Just north of the Place de la Comédie, gardens and student residences provide youthful and serene settings where markets and festivals thrive.

With cafés, gardens and museums, Beaux Arts-Boutonnet is a picturesque zone popular with artists. A daily market offers an insight into the local culture and culinary specialties, while the parks display Montpellier’s green delights. Enjoy the friendly local atmosphere of a district that feels like a little village just beyond the city’s nucleus.

In the Musée Art Brut of the Beaux Arts zone, browse the collection of artworks with a singular or outsider vision. These include surrealist and avant-garde pieces dating from the early 20th century to present day. Create your own works of art with your family in the nearby L'atelier de Mo, a workshop filled with creative tools.

Walk south along the Music Esplanade to reach the Place des Beaux Arts, a quaint square whose café and bar terraces are shaded by trees. Get a taste for Montpellierain cuisine at the morning market that runs in the plaza Monday through Saturday.

Go to the Frédéric Chopin House for Everyone to learn about ongoing events and activities in the area. The yearly highlights include the Beaux-Arts Carnival in March and the Festival of Fanfares in June. During the latter, listen to the eclectic range of music, with jazz, gypsy and tango among the styles.

Head west toward the Boutonnet area and see a play at the Pierre Tabard Theatre. Bring supplies to enjoy a picnic on the grass in the nearby Square Camille Ernst.

Boutonnet is a leafier district. Go jogging around the Stade Philippidès athletic park and bring your kids to the playground in the Parc Sainte Odile, which is graced with maple, pine and cypress trees.

Beaux Arts-Boutonnet comprises the districts immediately north of Montpellier’s city centre. Ride tramlines to the Beaux-Arts or Boutonnet stops and traverse the areas on foot. You can also rent bikes to get around the city. Continue north for the Science Faculty and the Paul Valéry University.