The 17th-century philosopher John Locke may have had one glass of Minervois wine too many when he wrote: ‘I find it much better to go twise (sic) to Montpellier than once to the other world’. Paradise it ain’t, but Montpellier, where students make up nearly a quarter of the population, is innovative, fast-growing, self-confident and a worthy rival to Toulouse for the title of southern France's most vital city. Every time we visit, there’s some exciting new development afoot, designed to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants. These days, 425 million are being invested in a second metro line that will cut across this most pedestrian-friendly of cities, where more than 12,000 parking spaces around the centre encourage motorists to leave their cars behind.
