Banks: 10:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Saturday
Post Offices: 08:00 to 16:00, Tuesday to Saturday
Government Offices: 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday
Business Centres: 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday
Shops: 09:00 to 20:00, Monday to Friday

Montpellier isn’t considered a dangerous place for tourists and the vast majority of visitors enjoy holidays in the city without encounters with crime or compromising situations. Pickpockets, bag snatchers and other opportunist thieves are present in the city, but visitors can minimalise their chances of being targeted by staying alert in busy places and ensuring that their cash and valuable personal effects are stored in secure places about their person.

Although the streets of the city are generally safe to walk during the day or the night, it’s inadvisable for female holidaymakers to be out alone after dark. All visitors are advised to steer clear of secluded parts of town at night.

220V, 50HZ, twin round pinned plugs are the norm.

No vaccinations are necessary for a holiday in Montpellier, tap water is safe to drink and health and safety regulations ensure that standards of hygiene in public places are high and the risk of illness low. Visitors in need of medical treatment will find a high standard of heath care at the city’s hospitals and clinics.

EU visitors with a valid European Health Insurance Card can take advantage of free emergency treatment, while all other visitors will need travel insurance if they are to avoid expensive medical bills in the event of a medical emergency.

Emergency services: 15
Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital: +33 4 67 33 67 33

Residents of Montpellier speak French, with the majority not having any marked dialects or accents differing from standard French. English speakers can be found in popular tourists hotels and at some shops and restaurants.

Montpellier, like the rest of France, uses the euro. One euro (EUR), or €1.00, is comprised of 100 euro cents.

EU visitors aged 17 or over are not required to pay duty on goods imported into or exported from France, provided the goods are not in excessively large volumes and intended for re-sale. Non-EU visitors are permitted to bring the following into France without incurring duty charges: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250 grams of loose tobacco; 1 litre of spirits or 2 litres of wine or other alcoholic beverages (not exceeding 22 per cent proof); 250ml of eau de toilette or 50 grams of perfume and gifts up to a value of €200.

The French are somewhat reserved characters, and formality in France is a noticeable aspect of social interaction. Handshakes are usual forms of greeting between strangers, but the exchange of kisses is more appropriate for friends. Enjoy a drink of the local wine, but be aware that public displays of insobriety are rare among the French and are frowned upon.

A clean and tidy appearance is of great importance and a means by which an individual is judged by others, so visitors should make themselves presentable at all times - especially when in restaurants and other formal settings. Dress appropriately for occasions and environments, keeping swimwear, shorts and vests/tank tops for the beach or poolside areas only.

No visa is necessary for visitors from Schengen countries however a valid passport of national ID card is needed as proof of identification. Visitors from selected other countries such Switzerland and Norway may also enter on a passport only. Visitors from other countries will need to obtain a tourist visa prior to their arrival, which they can apply for at a French embassy in their home country.

Montpellier’s tourist office is located at 30 allée Jean de Lattre de Tassigny and can be contacted on: +33 4 67 60 60 60.