, then from Nîme you need to take bus N°B21 going to “Pont Saint Esprit” from Nîmes bus station, and you should get at “Parking Pont Du Gard Stop”

Here is the timetable of the bus company “EDGAR”

Click to access LIGNE%20B21%202012.pdf

PIC SAINT LOUP MOUTAIN

 

Pic Saint loup is a mountain in Languedoc Roussillon region. It is located between the communes of Valfaunès and”Cazevieille in the department of Hérault.

The name came according to a medieval love legend of three brothers: Loup, Guiral and Clair. They loved the same girl Bertrade. They went in crusade without knowing which of them was chosen by her for mariage. Bertrade died while the three brothers were in the Holy Land. When they came back, they were desperate, then decided to live a life of a recluse.

Each brother chose three different peaks. Mount Saint Guiral is the mountain on which Guiral was living. Mount Saint Clair was his Brother’s living place Clair The peak on which Thieri Loup was living is is known now as Pic Saint Loup. It is 658 meter high Loup was the last brother who died. He used to light a candle on the 19th of March of his life, in memory of Their loved Bertrade, so did his brother. Pic Saint Loup is 20 kms from Montpellier.

The cliff is visible from most of Hérault villages and those located in the department of Gard. It looks like a peak thrown up to the sky. Pic Saint Loup is one of the most beautiful natural site in the garrigue. Many visitors go there for climbing and hiking. The zone between the Pic Saint Loup and The Hortus mountain that faces it in the north, is considered as a protected natural site. It is also a perfect habitat for birds of prey. So you can go there for birdwatching!

Aigues-Mortes (Gard – France)

Most of the tourists I met in Montpellier, do not know about “Aigues Mortes” Or may be they do not know that it is not far from Montpellier. I can tell you: “if you miss “Aigues Mortes” that will be very sad; because you will miss the only France’s mediterranean sea port in the middle age, and the original medieval architecture of its surrouding walls, as well as the famous “Fougasse of Aigues Morte” which is a flat brioche, that the recipe is only one local bakery’s family secret taught from a genereration to another!!

What is the English for “Aigues Mortes”?

Aigues Mortes is from occitan: Aigas Mortas, i.e “dead waters”

Where is “Aigues Mortes” Located?

It is located in the French Department of Gard, in the South of France. It is 30 kms from Montpellier by road, and 35 kms from NÎmes. Aigues Mortes is situated in a  zone known as “La petite Camargue” which is a wetland near the seaside. In that zone, there is an important quantity of sea salt, as a result of water evaporation. That is why, sea salt production is an integral part of Aigues Mortes local economy.

When was Aigues Mortes founded?

Aigues Mortes was founded in 102 BC by the roman general and stateman “Gaius Marius” But the first manuscript that mentionned a place called “Ayga Mortas” dates back to the 10th century AD.

In the 13th century, the king of France “Louis IX” known as (Saint Louis) rebuilt the port of Aigues Mortes, which was France’s only mediterranean port. It served as the embarkation point for the seventh and the eighth crusades.

What is the particularity of Aigues Mortes?

The main attraction in Aigues Mortes are the 1650-meter-city walls, that surround it. They were built under the reigns of Philippe III “the bold” then Philippe IV “the fair”. they were completed between 1289 and 1300. All the walls are original and well-preserved.

There is also the Constance tower, which was completed under Louis IX, in 1248. It is the only remaining part of his castle. That tower  seems to be a part of the enclosure, but it was built well before. The constance tower has six-meter-thick walls and a spiral staircase that leads to its diffrent levels.

There is a Tourist Office in Aigues Mortes, you can find out more on the website bellow

What is “Fougasse of Aigues Mortes”?

Fougasse d’Aigues Mortes is a light, flat brioche flavoured with a tiny bit of orange flower extract. I tasted it and I can tell you that I have never eaten such a delicious brioche.

The recipe is a local bakery family’s secret. Everybody knows that bakery, but none dares ask how to prepare it!

How to get to Aigues Mortes from Montpellier?

You can get to Aigues Mortes, either by bus or by car. Bus N°=106 of  “Hérault Transport” network, operates between Montpellier and Aigues Mortes, passing by Carnon, La Grande Motte and Le Grau du Roi. You can check the timetable on the website I gave you previously (Hérault Transport).

By car, you should follow Montpellier Airport road, then take direction La grande Motte and Le Grau du Roi. So there you are!

I am sure that next time you will not miss Aigues Mortes!

If you have any question, you can ask me. I will be pleased to check the answer for you.

I have chosen a short video for you, to give you an idea of Aigues Mortes