Montpellier in 3 facts

Despite being a relative young with only about 985 years old, Montpellier is filled with historical treasures and anecdotes that have shaped its character. While countless tales are still waiting to be discovered, we’ve dusted off a few of the best ones just for your curious ears! Wandering through the streets of the Écusson, some of you will have noticed small golden medallions embedded in the cobblestones. Scattered everywhere, these honorable symbols consist of a scallop shell, partially encircled by the inscriptions “Camin Roumieu,” which can be translated as “path to Rome.” Closely linked to the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela, these elements actually mark the Arles route that leads to this sacred place. The place currently known as Place Jean Jaurès is said to be the one where pilgrims met merchants and money changers to convert their currency in order to peacefully continue their journey. Perpendicular to Rue de la Loge which normally stretches out in front of you, to the left of the Castellane market hall, is Rue de la Draperie Rouge (Red Drapery Street). Its name, enigmatic at first glance, is actually a nod to the main activity that prospered in Montpellier during the Middle Ages. Indeed, before the 14th century, the Languedoc capital was renowned for its fine cloths, which had the peculiarity of being red due to the use of cochineal, an insect from the Garrigues region long used in the coloring process. Exported in large quantities everywhere, and particularly to the East through Italian intermediaries, drapery production contributed to the city’s enrichment through craftsmanship. A temple of education, the Faculty of Medicine also attracted individuals with backgrounds very different from those in the restricted medical circle. The most striking is our dear François Rabelais, better known for his talents as a Renaissance humanist writer. The author joined the institution on September 15, 1530, and also lodged with Guillaume Rondelet, himself a passionate physician and professor. Perhaps even a bit too passionate, as it is said that the latter went so far as to dissect a friend, one of his children, and his first wife. In short, while François Rabelais did not demonstrate his medical talents in Montpellier, he gave birth to one of the ancestral traditions of the address. Since the 16th century, students, during the defense of their thesis, wear the so-called red robe of Rabelais while taking an oath under the statue of Hippocrates. This Greek figure, whom we still consider the father of medicine, also has his perpetual tribute in the motto of the faculty, which is: “Once, Hippocrates was from Kos, now, he is from Montpellier.”