PATT Leave - Destination Montpellier

In the planning stages of my PATT leave, the big decisions for me were where I would go and what I would do while away. Time to myself, reflection, and enjoying a break were the priority, but I could not imagine three months away with nothing to do. Originally, after our Christmas vacation last year (2024-2025) in Spain, I thought I would camp out in one of the old cities of Sevilla or Cordoba and learn Spanish. After visits to Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, and Cadiz I became quite enthralled with Spanish history, the people, and the culture. Although I loved Barcelona, I felt it would be too big and a bit expensive compared to other places in Spain; for the most part Spain is quite economical to visit and the weather would be quite reasonable but I was planning a lengthy stay. And I did have it in my head to use my PATT leave to start learning another language to keep the grey cells engaged and give me some structure. Yes, the Protestant work ethic and productivity angle was still top of mind but I also did not want to lapse into a complete sedentary pattern. Then my practical brain kicked in - if I am moving more permanently to Montréal, then learning French would be more useful to me. My attention then shifted to figuring out what the best French language school might be and the best options for location would be in France.

Location was the top priority for weather and economical considerations, and recommendations were for either the southeastern area of France or along the riviera and Provence. To this point I had only been in Paris and Normandy, so getting to spend time any other area of France was appealing - there is so much history and culture. And I thought the closer to the Mediterranean the less likely I would have to deal with snow and the less warm clothing I would have to pack. Next was selecting a suitable program for learning French in one of the areas close to the Mediterranean and there would be no shortage of options. Thus, my homework began with website searches and going through reviews to narrow the possibilities; my criteria was longevity/credibility of the school, flexibility of the program, good reviews (with a grain of salt), nature of communications, and cost. I was aiming for about 5 or 6 weeks of classes that fit with my schedule so knew this might take some negotiation. In the end, Accent Français became my selection because through email correspondence I found them to be warm, flexible (e.g., could start a week late it would have to do some homework to catch up with classmates), pretty economical, and in a city (Montpellier) just a few kilometers from the Mediterranean. Voilà! A slight adjustment to my travel itinerary and I would able to start classes from day #1. I was required to do a placement exam, even though I wanted to start at the basic level. The first question on the exam was to write a paragraph on my favourite holiday memory. 😳 I could not string enough words coherently to make a sentence, much less a paragraph. So I wrote “I cannot do this” and…into basic I went 😌

Now that Montpellier was settled as the destination the next quest was to find an AirBnB that was well-situated, comfortable, and fairly economical since my anticipated stay would be about 7 weeks. I also wanted to have a second bedroom in the event that friends from Canada could join me, which turned out to be a great call. I truly made a great selection in terms of location, a quaint little neighborhood just two blocks from the train station and Accent Français, and easy access to the old city centre. As I was to discover, the unit was dangerously close to a beautiful little boulangerie with the most delightful owner and staff…quite literally next door. I have gotten to practice my French on a regular basis with Ophélie, Alice, and Elsa over the past few weeks but also left with many croissants, baguettes, and other delicious treats. As for the AirBnB itself that was billed as “stunning” and “superb”, I have to say it has been one of the most disappointing rentals I have ever booked. The discrepancy from what was portrayed in the narrative and pictures on AirBnB to the reality of what I encountered was pretty dismal. The place has not not been kept in good order and it was pretty filthy - a review posted online just before I arrived had noted this and suggested a deep clean. That clearly was not done. Even the floor sweepers, wet and dry, were grossly dirty and there were dust bunnies under the furniture. There is very little storage, so the bathroom that is little bigger than what you find on an airliner doubles as a broom closet. Furthermore, one has to access the second bedroom through the main bedroom…and the door separating the two has a rather large window with no curtain and, therefore, no privacy. That is, until I requested one at the end of the first week and a fix was attempted at the end of week #4 on the eve of my first guest’s arrival - this was a bit of a fiasco as the ordered curtain was too short and the next option was something sheer. There was no organized linen exchange (there is only a small washing machine and no dryer in in the unit), so I had to chase after that and requested the linen to make my own bed. And there was no interim cleaning in the 7 weeks and no directions on what solutions to use where, so I did my best…and probably will leave things in a cleaner state than I found it. One may say these are “first world problems”, but in this case when one pays first world rates one should get what is paid for. 🤔

Montpellier is not one of the oldest cities in France, but it has a very rich history with one of the oldest universities in the world of which the faculty of medicine is the oldest still in operation (the first formal medical school was in Milan and I visited that museum in 2023). Petrarch and Nostradamus were both  alumni here, so that gives a sense of the time period Montpellier was developing. At one point it was a vassal state as part of the Crown of Aragon (same royal house of Catherine, first wife of Henry VIII) and there had been an extensive château fortification of which only a few walls and two towers remain. But the most beautiful part of Montpellier I absolutely fell in love with for early morning walks and, really, anytime for wandering about is the old city centre with its medieval alleyways that are punctuated with little plazas, gardens, and fountains. Scattered throughout is an abundance of bistros and terraces, little artisan shops and boulangeries…and many restaurants. Some of the original marble cobblestone paths remain intact and around each corner there is a different facade, church, or other hidden gem of architecture. 

The heart of Montpellier is Place Comédie, a huge central plaza anchored on one end by the Opera Comédie and stretches towards a fork in the pedestrian paths, one branch that rolls into the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle and Champs de Mars, and the other branch that forms a plaza to a large shopping mall, The Polygone.  Alongside the sides are a blend of old character buildings such as hotels, theaters, and residences with restaurants and retail at the ground level. Most days there is a lot of pedestrian traffic, more so on nice evenings and the weekends. As I learned early on, there are about 70,000 students in this city (a quarter of the population!), so there is always a concentration of younger people in the old city centre since there are a few student residences and lots of housing in the area. Thursday nights are favored for partying since many students head home for the weekend, so Place Comédie and the clubs make for a very lively time. But, in general, this main plaza with its wide open space, fountains, and great lighting at night is abuzz with all kinds of activities, buskers, markets, and even demonstrations. Often there is a significant police and security presence, including small squads of heavily armed military members patrolling the main areas. I did an online search to discover that Montpellier is ranked as the third safest city in France, so I can imagine the continuous presence of enforcement helps with maintenance of good order and low crime rates.

Running through Place Comédie are two of the four tram lines that make up the main mode of public transportation in Montpellier. All four of the lines converge just outside the central train station, Gare Saint-Roch and three of them branch out to a different corner of the city while one runs mainly around the periphery of the city centre. Some of the tram paths double as part of the cycle network or permit some limited vehicle traffic, but the trams have the right of way. The impressive frequency of trams means that the movement of people is quite efficient and it seems that the majority of people get around on the system proceeding to their final destination on foot. But there are also a large number of cyclists and people using e-scooters for mobility. The train system is also quite extensive and many daily commuters for work and school come in from the outlying towns using the regional train system. This is also handy for tourists who want to visit any of the local destinations like Nîmes, Sète, Avignon, or Carcassonne. Some of the faster TGV trains also come through Gare Saint-Roch or to the newer Gare Sud de France, so even express access to the larger centers like Lyon, Toulouse, and Marseille is pretty handy. But the main core of Montpellier is extremely walkable and I have racked up countless steps and kilometers on my early morning walks or just wandering about in the afternoons and evenings.

As I noted earlier, the neighborhood of the AirBnB is quite a delightful space and one that just feels safe. There are a variety of small eateries and convenience stores, many that specifically cater to a very diverse cultural mix. On the four blocks that make up the street I am on, the Rue de la Mediterranée (how apropos), there is a large presence of African and Arabic peoples and the street is a pedestrian thoroughfare of commuters going to the train in the morning and returning at night. And within a six block radius there are three main grocery stores and a few specialty food stores, so it is unnecessary to do a huge food shop - one can just get items as they are required. Oh, and barber shops…lots and lots of barbershops. On a couple of occasions, including the high holiday of Halloween, the area streets get closed down for festivities and markets - it conveys quite a neighborly feel, although as an outsider with no command of the French language it is hard to fit in. Still, there is a great vibe to the area, great amenities, and as with all areas in Montpellier it is kept incredibly clean. Early in the morning, around 5:00 a.m., both manual and mechanized street cleaners are out sweeping up the fallout of the day and night before. The trash and recycling crews are also out early and, it seems to me, the pick-ups are almost daily - I imagine this is to maintain low rat/scavenger activity and to contain odors. On my early morning walks, the presence of the cleaners added to my sense of security on the quiet streets.

And then there is the weather that has been pretty incredible. Aside from a few wet and windy days, the skies have been clear and, until the past week or so, it had been pretty warm. On the days following my arrival the cacti and other perennial shrubs were in bloom and the palm trees were pretty inviting. Even though it was >20C, some people were wearing puffy jackets and scarves…I, on the other hand, pretty much wore shorts for the first four weeks of my stay. And on very clear days, the skies were such a dazzling blue. When there are clouds, I have seen some very incredible formations with some of the most amazing colourations - so unlike what one sees on the Canadian prairies or on either of our home coasts. There has been some autumn colours here and leaf fall from the deciduous trees, but for the most part it has been subtropical greenery everywhere with no killing frost so far. However, the temperature has been unseasonably low this past week and France got a wintery blast last week with flurries that the locals say has been more like January and February weather. Such is the nature of climate change with extremes, as the local area had record high temperatures and major fires this past summer and now early winter.

I must say that Montpellier has turned out to be quite a delightful choice as a destination…well, except for the AirBnB. With the change in weather and the time of the year, the city is now segueing into the festive season as it adorns its streets and public areas with lights and ornaments. Last week was the festival of illumination so how fitting that the light show should continue. I believe this weekend will be the opening of the Christmas market. And Montpellier has a lot of cultural events, museums, and other attractions I have yet explored, so methinks I have to return. I would not hesitate to come back for another stay - maybe next year for my next level of French. 😌