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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2011 15:43:48 GMT
Montpellier is one of the cities of France with the best reputation, probably even among people who have never been there. Everybody in France knows that it is sunny and progressive (university town), that the food is good, and that it is pleasant to see. It was also one of the first cities in France to reinstall a modern tramway system. I took the train there this week (yay! The train was 30 minutes late because the train in front broke down, so I will receive indemnities.), and even though it was not my real destination, I am incapable of going to Montpellier without walking around for a couple of hours. I got my rental car and drove to the underground car park at Place de la Comédie (named after the municipal theatre) and emerged in the heart of the city. |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jul 8, 2011 16:00:06 GMT
Splendid looking place K2...you get compensation if the trains aren't on time?!! gosh....if that happened in the UK it might improve the service somewhat! Is the train service government run? since British Rail was privatised (under the Tories) it's gone to pot...ridiculously high prices, often late, not enough carriages etc etc...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2011 16:12:36 GMT
Yes, the SNCF (French national railways) is still a public service but it is obliged to give compensation like airlines for late services. I wish they would just pay cash though, because last year I allowed my first class compensatory ticket to London to expire! Just around the corner from the tourist office, you can see some of the newer manifestations of Montpellier. I am pretty sure they just tore down awful slummy areas to build this stuff, because the architecture itself is a bit questionable. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2011 16:33:59 GMT
If it hadn't been closed for lunch, I might have gone to see the Brassaï expo at the Pavilion Populaire. We Parisians have difficulty getting used to the idea that museums and other such places still close for two hours at lunch, even in the middle of tourist season. The exposition displays 50 photographs in color and 110 in black & white commissioned by the magazine Holiday in 1957. It was an experiment to see what his photographs of the New World would look like, since they were so opposed to his famous photographs of Paris. The Pavilion Populaire was clever enough to post a few examples outside to entice people to go in. Can you imagine that even when an exposition is free, it is very hard to drag most people in unless they are walking in front of the building?  fishermen in New Orleans, Louisiana  This was all in the main downtown park, where you can at least find some welcome shade. |
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Post by tod2 on Jul 8, 2011 16:54:52 GMT
Aaah, is this where the tarte tatin fits in?? Have a great holiday break Kerouac so that we can enjoy it with you  Montpelier looks lovely - I liked all the cafe`s grouped around the tramway. I noticed the terraced IBIS Hotel ( or is this trick photography?) I bet the rates are very good and affordable... I take it you are NOT going anywhere near Le Tour? |
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Post by fumobici on Jul 8, 2011 17:27:02 GMT
Yes, I've heard good things about Montpellier. My father housesat a very interesting place nearby a couple of Summers back and liked it very much. I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy it as well, thanks for the report.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2011 22:33:20 GMT
Aaah, is this where the tarte tatin fits in?? Have a great holiday break Kerouac so that we can enjoy it with you Montpelier looks lovely - I liked all the cafe`s grouped around the tramway. I noticed the terraced IBIS Hotel ( or is this trick photography?) I bet the rates are very good and affordable... I take it you are NOT going anywhere near Le Tour? Actually, I was considering staying at that Ibis but it became complet while I dithered. So I went elsewhere. More about that in another report. I would have loved to see a stage of the Tour this year, but it is up in Brittany and Normandy and won't come south until I'm gone. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2011 23:12:04 GMT
Very few French cities want to be accused of living exclusively in the past, which is why you sometimes find this kind of "artwork." The food stands in the garden are just like the ones I have always known in other French cities -- a combination of delightful and yucky. Maybe I went to another town to make another report. |
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