Third time's a charm in Montpellier

Place Royal du Peyrou in Montpellier contains a statue of Louis XIV on horseback,
a water tower, and the Saint-Clément Aqueduct.

We rarely travel during the summer. Avoiding crowds is something of a hobby for me. However, the prospect of spending a couple of days with my sister and brother-in-law in Montpellier inspires us to hit the tracks for a short summertime getaway.

This is my third trip (Ken's second) to this vibrant university city, the capital of the Hérault department. Our previous trips had been site-centric and this one all about the company, so I'm not determined to see as much as I can while I'm here. Instead, there's time for leisurely strolls, relaxing meals, and long, pleasurable conversations with some of my favorite folks. Even the train trip from Marmande affords me time to begin reading a good novel and to gaze out the window as we speed southward to the Mediterranean Sea.

Place de la Comédie in Montpellier was once known as Place de l'Oeuf
(Egg Square) for its oval shape.

We are grateful that Q has met us at the Gare de Montpellier-Sud-de-France — the train station that is on the outskirts of the city. Had we decided to walk, it would have been a sweaty hour trek on stark, uninspiring streets. Instead, he ushers us onto a bus that takes us to Place d'Europe, a 15-minute walk from our apartment near Couvent des Ursulines. Sandy meets us along the way and we have time to stop for a beer in Place de la Comédie, one of Europe's largest pedestrian zones.

Cacti stand inside a greenhouse in Montpellier's Jardin des Plantes.  

After dropping off our luggage and making sure our WiFi is working, we set off for Jardin des Plantes, the oldest botanical garden in France. It was created by Pierre Richer de Belleval in 1593 for the study of medicinal plants. Close by is the Faculty of Medicine building, the oldest medical school in the Western World. It is still operating today.

Those with a wish may write it on a piece of paper and deposit in
a nook of this 400-year-old tree in Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier.

In 1181, an edict was signed by Lord Guilhem VIII that allowed medical
professors, regardless of religion or origin, the right to teach in Montpellier.
Thus, the Faculty of Medicine was created in 1220.

Originally a monastery and church, Saint-Pierre Cathedral
was built at the direction of Pope Urban V, a former student
in Montpellier.  

Montpellier's terraces offer fine views of the city.  

After the usual negotiations about what we should have for dinner, we all agree on La Coquille, a restaurant that offers seafood and a delicious chilled chardonnay to cap off the day.

This shell-shaped corner is appropriately located at
Rue de la Coquille in Montpellier.

I get the chance to indulge my craving for salmon tartare in Montpellier.

The next morning, Ken and I are up early and we set out to see a bit more of Montpellier before meeting Sandy and Q for lunch. We're surprised by a rain shower, but we watch it quickly pass from the shelter of an outdoor café. Since we're technically on vacation, we feel fine about indulging in a pain au chocolat to accompany our espressos.

Montpellier's aqueduct was inspired by the Pont du Gard. It allowed
drinking water to be supplied to Montpellier from the town of Saint-Clément.

Ken stands on the steps of the tower that contained Montpellier's
water reserves from the Saint-Clément Aqueduct. 

Imitating the famous arch in Paris, Montpellier's
Arc de Triomphe was built in honor of Louis XIV.

The sunshine has dried up the puddles even before we reach Place Royale du Peyrou where we check out the aqueduct and admire the views. Most of the shops haven't opened by the time we pass by the Arc de Triomphe and walk the length of Rue Foch, Montpellier's main street. But we've worked up an appetite for lunch. One more good meal and precious time with ma sœur et mon beau frère, before heading to Gare Saint-Roch. Our five-hour trip will take us through Béziers, Narbonne, Carcassonne, and Toulouse. And just like that, we're home, our rare summer trip behind us.

The spires of Cathédrale Saint-Pierre can be seen above Montpellier's rooftops.

I, Cannes run

Guess where I am. 

This week marks one year since I became a runner. Fed up with le temps froid de l'hiver discouraging me from riding my bike, I eye the treadmill that had been gathering dust and reluctantly step on it. My twice-a-week three-mile walks turn into every-other-day jogs, and by the end of the summer I am up to five miles. Once I realize that six-and-a-half miles equals 10K, I strive for that milestone and pat myself on the back when I reach it. When my sister suggests that I join her in Cannes in February for a 10K race, I say pourquoi pas!

We're still standing and even smiling after the race.

My running shoes haven't seen pavement much less wet pavement dotted with merde de chien, and the skies are threatening rain, but I bravely take my place near the back of the pack. The Cannes Mandelieu racecourse is blissfully flat. We start off in one direction, turn around and run back to the starting line. Then we run in the opposite direction and back. If there had been a third leg, I would have quit, but I persevere.

About two-thirds of the way through, my sister sprints ahead while I slow down and peruse my iPod for inspirational tunes. Eventually, the half-marathon "showoffs" pass me in the outbound lanes, and I step up the pace so I can finish before they catch up on their return. Just as the driver of the lead car tells us stragglers to rester à gauche (stay to the left), the finish line comes into view. My sister is there, camera phone in hand, to snap a very unflattering picture (which you will not see here). My time of 75 minutes is a solid 15 minutes ahead of my best treadmill time, so all in all, je suis satisfait.

The view of Cannes from le Suquet (old town) is pas mal.

Narrow homes line the road up to le Suquet in Cannes.

Amusing murals cover this building in Cannes.

Cannes is known for its handprints of movie stars. 

Colorful toy boats stand by for action along the esplanade in Cannes.

Our 24 hours in Cannes is the first time I've visited this city that is described in nearly all the travel guides as "a playground of the rich and famous" and "the place to see and be seen." Despite the lack of sunshine and celebrities, we enjoy a few hours after brunch exploring the city before our train departs for Montpellier.

Montpellier's Porte du Peyrou is informally called the Arc de Triomphe.

The Montpellier night sky is clear enough to see the moon rise above the steeple of Sainte Anne's and the city's Arc de Triomphe looks fine with its lights on. We also pass the new Popeyes on Place de la Comédie — an inexplicably popular new American addition to Montpellier's restaurant scene. A sign in the window borrows the France motto — liberté, égalité, fraternité — to hawk their chicken.

Montpellier's Carré Sainte-Anne is a Gothic church-turned-art-exhibition space.

I never ate at Popeyes in the States, and I have
no desire to try its chicken in Montpellier
(but I am amused by the center sign). 

Here are lessons from ma petite aventure: 

• There are many better places than Cannes to visit on the French Riviera, unless of course you want "to see and be seen." 
• Once blown inside out, a cheap travel umbrella is likely at the end of its usefulness.
• When training for one's first and possibly only 10K, focus on endurance rather than speed. 
• I need to figure out how to make a play list on my iPod.
• Although I wish restaurants here would open earlier than 7:30, sushi take-out til 10 has its charms.
• My sister is my favorite travel buddy. (Oh, but I already knew that!) 

Winter break 2014: Our last stop in amazing Montpellier

After nearly two years of residing in France, I feel as if Ken and I have seen only a tiny part of this amazing country. And we haven't even dipped our toe into the rest of Europe: Avoir de la patience! Last month, however, we visited the South of France, taking the opportunity to spend time with my sister and brother-in-law who were taking a break from New England's winter weather.

After a great week with amazing (finally!) weather, we head home, with a stop in what quickly becomes one my favorite French cities: Montpellier. With around 75,000 university students, this city is brimming with youthful energy. We park outside the city in a huge, empty garage (it's Sunday, but I assume it's full on weekdays) and take the tram to Place de la Comédie, a site that is brimming with amateurs de café and amuseurs publics. We take advantage of student-priced kebabs and fries near Gare Saint-Roch. Thankfully, I will be able to walk off some calories on our promenade.

The Neoclassical 19th century Opéra Comédie   

Place de la Comédie is one of the largest pedestrian areas in Europe.

Eating lunch along rue
de Maguelone

The Hôtel Saint-Côme mansion
was built to be an amphithéâtre
for the surgery school.

I am totally enchanted with a building at Place Saint-Roch, adorned with murals including a "reflection" of the church across the plaza and the house's whimsical residents. Look carefully at the next four photographs:

Église Saint-Roch is named for Montpellier's patron saint.

After we admire Montpellier's Arc de Triomphe, we discover Place Royale du Peyrou spread out in front of us. A statue of Louis XIV à cheval sits in the center, and the Château d'Eau, the Corinthian temple which held the city's water supply, overlooks the Aqueduc Saint-Clement (les Arceaux), built in 1754 to bring drinking water to Montpellier from the springs of Saint-Clément. The view from this summit is amazing.

Montpellier's Arc de Triomphe is a copy of that
more famous (and snootier, we hear) monument
in Paris.

 

This mascaron may have the best view in town from the Château d'Eau.

Since we still have a sizable drive ahead of us, we take just a quick peak at the oldest botanical garden in France, which sports the unimaginative name, Jardin des Plantes. Une telle honte! Still so much to see, but I'm sure we'll be coming back to Montpellier again some day.

Jardin des Plantes