Social life

The social side of life in Montpellier was one of the aspects I enjoyed the most. Not only was this thanks to the multitude of nightlife options on offer, but also the melting pot of many Erasmus students with which I became lifelong friends.

In terms of clubs and bars to explore, while Montpellier may not match up to the high standards of a medium size UK city such as Nottingham, there are certainly plenty of options. First of all is the plethora of bars in the centre which stay open relatively late, some of which offer happy hours. A favourite of mine and my friends was the tapas bar Les Coulisses, which can be found on a side street around 2 mins walk from the Place de la Comédie. The atmosphere is always bouncing, and they offer 2 euro pints between 8-9pm so it’s always a reliable option for those pre-drinking occasions! An honourable mention goes to Comptoir de L’Arc, situated in a quaint square off the promenade leading to the Porte du Peyrou (Montpellier’s Arc de Triomphe). This place also offers a happy hour up until 11pm with mainly outdoor seating, so make sure to wrap up warm in the autumn and winter months!

Now as clubs go, Montpellier holds its own as a solid clubbing destination – it all depends what you’re into.

For the weeknight mixed-music club scene, look no further than L’Antirouille, 10 minutes walk away from Place de la Comédie. It’s safe to say this place saw more of our group’s faces than any of our family did in a year. Thursday nights are the time to attend this shabby but hip venue, which offers free entry and relatively cheap drinks – I recommend embracing the French way of life in the form of endless glasses of Rosé. Music-wise, the DJs can be heard playing everything from hip hop to house to RnB and everything in between. The venue also hosts ticketed events from big name DJs, which are never a disappointment.

Other venues for more chart music-oriented nights include Panama and Cargo which, while not personally my type of thing, still ensure a fun night.

For the serious electronic/house/techno fans there is the huge warehouse venue of Dièze. This massive empty depot-type building takes the hairs off your head when the soundsystem is in full force, which is every time they welcome ravers through its doors. A highlight of the year for me was definitely coming here in November to see Sonja Moonear and Traumer as part of Festival Dernier Cri. The sets would have been immense at any other venue but taking place in the towering walls of Dièze’s the main room elevated them to incredible levels.

Another standout establishment for thumping dancefloor nights is Rockstore, found 3 minutes walk down from Comédie. This humble club may not compare to Dièze in terms of size, but it guarantees a quality boogie. I saw two of my favourite artists here: French DJ Folamour who showered us in blissful disco and smooth house and KoKoKo! – a five piece collective from Kinshasa, DRC who purvey raw, energetic music with their DIY-made instruments.