{"id":120664,"date":"2023-10-29T08:29:16","date_gmt":"2023-10-29T08:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/?p=120664"},"modified":"2023-10-29T08:29:16","modified_gmt":"2023-10-29T08:29:16","slug":"i-travelled-to-one-of-frances-prettiest-cities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/travel\/i-travelled-to-one-of-frances-prettiest-cities\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I travelled to one of France\u2019s prettiest cities’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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From Paris to Nice, tourists are spoilt for choice when it comes to holiday destinations in France. But some of the most popular spots can also be extremely crowded.<\/p>\n

Tourists recently complained of feeling like \u201cherded cattle\u201d at Versailles Palace while France intends to launch a campaign encouraging tourists to visit some of its lesser-known destinations.<\/p>\n

I recently visited Montpellier, a city in southern France, just 10km from the coast. While I wouldn\u2019t describe it as a hidden gem, there were far fewer tourists there than more well-known southern cities such as Nice, Marseille and Cannes.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also one of France\u2019s prettiest cities with a gorgeous old town packed with cafe-lined squares. While Montpellier isn\u2019t on the coast, it\u2019s just a short bus ride to the beach.<\/p>\n

Although the south of France isn\u2019t known for being affordable, Montpellier is a student city and I found prices were far cheaper than in Paris or Lyon.<\/p>\n

READ MORE <\/strong> Europe\u2019s prettiest winter destination looks straight out of a fairytale<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Montpellier’s historic centre Ecusson is a maze of alleyways and narrow streets and I loved wandering the streets with an ice-cream. Ecusson is packed with pretty squares which are the perfect place to sip a citron presse or enjoy a morning coffee.<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s main square, Place de la Comedie, was an ideal people watching spot while Place de la Canourgue was the perfect place to shelter from the sun.<\/p>\n

I loved the Jardin des Plantes, France\u2019s oldest botanical garden, which is right outside the city centre. Montpellier is also a fantastic cultural destination and I visited several of the city\u2019s art galleries.<\/p>\n

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