Montpellier part I

Bonjour tout le monde!

I'd like to welcome the newpeople who have joined us as followers here at Made in Suisse! It's nice to see you around!

I took advantage of a doctor appointment in town to go and spend the whole day wandering in the old city centre of Montpellier. It was a lovely day although I left with mixed feelings. I loved the small and narrow alleys, the houses made of sandstone, the remains of old buildings scattered throughtout the city...However, a lot of those places looked (or smelt) rather shabby and left to decay. There was a definite sense of it being "the South" with all its good (and lees good) connotations.

So today's post will feature some of the highlights of my short visit in Montpellier. There are a few places I could not visit as I had to be back to pick up the kids from school at 4pm. However, it gives me an incentive to come back.

La cathédrale Saint-Pierre dates from 1364 ac

La chapelle Saint-Charles (chapel of the General Hospital) built in 1678 by order of Louis XIV
 for the use of the hospital's patients

View from the Jardin des plantes (botanic gardens)

L'aqueduc des Arceaux- built in 1754 to supply the city with drinking water from the source of Saint Clément

Place royale du Peyrou- le château d'eau (water tower built at the same time as the aqueduc)

Place du Peyrou- statue of Louis XIV with the château d'eau in the background

Place du Peyrou- l'Arc de Triomphe celebrating Louis XIV

Come back tomorrow for different views of the city!