DistrictBeaux-artsMontpellier

Beaux-Arts

Long ignored by the inhabitants of Montpellier due to its past as an abattoir district, Beaux-Arts has seen a spectacular rise in its fortunes over the last twenty years.

A village in the city

The old “low districts” were separated from the Ecusson (pedestrian
area) by the Verdanson river (now known for the graffiti along its banks), and used to accommodate the working-classes until the 1970s.

Its rehabilitation has seen the emergence of cafés and restaurants in the numerous little tree-lined squares which are particularly popular during their after-work happy hours.

The centre of the district has a lively, convivial atmosphere: enjoy
a stroll among the local shops, interspersed with trendy concept stores. In many ways, the Beaux-Arts district evokes the atmosphere of parts of Paris, especially in its generational and social mix, and its “bourgeois-bohemian” lifestyle. Families, students, artists, and shopkeepers rub shoulders in the markets and café-bars.

The Beaux-Arts market, every day from Monday to Saturday from 7am to 1.30pm, is a good example of the conviviality that reigns in this district. Fill up on local and quality products!

In terms of culture, the district is not to be outdone, with the Musée d’Art Brut and the Montpellier School of Fine Arts. There is plenty to keep young and old busy!

Every year, the Brass Bands Festival sets the streets alight. Two
days of celebration and music at the end of June, during which the city welcomes more than ten brass bands from all over France that give concerts as they meander through the streets! A festive, family atmosphere is guaranteed, with accompanying events, and various markets.