Montpellier is a city in southern France. It is the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, as well as the Hérault department. Montpellier is the 8th largest city of the country, and is also the fastest growing city in France over the past 25 years. Montpellier is one of the few large cities in France without a (Gallo-)Roman background and one of the few cities in southern France without a Greek background.
During the 19th century the city developed into an industrial centre. In the 1960s, its population grew dramatically after French settlers in Algeria were resettled in the city following Algeria’s independence from France. In the 1980s and 1990s, the city drew attention with a number of major redevelopment projects, such as the Corum and especially the Antigone District. The main focus point of the city is the Place de la Comédie. Other sights are the Musée Fabre, the Jardin des plantes de Montpellier (oldest botanical garden in France, founded in 1593), the La Serre Amazonienne, an Amazon greenhouse, the fourteenth century Saint Pierre Cathedral, the Porte du Peyrou, a triumphal arch and the Saint Clément Aqueduct. In the historic centre, a significant number of Hôtels can be found. A number of châteaux, so-called follies, built by wealthy merchants surround the city.
The city is situated on hilly ground 10 kilometres (6 mi) inland from the Mediterranean coast on the River Lez. Montpellier is located 52 kilometres (32 mi) from Nîmes, 168 kilometres (104 mi) from Marseille, 248 kilometres (154 mi) from Toulouse. It is at a distance of 750 kilometres (466 mi) from the capital of France, Paris.
The Festival de Radio France et Montpellier 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 courtyards of the city or the modern concert halls of Le Corum. 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.
