We are trying to finalize our trip to france and have 2 days in which we are hoping to spend in either Montpellier or Perpignan - does anyone have advise or a recommendation as to which town we should choose?
Many thanks in advance!

Two interesting choices. We spent three or four nights in Montpelier and loved the town and its ambiance. Perpignan is pretty, but I've never stayed there. It "seems" like a bigger city if that means anything.

It depends on what you are interested in and at what time of the year your trip is going to take place.
Perpignan is closer to the mountains and to Spain. It also offers a lot of day trips within a 50 km range.

NeoPatrick :
Perpignan (population over 100,000) is smaller than Montpellier which is the "capital city" of the Languedoc Roussillon Region.

Thanks, we will be arriving by train and did not plan on renting a car. I think we just want to get a good feel from the french people, maybe spend some time relaxing on a beach? We will be there in about a month.. fresh off the marathon du medoc so probably nothing too active
thanks again

If you decide on Perpignan, you will be on time for Visa International 2007(reporters' photograph festival) which closes on Sept. 16. : various exhibitions in various venues, enough to fill an afternoon.
You could also take a train to Collioure and spend a day there.

"NeoPatrick :
Perpignan (population over 100,000) is smaller than Montpellier which is the "capital city" of the Languedoc Roussillon Region."

Yes. I am totally aware of that. That's why I said Perpignan "seems" like a bigger city. Sorry the quotation marks didn't make my meaning clear. What I meant was just that. Maybe it's because of the size of the buildings, the wider main streets, the way it's laid out, more traffic through town, or something else. But walking around Perpignan, I "feel" it as a larger more bustling city, not the more intimate relaxed "feel" of Montpelier. Just my personal opinion, of course.

Perpignan has a lot of Catalonian flavor with tall palm trees around its main plaza. We liked it very much but there's no decent hotel to stay at. Coulliore is the nearby beachtown to stay at, plenty of decent hotels.

We enjoy Montpellier for its elements from the past, present & future. There's a huge student population which makes the city very lively and dynamic. It'll take you two days to explore Montpellier. We enjoy exploring big cities so we've stayed in Montpellier 3 times within the last 8 years. BTW Montpellier has something like 30-40 % moslem population and you can observe it when you explore the ghetto where they live (safe to explore).

"BTW Montpellier has something like 30-40 % moslem population and you can observe it when you explore the ghetto where they live (safe to explore)".


This is slightly exaggerated ! Montpellier has almost 300,000 inhabitants (500,000 in the Montpellier area) and certainly not 30-40% "moslem population" when stats put the total number of "moslems" in France at 6 millions out of a total population of over 60 millions.

There is no "ghetto". There are good, average and less than average parts of town, just like in any city.

Ghetto is probably the wrong word as it carries a dumpy connotation. I was thinking of the Jewish ghetto in Rome which is not necessarily a bad area but was ethnic. I should really call it an Algerian ethnic area. We sort of enjoyed exploring the moslem area since the people looked & dressed distinctly different (modern, no female head cover like in the western part of Amsterdam). They have lived there since the 60's so they seem to be more integrated yet they still bring a different flavor within the city. Lots of older men wearing flat top hats and sitting around chatting with each other.

I wished I can remember where I read about Montpellier's large moslem population being at least 30 percent. I thought Marseille has an equally large Algerian/moslem population (much larger than the national average)

hi, dport,

we spent a day in Perpignan last September, and really loved it. It's got a great continental/catalan feel, and the photography exhibition adds an extra bustle. lovely restaurants, bars and shops, plus museums ,galleries, plus the chance to see the Catalan dragons!!! [a leading french rugby league team about to play in the cup final in England].

can't comment on Monpelier, but a friend who knows about these things, loves Narbonne as well.

regards, ann