Montpellier
Encyclopedia
Neighbourhoods
Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council.- Montpellier-centre : historical centre (Écusson), Comédie, Gares, Faubourg Boutonnet, Saint-Charles, Faubourg Saint-Jaume, Peyrou, Les Arceaux, Figuerolles, Faubourg du Courreau, Gambetta, Clémenceau, Méditerranée, boulevard de Strasbourg, Le Triangle, Polygone, Antigone, Nouveau-Monde, Parc à Ballons, Les Aubes, Les Beaux-Arts, Saint-Lazare.
- Croix-d'Argent : avenue de Toulouse, Croix d'Argent, Mas Drevon, Tastavin, Lemasson, Garosud, Mas de Bagnères, Mas Nouguier, les Sabines, Lepic, Pas du Loup, Estanove, Val-de-Crozes, Bagatelle.
- Les Cévennes : Les Cévennes, Alco, Le Petit Bard, Pergola, Saint-Clément, Clémentville, Las Rebès, La Chamberte, La Martelle, Montpellier-Village, Les Grisettes, Les Grèzes.
- Mosson : La Mosson, Celleneuve, La Paillade, les Hauts-de-Massane, Le Grand-Mail, Les Tritons.
- Hôpitaux-Facultés : Malbosc, Saint-Priest, Euromédecine, Zolad, Plan des 4 Seigneurs, Hôpitaux, IUT, Père Soulas, Universités, Vert-Bois, Hauts de Boutonnet, Aiguelongue, Justice, Parc zoologique de Lunaret, Agropolis.
- Port-Marianne : La Pompignane, Richter, Millénaire, Jacques Cœur, Consuls de Mer, Grammont, Odysseum, Montaubérou, La Méjanelle, La Mogère.
- Prés d'Arènes : Les Prés d'Arènes, Avenue de Palavas, La Rauze, Tournezy, Saint-Martin, Les Aiguerelles, Pont-Trinquat, Cité Mion.
Population
The population of the commune of Montpellier at the 2006 census was 251,392. The whole metropolitan area had a population of 600,000 in 2006. In 2009, it was estimated that the population of the city of Montpellier had reached 265,000. In 2008, the estimated population of the metropolitan area was 533,000.Heraldry
Main sights
- The main focus point of the city is the Place de la ComédiePlace de la ComédieThe Place de la Comédie is the main focal point of the city of Montpellier, in the Hérault département in southern France. It is located at the south-west point of the city centre, at , where in previous times the fortifications of the city were located....
. - The Musée FabreMusée FabreThe Musée Fabre is a museum in the southern French city of Montpellier, capital of the Hérault département.The museum was founded by François-Xavier Fabre, a Montpellier painter, in 1825. Beginning in 2003, the museum underwent a 61.2 million euro renovation, which was completed in January 2007...
- In the historic centre, a significant number of HôtelsHôtels of MontpellierThe city of Montpellier, in southern France, has a large number of noteworthy historical Hôtels in its old centre. These Hôtels are listed on this page with a short description...
can be found. - The Jardin des plantes de MontpellierJardin des plantes de MontpellierThe Jardin des plantes de Montpellier is a historic botanical garden and arboretum located on Boulevard Henri IV, Montpellier, Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, France...
– oldest botanical gardenBotanical gardenA botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
in France, founded in 1593 - The La Serre AmazonienneLa Serre AmazonienneLa Serre Amazonienne is a tropical greenhouse representing the Amazon environment. It is located at 50 avenue Agropolis, Montpellier, Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, and open daily; an admission fee is charged....
, an AmazonAmazon RainforestThe Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
greenhouse - The fourteenth century Saint Pierre Cathedral
- The Porte du PeyrouPorte du PeyrouThe Porte du Peyrou is a triumphal arch in Montpellier, in southern France. It is situated at the eastern end of the Jardin de Peyrou, a park near the center of the city....
, a triumphal archTriumphal archA triumphal arch is a monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crowned with a flat entablature or attic on which a statue might be... - The Saint Clément Aqueduct
- The Antigone DistrictAntigone DistrictThe Antigone District is a neighbourhood part of Montpellier, southern France, at . It is best known for its architectural design by Ricardo Bofill ....
and other housing projects have been designed by the architect Ricardo BofillRicardo BofillRicardo Bofill, also Ricard Bofill Leví is a Catalan Spanish postmodernist architect.He studied at the School of Architecture in Geneva, Switzerland...
from CataloniaCataloniaCatalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain - A number of châteauxMontpellier folliesSurrounding the French city of Montpellier are a number of chateaux, old country mansions or follies, built by wealthy merchants, from the 18th century onwards. Some of them had and still have their own wines. Jean Giral was amongst the architects hired by the merchants.The follies are the visible...
, so-called folliesFollyIn architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
, built by wealthy merchants surround the city
Education
The University of MontpellierUniversity of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university...
is one of the oldest in the World, 1160,
having been granted a charter in 1220 by Cardinal Conrad von Urach and confirmed by Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
in a papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
of 1289. It was suppressed during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
but was
re-established in 1896.
It is not known exactly at what date the schools of literature were founded which developed into the Montpellier faculty of arts; it may be that they were a direct continuation of the Gallo-Roman schools. The school of law was founded by Placentinus
Placentinus
Placentinus was an Italian jurist and glossator. Originally from Piacenza, he taught at the University of Bologna. From there he founded the law school of the University of Montpellier, in 1160....
, a doctor from Bologna university, who came to Montpellier in 1160, taught there during two different periods, and died there in 1192. The school of medicine was founded perhaps by a graduate of the Muslim Spain medical schools; it is certain that, as early as 1137, there were excellent physicians at Montpellier. The statutes given in 1220 by Cardinal Conrad, legate of Honorius III, which were completed in 1240 by Pierre de Conques, placed this school under the direction of the Bishop of Maguelonne. Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
issued a Bull in 1289, combining all the schools into a university, which was placed under the direction of the bishop, but which in fact enjoyed a large measure of autonomy.
Theology was at first taught in the convents, in which St. Anthony of Padua, Raymond Lullus, and the Dominican Bernard de la Treille
Bernard of Trilia
Bernard of Trilia was a French Dominican theologian and scholastic philosopher. He was an early supporter of the teaching of Thomas Aquinas. He lectured at Montpellier.-External links:*...
lectured. Two letters of King John prove that a faculty of theology existed at Montpellier independently of the convents, in January 1350. By a Bull of 17 December 1421, Martin V
Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V , born Odo Colonna, was Pope from 1417 to 1431. His election effectively ended the Western Schism .-Biography:...
granted canonical institution to this faculty and united it closely with the faculty of law. In the sixteenth century the faculty of theology disappeared for a time, when Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, in the reign of Henry II of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, held complete possession of the city. It resumed its functions after Louis XIII had reestablished the royal power at Montpellier in 1622; but the rivalries of Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
and Jesuits interfered seriously with the prosperity of the faculty, which disappeared at the Revolution. The faculty numbered among its illustrious pupils of law Petrarch
Petrarch
Francesco Petrarca , known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar, poet and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch is often called the "Father of Humanism"...
, who spent four years at Montpellier, and among its lecturers Guillaume de Nogaret
Guillaume de Nogaret
Guillaume de Nogaret or William of Nogaret was councillor and keeper of the seal to Philip IV of France.- Early life :...
, chancellor to Philip the Fair
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
, Guillaume de Grimoard, afterwards pope under the name of Urban V, and Pedro de Luna, antipope as Benedict XIII. But after the 15th century this faculty fell into decay, as did also the faculty of arts, although for a time, under Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, the latter faculty had among its lecturers Casaubon.
The Montpellier school of medicine owed its success to the ruling of the Guilhems, lords of the town, by which any licensed physician might lecture there; there was no fixed limit to the number of teachers, lectures were multiplied, and there was a great wealth of teaching. Rabelais took his medical degrees at Montpellier. It was in this school that the biological theory of vitalism
Vitalism
Vitalism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is#a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from biochemical reactions...
, elaborated by Barthez
Paul Joseph Barthez
Paul Joseph Barthez was a French physician, physiologist, and encyclopedist who developed a take on the biological theory known as vitalism....
(1734–1806), had its origin. The French Revolution did not interrupt the existence of the faculty of medicine.
The faculties of science and of letters were re-established in 1810; that of law in 1880. It was on the occasion of the sixth centenary of the university, celebrated in 1889, that the Government of France announced its intention – which has since been realized – of reorganizing the provincial universities in France.
Transport
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
highspeed trains. Montpellier's main railway station is Saint-Roch. There are plans to construct a high-speed railway
Contournement Nîmes - Montpellier
The Contournement Nîmes-Montpellier is a high speed railway project, bypassing the cities of Nîmes and Montpellier in southern France.The railway is planned to be mixed-use, with both TGV trains and freight; it would be 60-80km long, and would connect to the LGV Méditerranée and extend it southwest...
linking Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
and Montpellier with the LGV Méditerranée
LGV Méditerranée
The LGV Méditerranée is a French high speed railway line of approximately 250 km length, which entered service in June, 2001. Running between Saint-Marcel-lès-Valence and Marseille, it connects the regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Languedoc-Roussillon to the LGV Rhône-Alpes, and from...
.
The Montpellier – Méditerranée Airport is located in the area of Fréjorgues, in the town of Mauguio
Mauguio
Mauguio is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.-Transportation:The airport of Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport is located in the area of Fréjorgues in the town of Mauguio.-Tourism:...
, southeast of Montpellier.
The Transports de l'agglomération de Montpellier
Transports de l'agglomération de Montpellier
Transports de l'agglomération de Montpellier is the public transport company in Montpellier, France and its agglomeration.TaM operates buses, three tram lines, the shared bicycle scheme Vélomagg'. TaM is a partner of Transdev.-History:...
(TaM) manages the city's public transportation, including its tramway network
Trams in Montpellier
The city of Montpellier, France has a network of two tram lines currently in service, with a third line in construction. Responsibility for trams is held by the agglomeration community of the Montpellier agglomeration , and trams are operated by the Transports de l'agglomération de Montpellier ...
consisting of two lines and several parking facilities. Line 1 runs from Mosson in the west to Odysseum in the east. Line 2 runs from Jacou in the northeast to St. Jean-de-Vedas in the southwest. They intersect at Gare St. Roch station, Place de l'Europe and again in front of the Corum. Work on Line 3, which is planned to be in service by 2012, has started. This 22.4 km (13.9 mi) line will link Juvignac and Perols with a branch to Lattes and will serve 32 stations. A fourth line is planned.
The TaM also manages the large bike sharing scheme Vélomagg'
Vélomagg'
Vélomagg is a bike sharing scheme in Montpellier, France launched in June 2007, engineered by Smoove. This community bicycle program comprises 750 bicycles and 59 stations for short and long term renting, optionally coupled with tramway, bus and car sharing services.Individual bicycles can park in...
, started in June 2007, comprising 1200 bicycles and 50 stations.
Sport
Montpellier was the finish of Stage 11 and the departure of Stage 12 in the 2007 Tour de France2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
. The city is home to a variety of professional sports teams:
- Montpellier HSCMontpellier HSCMontpellier Hérault Sport Club is a French association football club based in the city of Montpellier. The club was founded in 1919 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Montpellier plays its home matches at the Stade de la Mosson, located within the city...
of Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
who play association football at the Stade de la MossonStade de la MossonStade de la Mosson is a football stadium in Montpellier, France. It is the home of Montpellier HSC and has a capacity of 32,900. Formerly a 16,000-seater stadium, it was entirely rebuilt in 1998 to host 6 games of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. It was also used as a venue for group stage matches in the... - Montpellier Hérault RCMontpellier Hérault RCMontpellier Hérault Rugby Club is a professional French rugby union, based in Montpellier the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon. The club competes in the top level of the French league system, in the Top 14. They originally played at Stade Sabathé but moved to the Stade Yves-du-Manoir in 2007...
, of the Top 14 who play rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
formerly at the Stade SabathéStade SabathéStade Sabathé is a multi-use stadium in Montpellier, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union and rugby league matches and is the home stadium of Montpellier Red Devils. Until 2007 it was the home stadium of Montpellier RC. The stadium is able to hold 6,500 people....
and now at the Stade Yves du ManoirStade Yves-du-Manoir (Montpellier)Stade Yves-du-Manoir is a multi-use stadium in Montpellier, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of Montpellier Hérault RC. The stadium is able to hold 14,700 spectators . Rugby League side Catalans Dragons used the venue on 5th June 2011 with their...
. In the 2010/2011 season, the team made it to the Top 14 Final against the Stade Toulousain. - Montpellier Red DevilsMontpellier Red DevilsMontpellier Red Devils are a rugby league club from Montpellier, France. They currently play in the Elite One Championship...
who play rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
in Elite 1 division at the Stade SabathéStade SabathéStade Sabathé is a multi-use stadium in Montpellier, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union and rugby league matches and is the home stadium of Montpellier Red Devils. Until 2007 it was the home stadium of Montpellier RC. The stadium is able to hold 6,500 people.... - Montpellier Agglomération HandballMontpellier HBMontpellier Agglomération Handball, formerly Montpellier HB, is a team handball club from Montpellier, France.In 2003, Montpellier won the biggest prize in European club handball, the EHF Champions League, rallying from an eight-goal deficit after the first leg. They are the only French team ever...
are a team handballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
club playing in the French National League. - Montpellier Vipers of France's Division 1 ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
Federation, play at the Patinoire de l'Agglomération de Montpellier at Odysseum - Montpellier Water Polo is playing in the National League and European Cup competitions.
The city is home to the Open Sud de France tennis tournament since 2010, and will host the XXXI World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship.
Culture
The Festival de Radio France et MontpellierFestival de Radio France et Montpellier
The Festival de Radio France et Montpellier is a summer festival of opera and music held in Montpellier, France created in 1985. The music festival concentrates on classical music and jazz with about 100 events, including opera, concerts, films, and talks, most of which are free and located in the...
is a summer festival of opera and music held in Montpellier. The music festival concentrates on classical music and jazz with about 150 events, including opera, concerts, films, and talks. Most of these events are free and are held in the historic courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
s of the city or the modern concert halls of Le Corum
Corum (Montpellier)
Montpellier's Corum is a building that houses both a conference centre and a opera house, and is located in the centre of the city in southern France....
. Le Corum cultural and conference centre contains 3 auditoriums.
The city is a high-place for the cultural events since there is a lot of students.
Montpellier has two big concerts arenas : Le Zenith Sud (7.000 seats) and L'Arena (14.000 seats).
International relations
Twin towns – Sister cities
Montpellier is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
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Famous inhabitants of Montpellier
Montpellier was the birthplace of:- Abraham ben Isaac of NarbonneAbraham ben Isaac of NarbonneAbraham ben Isaac of Narbonne was a Provençal rabbi, also known as Raavad II, and author of the halachic work Ha-Eshkol .Abraham ben Isaac was probably born at Montpellier...
(c.1110–1179), rabbiRabbiIn Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and author of the halakhicHalakhaHalakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
work Ha-Eshkol. - Saint RochRochSaint Roch or Rocco ; lived c.1348 - 15/16 August 1376/79 was a Christian saint, a confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August; he is specially invoked against the plague...
(1295–1327), pilgrim to Rome, venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church - Pierre MagnolPierre MagnolPierre Magnol was a French botanist. He was born in the city of Montpellier, where he lived and worked for the biggest part of his life. He eventually became Professor of Botany and Director of the Royal Botanic Garden of Montpellier and even held a seat in the Académie Royale des Sciences de...
(1638–1715), botanist, founder of the concept of plant families - Jean Jacques Régis de CambacérèsJean Jacques Régis de CambacérèsJean-Jacques-Régis de Cambacérès, 1st Duke of Parma was a French lawyer and statesman during the French Revolution and the First Empire, best remembered as the author of the Napoleonic code, which still forms the basis of French civil law.-Early career:Cambacérès was born in Montpellier, into a...
(1753–1824), lawyer and statesman, author of the Code NapoléonNapoleonic codeThe Napoleonic Code — or Code Napoléon — is the French civil code, established under Napoléon I in 1804. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs go to the most qualified... - Guillaume Mathieu, comte DumasGuillaume Mathieu, comte DumasGuillaume Mathieu, comte Dumas was a French general.-Biography:Born in Montpellier, France of a noble family, he joined the French army in 1773 and entered upon active service in 1780, as aide-de-camp to Rochambeau in the American Revolutionary War. He had a share in all the principal engagements...
(1753–1837), military leader - Auguste ComteAuguste ComteIsidore Auguste Marie François Xavier Comte , better known as Auguste Comte , was a French philosopher, a founder of the discipline of sociology and of the doctrine of positivism...
(1798–1857), a founder of the discipline of sociologySociologySociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity... - Antoine Jérôme BalardAntoine Jérôme Balard-External links:* , PasteurBrewing.com...
(1802–1876), chemistChemistA chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms... - Émile SaissetÉmile SaissetÉmile Edmond Saisset was a French philosopher.He was born at Montpellier. He studied philosophy at the École Normale Supérieure, and carried on the eclectic tradition of his master along with Ravaisson and Jules Simon...
(1814–1863), philosopher - Charles Bernard RenouvierCharles Bernard RenouvierCharles Bernard Renouvier was a French philosopher.-Biography:Charles B. Renouvier was born in Montpellier and educated in Paris at the École Polytechnique. He took an early interest in politics...
(1815–1903), philosopher - Édouard Albert Roche (1820–1883), astronomer
- Alfred BruyasAlfred BruyasAlfred Bruyas was an art collector and a personal friend of many important artists of his time, among them Gustave Courbet. He donated his collection to the Musée Fabre, in Montpellier....
(1821–1876), art collector - Alexandre CabanelAlexandre CabanelAlexandre Cabanel was a French painter.- Biography :Cabanel was born in Montpellier, Hérault. He painted historical, classical and religious subjects in the academic style. He was also well known as a portrait painter...
(1823–1889), painter - Frédéric BazilleFrédéric BazilleJean Frédéric Bazille was a French Impressionist painter. Many of Bazille's major works are examples of figure painting in which Bazille placed the subject figure within a landscape painted en plein air....
(1841–1870), Impressionist painter - Léo MaletLéo Malet-Biography:Leo Malet was born in Montpellier. He had little formal education and began work as a cabaret singer at "La Vache Enragee" in Montmartre, Paris in 1925....
(1909–1996), crime novelist - Jeanne DemessieuxJeanne DemessieuxJeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux , was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:...
(1921–1968), organistOrganistAn organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, pianist, composer, and pedagogueTeacherA teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional... - Monique de BissyMonique de BissyMonique de Bissy was a French/Belgian resistant born March 13, 1923 in Schaerbeek and died November 17, 2009 in Montpellier .- Biography :...
, member of the Resistance during World War IIResistance during World War IIResistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
(1923–2009) - Jean-Luc DehaeneJean-Luc Dehaene-Early life and political career:He was born in Montpellier, France, when his parents were fleeing German troops. He got into politics through the Algemeen Christelijk Werknemersverbond , a trade union which was closely linked to the Christelijke Volkspartij .In 1981, he became Minister of Social...
(1940– ), Prime-Minister of Belgium - Rémi GaillardRémi GaillardRémi Gaillard is a French humourist.Gaillard gained attention in the French media after performing a well-documented series of pranks, including a famous appearance disguised as a Lorient football player in the 2002 Coupe de France final match, during which he took part in the winners'...
(1975– ), famous French prankster
Other famous inhabitants include:
- François RabelaisFrançois RabelaisFrançois Rabelais was a major French Renaissance writer, doctor, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He has historically been regarded as a writer of fantasy, satire, the grotesque, bawdy jokes and songs...
(1493–1553) was a student at the University of MontpellierUniversity of MontpellierThe University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university... - NostradamusNostradamusMichel de Nostredame , usually Latinised to Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous worldwide. He is best known for his book Les Propheties , the first edition of which appeared in 1555...
(1503–1566) was a student at the University of MontpellierUniversity of MontpellierThe University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university... - Ioan Iacob HeraclidIoan Iacob HeraclidIoan Iacob Heraclid , also known as Jacob Heraclides, was a Greek soldier and ruler of Moldavia from November 1561 to November 1563, most notable for being the first officially Protestant monarch in Eastern Europe....
, ruler of MoldaviaMoldaviaMoldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
from 1561–1563 - Pierre-Joseph AmoreuxPierre-Joseph AmoreuxPierre-Joseph Amoreux was a French physician and naturalist. He was the librarian at the Faculté de Médecine de Montpellier , in English Medical college of Montpellier...
(1741–1824), zoologist - Jean-Louis MichelJean-Louis Michel (fencing)Jean-Louis Michel was a fencing master, sometimes hailed as the foremost exponent of the art of fencing in the nineteenth century.-Early life:...
(1785–1865), fencing master, who lived in Montpellier from 1830 onwards - Gaston Darboux (1842–1917), mathematician
- Josias Braun-BlanquetJosias Braun-BlanquetJosias Braun-Blanquet was an influential phytosociologist and botanist. Braun-Blanquet was born in Chur, Switzerland and died in Montpellier, France.-Phytosociology:...
(1884–1980), botanist - Alexander GrothendieckAlexander GrothendieckAlexander Grothendieck is a mathematician and the central figure behind the creation of the modern theory of algebraic geometry. His research program vastly extended the scope of the field, incorporating major elements of commutative algebra, homological algebra, sheaf theory, and category theory...
(1928–), mathematician - Nikola KarabatićNikola KarabaticNikola Karabatić ) is a French team handball player, born to a Croatian father and Serbian mother.He was part of the French national handball team that won the bronze medal at the 2008 European Men's Handball Championship. He was top scorer at the championship together with Ivano Balić and Lars...
(1984–) handball player - Paul ValéryPaul ValéryAmbroise-Paul-Toussaint-Jules Valéry was a French poet, essayist, and philosopher. His interests were sufficiently broad that he can be classified as a polymath...
(1871–1945) was a student at the University of MontpellierUniversity of MontpellierThe University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university... - Enver HoxhaEnver HoxhaEnver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
(1908–1985) was a student at the University of MontpellierUniversity of MontpellierThe University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university... - Jaume Cañellas Galindo (1965–), psychiatrist
- Grégory VignalGregory VignalGrégory Vignal is a French footballer. A left full back or midfielder, he is currently a free agent, having played most recently for Premier League club Birmingham City....
(1981–), Birmingham City F.C.Birmingham City F.C.Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
full-back - Jim FitzgeraldJim FitzgeraldJames F. Fitzgerald is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is best known as a former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors, both NBA teams.-Early life:...
(1963–), St.Aloysius CollegeSt.Aloysius CollegeSt. Aloysius' College is one of the leading boys' schools in Southern Province of Sri Lanka. It is located in Galle, the capital city of Southern Province in Sri Lanka. The college was established in 1895 by Jesuit fathers....
prop forward and raconteur
Other locations named after Montpellier
"Montpellier" is used as the name of other towns and streets in as many as four continents. Many places in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland carry the name Montpellier. Often they are in resort locations claiming some of the healthy attributes for which the French city was renowned in earlier centuries. The variant spelling "Montpelier" is common, and is of quite early provenance. BrewerBrewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, sometimes referred to simply as Brewer's, is a reference work containing definitions and explanations of many famous phrases, allusions and figures, whether historical or mythical.-History:...
uses that spelling. The first example was the early 19th-century suburb of Montpelier
Montpelier, Brighton
Montpelier is an inner suburban area of Brighton, part of the English city and seaside resort of Brighton and Hove. Developed together with the adjacent Clifton Hill area in the mid-19th century, it forms a high-class, architecturally cohesive residential district with "an exceptionally complete...
in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
.
Secondary Montpelliers/Montpeliers are also found in Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the Caribbean.
The capital of the American state of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
was named Montpelier
Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier is a city in the U.S. state of Vermont that serves as the state capital and the shire town of Washington County. As the capital of Vermont, Montpelier is the site of the Vermont State House, seat of the legislative branch of Vermont government. The population was 7,855 at the 2010...
because of the high regard held by the Americans for the French who aided their Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
against the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
. Several other American cities are also named Montpelier.
External links
- Official website
- TAM – Public Transport System
- A visitor in Montpellier – from The Official Francis Hannaway Website
- People of Montpellier
- Catholic Encyclopedia Montpellier
- Beloved son Felix – journal of a medical student in Montpellier in the 16th century (english translation)
- Boating guide The navigable River Lez to Lattes/Montpellier.