Despite popular belief, France has more sun and sand than its famous Côte d’Azur.
With Nice, St. Tropez and Marseille leading the way, separate coastlines often go overlooked, whether north of Paris or west of the French Riviera.
One such city is one of South France’s most gorgeous getaways, oozing spitting image limestone facades and Old Town marvels of Marseille, and just a stone’s throw from lesser-known Mediterranean shores, away from hordes of tourists.
Many times when I travel, I narrow my itinerary down to one city per country, but France was so captivating I had to double-dip.
Marseille was one of a pair of French locales I had the pleasure of visiting. Of course, the other was Paris. You have to visit at least once, right?
That said, Marseille was a dream — even more than I expected given its seedy reputation. As a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain’s work, I understood why he said he’d retire there.
But on the flip side of the same coin, there’s no denying Marseille’s edginess and permeable grit, especially come sundown.
We at Travel Off Path have found the perfect dupe that’s just as easy to reach and far more stress-free to visit, so you can roam the sun-soaked cityscape without looking over your shoulder.
Montpellier: France’s Unsung Beach Escape 🌊
Quick geography lesson: Montpellier is not a “beach city” per se, the same way aforementioned Nice and Marseille are.
Having visited Marseille, I can tell you that there’s more than enough of a wondrous urban maze beaming with Haussmannian buildings and graffiti-splashed alleyways that you often forget postcard coves are in walking distance — not to mention a handful of off-shore islands…
Marseille’s city center boasts a vibrant marina surrounded by your typical European cafes and overpriced seafood eateries tricking you into thinking you’ve just scored the deal of a lifetime with a lobster that’s probably been living in a tank for a week.
Montpellier lacks the tourist trap aspect.
With more palatable prices, equally delicious cuisine, and beaches worth the extra bit of adventure to reach on the outskirts of town, if you’re torn on where to go, Montpellier is the answer.
The top beaches are within half an hour, so you don’t need to plan for huge chunks of your day for transit.
We’ve done some hefty digging to compile a list of Montpellier’s 3 most worthwhile beaches:
- Carnon Beach — One of Montpellier’s closest beaches with wide sandy shores, lively cafes, and easy access (35 minutes by tram)
- L’Espiguette Beach — A rugged stretch of towering dunes and untouched coastline often ranked among France’s most beautiful beaches (1 hour by car)
- Neighboring town of Sete — A charming fishing port with 12-mile stretch of clearwater beaches, killer seafood, and sweeping Mediterranean views unbothered by crowds (20 minutes by train)
Beaches Aside, Montpellier Is One Of France’s Most Vibrant Cities ☀️
Here on out, there’s no need to check the weather report. Montpellier is one of France’s sunniest getaways.
That makes not only its close-by paradises more enticing to hop on a quick train and spend the day seaside, but also exploring the city itself.
Of course, France and food go hand in hand. Start your day at a traditional French cafe with a velvety cappuccino, a fresh-baked croissant, and watch the world go by from a sun-washed patio.
The cityscape gleams just as much as Marseille (without a yacht-clogged marina).
You’ll find a blend of Provencal architecture, like Marseille, mixed with more modern marvels like the must-visit photo op, L’Arbre Blanc.
It’s the perfect city to soak it in as much as possible, given such splendid weather. No matter if you’re at a cafe, wine bar, museum-hopping, or aimlessly wandering, taking it all in, Montepellier doesn’t disappoint.
But most importantly, it’s very safe to visit.
Less Grit, More Glitz: Montpellier Deemed Safe By All Accounts
A quick search on Marseille comes back with a smorgasbord of opinions on Marseille’s safety.
Montpellier, though? It’s an easy answer across the board.
It’s safe.
According to Travel Safe – Abroad, Montpellier earned a “Low” overall risk rating:
“There is a heightened risk of pickpockets and scammers, and you should remain vigilant for any suspicious activities. However, if you apply basic precaution rules, that should minimize the risk of something going wrong.”
While Reddit forums do have some less-than-stellar comments in terms of aesthetics not living up to photos. To that, we say you’re late to the party in the era of influencers…
Overall, Montpellier is safe for tourists, but it’s never a bad idea to stay aware of your surroundings.
For example, scams are common across France, not just Paris back alleys or very obvious ‘hoodrat stuff’ outside Marseille’s train station that I witnessed firsthand.
The U.S. State Department currently classifies France as ‘Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, on par with dozens of American favorite vacation spots.
Montpellier is not singled out in the advisory.
For the record, here is what travelers are saying about France on our new Travel Safety Index, showcasing travelers’ real-time opinions on safety:
As of writing this, our audience claims they feel safer in Paris (score of 81) than they do the rest of France (score of 75), but we truly believe Montpellier plays very little part in a lower ranking for the country as a whole compared to Paris.
