Passing through Occitania, you wish visit Montpellier in 1 day ? Here is an idea of tourist circuit to be done on foot to discover the emblematic monuments of the city of Montpellier.
The itinerary that I suggest to you below can be done quickly in 1 half-day or more calmly in 1 day and in all seasons. Indeed, its climate is mild in winters, perfect in the mid-season and hot in summer.
Personally, I discovered Montpellier on January 2nd in a dry cold but under a bright sun!

Tourism in Montpellier
Modern Montpellier, built by the greatest architects in the world, has made a place for itself next to old Montpellier and its heritage which tells 1000 years of history.
The centers of tourist interest of Montpellier are therefore important: magnificent courtyards of former private mansions, pretty medieval streets, splendid monuments such as the oldest medical university in the Western world but also green spaces, ponds, aquarium ...
And if Montpellier remains a small city despite everything, given the many sites to visit, it is preferable to get organized and plan two optimized routes so as not to waste time.
And if you want to take a short tour from Montpellier, here is my road trip from Montpellier to Perpignan.
How to visit Montpellier in 1 day?
Montpellier is ideal for sightseeing on foot. Indeed, it is a pedestrian destination par excellence because cars do not circulate in the heart of Montpellier!
You therefore have the choice to visit Montpellier:
- on foot with my 2 routes below,
- by bike,
- en private tour with a guide,
- or, more original, by segway.
Mon tourist circuit that you can do in the morning allows you to visit the essential sites of Montpellier.
Visit Montpellier in 1 day - Morning program
Here are the stages of my morning sightseeing tour which is done on foot:
- Babote Tower
- Place de la Comédie and its opera house
- Ecusson district
- Place de la Canourgue
- St. Peter's Cathedral
- Medical School
- Arceaux Aqueduct
- Peyrou promenade
- Arc de Triomphe
- Rue du Palais des Guilhems
Morning circuit - Route map
Mon morning circuit is done on foot at a very cool pace. Indeed, my route is only 3 kilometers of walking.
Click on "More options" in the map to follow the GPS
Montpellier in 1 day - Tour de la Barbote
To start my tour, you will have to go to the Tour de la Barbote. I advise you to leave your car at Parking Saint Roch which is located 400 meters from the Tower.
This tower dates from the 12th century and was part of the fortifications that surrounded the city of Montpellier. This will be our entry point into the old town.
By taking Boulevard Victor Hugo, you will arrive in 3 minutes on the emblematic place of Montpellier: the Comedy Square.
Montpellier in 1 day - Place de la Comédie
Formerly called Place de l'Oeuf because of its oval shape, Place de la Comédie is one of the largest urban pedestrian areas in Europe. Dominated by the Opéra de la Comédie, this square is home to Les 3 Grâces. It is a magnificent fountain with a statue that dates from 1773.

Montpellier in 1 day - L'Ecusson
Delimited by the boulevards which surround it, the Ecusson represents the historic district of Montpellier. The Place de la Comédie but also its elegant residences, the shaded promenade of the Esplanade, its pretty pools, the pink granite of the Corum, makeBadge of the most beautiful place in Montpellier !
Montpellier in 1 day - Place de la Canourgue
On your way to the Cathedral, you will pass through the Place de la Canourgue. It is a very pretty place with a lot of greenery and where it is good to relax on a bench or to have a drink on the terrace of a cafe.
All around his garden and the Unicorn fountain, there are beautiful old mansions:
- theRicher de Belleval hotel which is now a luxury hotel with a gourmet restaurant,
- theCambaceres hotel,
- and Sarret hotel that we call the "house of the Shell".
Montpellier in 1 day - Saint Pierre Cathedral
Imposing with its massive facade, this Gothic-style Cathedral is the only church in Montpellier that was not destroyed during the Wars of Religion.

You can visit this Cathedral freely but if you prefer guided tours, La Cathedral Tourism Ministry organizes free guided tours during the summer period (information on 04 67 66 04 12).
Visit Montpellier on foot - Faculty of Medicine
The Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier was the 1st in Europe and the most important in France. It welcomed Rabelais in 1530. This faculty occupies a former Benedictine monastery from the 14th century but was completely remodeled in 1795. It is an extension of the Cathedral.
Visit Montpellier on foot - Place du Peyrou
It is a large royal square with a two-storey promenade terrace. Created in 2 to house a monumental statue of Louis XIV, the Place du Peyrou also stands out for its majestic Water Tower and the St-Clément aqueduct (Arceaux Aqueduct).

Visit Montpellier on foot - Arceaux aqueduct
The 18th century Saint-Clément aqueduct (or Arceaux aqueduct) was built to supply Montpellier with water. It connects the Saint-Clément source to Water tower (see below) of the Peyrou promenade over 14 kilometers.

Visit Montpellier on foot - Hôtel de Guidais
The Hôtel de Guidais is a typical example of the private mansions of the Montpellier heritage. Classified as an historic monument, it was built in the 18th century by Isaac Guidais (architect) for his own use. The mansion and its gardens can be visited all year round by appointment: 09 50 44 12 01.
Visit Montpellier on foot - Arc de Triomphe
The Porte du Peyrou is decorated with bas-reliefs exalting the victories of Louis XIV and thus forms an Arc de triomphe.

Visit Montpellier on foot - Rue du Palais des Guilhem
By taking the rue Foch (Haussmannian facades and chic boutiques), you will turn on your left to take the Rue du Palais-des-Guilhem.
You can admire beautiful mansions there and discover theold jewish quarter from Montpellier.
Visit Montpellier in 1 day - Afternoon program
For this afternoon, I invite you to discover the modern part of Montpellier which was designed by great architects who have admirably shaped these new areas of the city.
Here are the sites that you can discover by following my afternoon tour in Montpellier:
- The Château de Flaugergues
- Garden plants
- The Fabre Museum
- Antigone space
- The Jacques Coeur Basin
- The White Tree
- Planet Ocean Aquarium
Afternoon circuit - Route map
Click on "More options" in the map to follow the GPS
For this afternoon tour, I recommend that you take public transport or rent bikes because the distances are further between the sites to visit ...
The Château de Flaugergues
It was in 1696 that Etienne de Flaugergues, adviser to the Court of Auditors of Montpellier, acquired this splendid castle of Flaugergues with the appearance of an Italian villa. It is surrounded by magnificent gardens (classified and labeled "Remarkable Garden") and by a vineyard which has always belonged to the same family for 10 generations.
You can book a visit (discovery of the Château, of the Château's wines + gardens): Castle Flaugergues
Garden plants
This Jardin des Plantes is the oldest botanical garden in France. Created in 1593, it is an integral part of the heritage of the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier. Equipped with temperate and tropical greenhouses, there are many Mediterranean species (hackberry, holm oaks, filaria).
The Fabre Museum
This Art Museum was created in 1825 thanks to donations from the painter from Montpellier Francois-Xavier Fabre. The collections were expanded with later donations from other patrons and artists such as Bazille ou Soulages. One can admire there works which are presented chronologically from the Renaissance to the present day.
Antigone
You can access the new Antigone district through the shopping center The Polygon. This modern district was created in the 90s to link the center to the banks of the Lez where the new faculties and the regional hotel are located.
The Jacques Coeur Basin
In the heart of the Port Marianne district, take a short trip to the Jacques Coeur basin (water jet thirty meters high). A promenade lined with palm trees is arranged there with good little restaurants and bars ...
The White Tree
What a surprise, this building is simply amazing. Several renowned architects (the Japanese Sou Fujimoto, the French Nicolas Laisné and Manal Rachdi) have created a real monument!
I recommend you go up to the top because there is a restaurant and a bar perched on the 17th floor ! Thus, you can enjoy a 360 ° panorama on Montpellier, the Mediterranean and in the distance on the Pic St Loup.
See the video : The White Tree voted the most beautiful building in the world !
L'aquarium
Personally, I haven't visited it but I know it's worth it. Indeed, the Planet Ocean Montpellier aquarium is a complex which brings together an aquarium and a very interesting planetarium. It is located in the Odysseum area.
Apartment rental in Montpellier
A rental in Montpellier? I recommend the Privilege Hotel Eurociel Center Comédie. Indeed, this establishment offers fully equipped apartments just 350 meters from Place de la Comédie.
With its excellent value for money, it is a good plan for a tourist stay in the heart of Montpellier.
Recommended apartment in Montpellier
If you have to choose accommodation on your own, be sure to choose a safe neighborhood… See the neighborhoods to avoid in Montpellier
Hotel in Montpellier
Barely more expensive than an Airbnb, treat yourself to a hotel 4 stars with swimming pool located 4 minutes from Place de la Comédie: theHôtel Oceania Le Métropole.
Recommended hotel in Montpellier
You like it South of France ?
So here is my weekend around Carcassonne
mon romantic getaway in Collioure
un good weekend plan in Marseille
or a stay on the most beautiful beaches of the Hyères islands
Dank je wel voor de geweldige route. We hebben alleen from ochtendtour gedaan. Dankzij de toelichting bij de route waren we op de hoogte van de plaatsen die we bezochten. Heerlijk gegeten bij Cafe Bietnik. Echt een aanrader. Aansluitend nog de botanische tuin Jardin des Plantes de Montpelier bezocht vlak bij de Kathedraal Saint Pierre. Kortom een top dag.
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Thank you so much for your advice Montpellier in 1 day. I followed almost everything and everything was very good!
Thank you for your comment, it's nice to have feedback.