Montpellier: a thousand years of youth
Montpellier is a city that had to catch up. And what to do – after all, around the city, towns and villages, which – all! – two thousand years old, and even with the tail. And Montpellier (by the standards of Languedoc-Roussillon) built more recently: this Yuntsu is just a thousand years old! And among the cities, even then with their own antiquity, a new neighbor appeared.
The neighbor was of the young, and early. Montpellier began to crash with amazing energy – he was quickly built and rich, he stretched to knowledge, he encouraged science and art. And as a result, he went around his more ancient competitors – now Montpellier with his population, which is already approaching half a million people, the eighth largest city of France, became the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon region.
Old Montpellier Center Polon Treasure Middle Ages and Renaissance Epoch. The magnificent, mighty Cathedral of St. Peter, built in the 14th century, adjacent to the ritual basin of the ancient synagogue of the 12th century; Square Comedy with a fountain of three graces in the center; Twenty-five medieval towers, among which the most, perhaps, beautiful – Baby Tower. And the oldest in the Western world of Medical University, in which Francois Rabel studied and in which students continue to learn today. And the oldest Botanical Garden in Europe, embedded in 1593 at the request of Henry IY – almost half a thousand years in a row here are grown medicinal plants (to help students of the university). And one day one of the directors of this botanical garden, someone Monsieur Magnol, lent his name almost the most fragrant and luxurious from all trees in the world – Magnolia.And another city decorates many palaces, which as mushrooms crossed in Montpellier in the eighteenth century – luxurious, frightened, magnificent. And, it is important – admire all this can be completely without interference: almost the entire historic center of Montpellier is given to the deposit of pedestrians, so there is no need to dodge from cars or bored waiting for a green traffic signal. Well, 120 kilometers of cycling tracks will help to drive away not only the whole city, but also get to its nearest surroundings.
From the city center to the beach – ten minutes, no more. Just you were in the Middle Ages – and now you are on the white sand, and the gentle Mediterranean Sea is noise. And all the seaside entertainment – here they are, all here, for every taste: someone will like the balneological center, and the other, on the contrary, is more attracted by the casino.
If you need a land from Italy to get to Spain – you do not avail Montpellier, it lies just halfway. From here to Barcelona – 345 kilometers, 300 kilometers separate this city from Lyon; Marseille and Perpignan lie 160 kilometers, in the eighties we find Arles, and fifty – it. In short, all the trading paths were lying through Montpellier – and the city of rich and bloomed. Here, with pleasure, patronized arts – Once Jean-Batist Plente came here to give his first theatrical performances. And he left Montpellier under the other name – Moliere.
Museum Fabre Polon Masterpores Delacroix, Kourbea, Poussa, David, Rubens and Botichelli. Cultural life at all hits the key in this city: 26 museums, 49 concert halls and theaters, holidays and festivals, replacing each other with a continuous joyful stream.
However, Montpellier is alive far from only spiritual food: after all, the local most famous student, Francois Rabol, not in an empty place invented his Gargantua with Pantagruel! In Languedoc-Roussillion everywhere, people know a lot about food – and the most real gourmets live in Montpellier.
Go to any bistro in the neighborhood – and in Montpellier there is always a bistro in the neighborhood. Sit for the table – and make a painful choice. Do not eat, not even try – it is necessary to decide whether you are pulling you on the sea food, or today I want something continental, for example, game, venison, patestta. Each restaurant is trying to come up with something of his own – and here someone decorates all the dishes with flowers, and these colors are not only a decorative function: they are all edible, and some and at all therapeutic, healthy health. Other cooks are a plate of Pestet from different berries, third-party shrimps are depicted by themselves, but only sitting in the water: algae should symbolize spinach, and from which the cook made this believable marine foam – it is determined strongly impossible. Yes, that there is marine foam – even in elementary, it seems to be an imperious potato mashed potatoes here insert a soul – for example, they are whipped with cheese, why it becomes not just a tasty, but also a rather funny dish: puree – and stretches like rubber!
Of course, all this magnificence cannot go inside the body … Languedoc – Wine Region, and Montpellier Here, in no case comes out of the general range. Viticulture in the local edges are known since the time of antiquity, so the experience of winemakers here is so much to search. In addition, Montpellier once was very lucky – in the nineteenth century, when most of the vineyards of France devoured a terrible disease, Filloxer – the local vines, she bypassed. And then the most wine turned out to be the only one – what, then the winemakers have become huge states. However, and now they are doing well – such wines like Ores de Montpellier, Faugeres, Saint-Chinian or Pic Saint-Loup go among understanding people literally. Yes, and the locally of the local Muscat also no longer refused.
Do not want to leave the city – and it is not necessary: you are waiting for a pleasant moon in the English park of Marsovo – in Montpellier, a person, thirsty of communication with civilized nature, has a large selection – to its services four hundred hectares of gardens, parks, squares and integer three golf courses to which from the old center – no more than fifteen minutes.
And in the evening? In the evening in Montpellier, the real, non-cereal life begins. Residents of Montpellier adore evening entertainment – which, however, is not surprising: after all, the average resident of this city is very young, alone students here are almost seventy thousand. And they all want to have fun. And here on terraces of restaurants light lights, doors of nightclubs and discos, cafes and music bars. When there are so many young people in the city – it means here every day turns into a holiday, in which each of us can take part at any time.
Would desire! And it, of course, will be: because Montpellier is such a city that inspires on the feats. And let the legs buzzing from the whole day of the running on the sights, let the nose burned in the sun, let the belly be a bit too latter with various local nulls – well, and that? Is this a reason to give up entertainment that offers its guests a cheerful evening Montpellier?
