For a panoramic view over Nimes, climb to the top of Magne Tower, a pre-Roman watchtower with a small viewing platform at the top. Once part of the city’s fortifications, this historic landmark sits at the top of Mont Cavalier and offers unobstructed views of the surrounding area.
Planet Ocean Montpellier is home to over 3,500 sea and ocean animals belonging to 400 species. From the nearby Mediterranean to the depths of the Indian Ocean, from the South African coast to the Atlantic Ocean and the Amazon, you’ll see wonders from across the globe in the dozens of basins and tanks.
A water park unlike any other, Frenzy Palace Water Jump—located in Torreilles, near Perpignan—caters to extreme sports enthusiasts, water slide lovers, and those looking for a one-of-a-kind way to beat the summer heat. BMX tracks, vertiginous slides, and other activities will have visitors soaring through the air.
The Montpellier Zoo (Zoo de Montpellier) covers 80 hectares (198 acres) just north of the city center. Opened in 1964, the zoo has the look and feel of a safari park with open enclosures where most of the wild animals roam free. With 120 species and 1,104 animals, the zoo covers a lot of ground, from zebra and lions to lizards and birds.
Housed within an old apothecary, this small two-room museum spotlights the pharmaceutical history of Montpellier, a city with a long-standing medical heritage. Exhibits include ceramic pots, barrels, mortars, and other vessels and tools—made mostly in Montpellier and used to make and store various medical remedies and antidotes.
History buffs gravitate to the Provençal city of Arles, which is packed with six UNESCO World Heritage Sites among its Roman ruins and Romanesque monuments. The Arles Museum of Antiquity is an important addition to any history tour because it presents the region’s most notable archaeological collection, including a priceless collection of Roman artifacts.
Founded in 1989, the Seaquarium offers visitors young and old the chance to get up close and personal with hundreds of rare marine species. Located in the coastal town of Le Grau-du-Roi, near Montpellier, the aquarium is divided into multiple exhibit spaces and is particularly well-known for its extensive shark display.
