Things to Do in Montpellier

A beloved icon of the city of Montpellier, the distinctive shape of Pic St-Loup is in view from just about everywhere within the Hérault department and makes for a nice day trip from the city. As a part of the lower end of Massif Central, the mountain’s micro-climate harbors unique flora and a thriving population of birds of prey.

Planet Ocean Montpellier is located in Montpellier, on the French Mediterranean coast. The second most visited tourist site in the Languedoc-Roussillon area is home to over 3500 animals of 400 species originating from all the seas and oceans around the globe. From the Mediterranean wonders to the depths of the Indian Ocean, from the South African splendors to the Atlantic Ocean and the Amazon—nothing is off limits at the Aquarium Mare Nostrum’s 33 basins.

More than just an aquarium, the museum features a sea storm and a 3D underwater exploration simulator –the only ones in Europe– as well as France’s largest covered basin in France, which is 10 meters high and 18 meters wide. The most sought-after species are, unsurprisingly, the African penguin, the coral reefs and the multicolored fishes of the southern seas.

The Montpellier Zoo (Zoo de Montpellier) covers 80 hectares (198 acres) just north of the city center. Opened in 1964, the zoo has the look and feel of a safari park with open enclosures where most of the wild animals roam free. With 120 species and 1,104 animals, the zoo covers a lot of ground, from zebra and lions to lizards and birds.

Housed within an old apothecary, this small two-room museum spotlights the pharmaceutical history of Montpellier, a city with a long-standing medical heritage. Exhibits include ceramic pots, barrels, mortars, and other vessels and tools—made mostly in Montpellier and used to make and store various medical remedies and antidotes.