Montpellier, as an extremely dynamic city, is a great destination for a family stop. The metropolis has a programme of activities for everyone, and children have plenty to do to have a good time, whether it's visiting cultural venues, strolling through the city centre in a fun way or enjoying areas that celebrate nature and ecology. Whether the weather is good - and we know that Montpellier is one of the sunniest destinations in France - or bad, the capital of the Hérault never ceases to surprise and has more than one trick up its sleeve.
Activities related to culture
Although some families may be hesitant when it comes to taking their children to the museum, they should not be deprived of a moment at the Fabre Museum during a trip to Montpellier. As the main Fine Arts museum in the Hérault metropolis, a programme specially designed for parents and grandparents who wish to bring their children with them is offered throughout the year. Young and old alike will discover together, in a playful way with visiting cases and booklets, the wealth of temporary and permanent exhibitions. Workshops also take place on Wednesdays and during school holidays. Around drawing, painting and collage, children are introduced to artistic practices and work on their imagination. Artistic workshops and courses are offered to children from the age of 7, as well as to teenagers up to the age of 18. Montpellier has several places dedicated to culture and art, spaces that do not forget children when designing their programming. It is therefore interesting to take the time to visit the Halle Tropisme, a village inhabited daily by more than 200 creators and which allows you to plunge into the heart of music, contemporary art or culinary art. Several times a month, the little budding artists are offered creative workshops: drawing, sculpture, painting, totebag... Practices that the children can experiment during Wonderful Saturdays. You shouldn't miss the Family Brunch on Sundays either, and experience moments of complicity around the table and a well-balanced family cuisine. And then there's the Domaine d'O, a fascinating area of art and entertainment. In May, the structure proposes a festival especially dedicated to the young public. Over the course of a weekend, children discover the fabulous world of the performing arts with puppets, theatre, street arts and storytelling revisited. It is obvious that there is no lack of structures that take into account childcare in Montpellier
The city and its heritage are also a playground for children. A treasure hunt in the Crest is an opportunity to make the youngest children aware of the richness and beauty of our heritage. Accompanied by a guide and provided with a booklet, families walk through the streets of Montpellier's emblematic district, stopping in squares such as Place de la Comédie and Place de la Canourgue. While answering questions and solving puzzles, they take the time to scrutinize the details of the most beautiful monuments such as St. Peter's Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe and mansions.
A city that makes families aware of nature
Montpellier, as a dynamic metropolis, has not forgotten to offer spaces that allow families to spend moments in communion with the fauna and flora. At Planet Ocean Montpellier, we go to meet penguins, we stop to caress the rays and dogfish of the touch pool before being surprised by the fascinating world of sharks. Different universes lead parents and children from the depths of the oceans to the depths of the universe and the vastness of the cosmos. At the Lunaret zoo, which is free of charge, you can discover and observe very different animals. We leave for Africa to see giraffes, cheetahs, rhinos, gazelles and North African camels. Then they set off for South America, with tapirs, rheas and maned wolves. Then from Eurasia to Oceania, it is the brown bears, lynxes, cranes, kangaroos and emus who do not hesitate to raise their heads and cross the eyes of the amazed children. The Lunaret zoo also houses a special area: The Amazonian Greenhouse. The proposed route offers a walk in the heart of the rainforest. From the mangrove, we reach the heights of the canopy. In this unique place in France, you will come across more than 500 animals and 3,500 plants along the way. A place where one discovers the fascinating environment of the Amazon rainforest and also becomes aware of its fragility and the need to preserve it
In Montpellier, you can also count on the presence of spaces that allow you to escape from the urban setting and relax with your family in green surroundings. At Lac du Crès, 27 hectares offer a breath of fresh air. It is a very pleasant place to rest and play with the children on sunny days. Picnics are organized and blankets are put up while the children play on the BMX track, in the Skate Park or on the wooden games. In summer, it is a privileged place for all those who wish to refresh themselves, with a supervised swimming area. Another place, the Jardin des Plantes: in addition to seeing more than 2,000 species cultivated on 4 hectares, children can pass by the tree at will to put down a paper with their dearest wish. And don't forget that Montpellier is close to the Mediterranean, so when you are on a family holiday, renting bikes and going to the beaches which are about 10 km from the city, is a good opportunity to follow the banks of the Lez, to stop at the Méjean reserve to say hello to the horses and bulls before running on the sand and enjoying the joys of the seaside.
Ecology, a smart way to entertain families
We keep saying this, but environmental issues are paramount and it is necessary to make children aware of the need to preserve nature from a very young age. When staying with a family in Montpellier, you should think about joining the Ecolothèque. This place is both a resource centre and a leisure centre, and it implements an original pedagogy to raise public awareness of the environment in a playful and scientific way. When consulting the programme, one discovers that many workshops take place there, educational workshops whose themes range from the manufacture of furniture from salvaged materials, to sorting and reducing waste, and the fight against food wastage. In this green setting where farm animals are also found, children have fun and understand the need to be attentive to the preservation of the planet.
More information on the website of the Montpellier Tourist Office
