Capital of the Languedoc region, and just six miles from the Mediterranean, Montpellier is a vibrant, energetic city where more than a quarter of the population are students.
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Passing through? Head for the pedestrianised square, Place de la Comédie, focal point of the city and hub for student gatherings. Lounge in an open-air cafe and watch street-performers against a backdrop of the Paris-style opera house and the busy market in the Promenade Charles de Gaulle.
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Staying a while? Visit historic Carcassonne. It has an impressive fortress, which was the subject of an ambitious restoration programme in the 19th century and packed with high explosives by the occupying German army during WWII.
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The inside track... Let the city's state-of-the-art tram network whisk you around town.
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