Montpellier, France, September 23 & 24

 September 23  Copenhaven to Montpellier, France

Our plane

    We all got up early (5:45) and neatened the apartment, took out the trash etc. We walked to Norreport Station and, by accident, got on the wrong train! Luckily, we asked someone if we were en route to the airport and, when told that we weren't, we hopped off. Then, we figured out how to get to the right Metro line, which included 2 Metro lines. It was not an auspicious start, but really only added about 25 minutes to our morning. Luckily, we had left early. These are the challenges of traveling that challenge our brains in a good way.

Place de la Comedie, Montpellier

"Our" rue in Montpellier, premier etage

    We were a bit nervous about the boarding pass situation as we had not bought the tickets directly from Norwegian Air, but all was well. The reason we couldn't get the passes yesterday was because we had to check our carry-ons. 

     The flight was smooth and on time. We landed around 1 p.m. and took an Uber into town. As with Stockholm and Oslo, our flat is in a pedestrianized zone, so drivers have to drop us off outside that area. The historic area is called "L'Ecosson." With the help of GPS, we worked our way to 8 Rue du Plan Agne, right across from St. Roch church.

Spiral staircase, looking into our bedroom

Four keys to get in!

The streets are narrow and wonderful. Our little street is quiet, although we are only a few blocks away from the center of Montpellier and the main shopping area and the Place de la Comedie, anchored by an opera house built in 1888.

      The flat is very quirky! We are up some steep stairs on the second floor. We need 4 keys to get in! Etienne met us, a very nice man. There are two bedrooms, but the second one is up a treacherous (for us anyhow) spiral staircase with no railing. And, the ceiling is so low that even Barbara has to duck! We opted for the downstairs bedroom which also has a bathtub and sink. But, it has tons of character and atmosphere. The main floor has high beamed ceilings and huge windows.

Vegetable salad at "Rocco et sa mere" 

Looking at our apartment above the restaurant. Note: trompe l'oeil on the building

     As the flat wasn't quite ready, we left our luggage and went to a Vietnamese restaurant close by. It was just what we needed as we hadn't eaten much in the morning and nothing on the plane. We discovered that we are just two to three blocks away from the center of the city and the main shopping district and close to the Place de la Comedie. We found a Monoprix and got some apples, yogurt, bread and cheese. As we are only here for two nights, there is no point in getting in much food. 

Mmmmm.....baguettes being baked

     We can already tell that two days won't be enough.

September 24.    Full day in Montpellier

    What a wonderful day! We spent the entire day just walking but it came to about 4 miles. In French- walking aimlessly = flaner. 

       We walked had coffee and a croissant at a patisserie where we saw the baker making the baguettes.

        We walked to Montpellier's Arc de Triomphe and the Promenade du Peyrou, the Royal Square, dominated by a statue of Louis XIV. The bulk of it is under renovation, so we walked in the park around it. There we came across the Saint Clement aqueduct. It is not a Roman aquaduct, but one built in the 18th Century to supply water to fountains, among other things. 

Aqueduct built in the 18th Century

   

Montpellier's Arc de Triomphe

    We ate lunch at the Italian restaurant, Rocco et sa mere, underneath our flat, which was recommended by Etienne. It is named after St. Roch church; evidently Rocco is Roch in Italian.

St Roch- invoked against the plague in the 1300s

Mmmm. Note: the trompe l'oeil behind Mark

Anyhow, the restaurant did not disappoint. Mark had carbonara and Barbara had a vegetable salad with burrata in the middle. Both were delicious, served with excellent bread made on the premises. Dinner was nibbles at home with the baguette we bought in the morning.