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Montpellier
The Loire Valley
Montpellier, located in the south of
France, is a city full of charm where
medieval and modern go hand in
hand. Founded in the 8 th -century, it is
the eighth most populated city in France
with around 300,000 inhabitants.
Famous for its Faculty of Medicine,
one of the oldest in the world founded
in 1220; the classrooms boast famous
figures such as Nostradamus, Ramon
Llull, Guillaume Rondelet and Arnau de
Vilanova.
Culturally the city is incredibly vibrant
with an open-air museum, urban art
such as the incredible “trumpe l”oeil”
bringing life to plain walls in the city
and confusing the eye since the 1990s
thanks to the talents of artists such as
Zevs and Space Invader.
Montpelier is a typical French romantic
city which has not lost its charm despite
rapid growth in recent times. A great
place to relax is the Place de la Comédie,
a large pedestrianised square (although
it is nicknamed “the egg” due to its oval
shape). It has played an important
role in the life of the city for over 250
years. Here you can sit and take a
coffee, eat at one of the restaurants
or shop in the trendy boutiques. A
popular meeting place surrounded
by 19 th -Century architecture including
the Opera Comedie, a majestic 19th
Century opera house with an elegant
facade, columns and arched windows.
The centre of the square features an
impressive fountain depicting the Greek
mythological Charites, the statue of
Zeus´s three daughters.
Visit the famous Castles of the Loire
Valley, commonly referred to as
“the garden of France”. Recently
declared a World Heritage Site the
Loire Valley is home to more than fifty
Renaissance castles such as Chambord,
Chenonceaux and Usse.
A great way to explore the whole area
is by bicycle. Cycle through the Loire
Valley starting at Orleans and wind up in
Angers, a total 800 kilometre bike ride
is available for the more adventurous.
Discover this part of France with its
picturesque villages, journey through
leafy forests along designated cycle
routes making new friends along the
way.
There are several shorter routes or travel
itineraries involving train hopping or
transfer companies to assist along the
way to break up the journey for those
less energetic although the cycles routes
are perfectly ideal for families as the
area is reasonably flat and well paved
with designated rest stops along the
route for refreshments.
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