MOCO There are two

MOCO There are two exhibitions and an art school which make up the MOCO model. MOCO Hotel des Collections is a brand new exhibition centre which will present both public and private collections in a series of temporary exhibitions. Formerly the Hotel Montcalm, a beautiful 19th century building, the venue has a restaurant, boutique and lovely gardens as well as hosting international art. La Panacée is one of the three venues which make up MoCo. It’s located in the former historic Royal College of Medicine and specialises in emerging art. It’s exhibitions are provocative, exciting and at times a bit baffling but always fascinating. It’s the perfect place to go for lunch as well as enjoy the free art. It’s seriously trendy and full of savvy locals who love the great value menu, fabulous fresh local produce and the fact that you can borrow books from the shelves. Kids love it too, there are toys and games for them to play with. On Sunday morning, go for their famous brunch. Unlike the rest of the week you can’t book in advance so get there early to bag a table. Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ESBA), the Montpellier art school trains the artists of the future and encourages them to get involved with the MOCO projects and the city’s art programme. For instance at the newly opened covered market Halles Laissac. The vibrant stained glass dome was designed by a student and teacher team from ESBA. Underneath it you’ll find a delicious array of food including macarons made by a master pâtissier, cheeses, Corsican specialities, charcuterie and fresh baked bread.

There’s a bar here and one of the best things about Halles Laissac is that you can buy your food and then dine at the tables and chairs provided inside and out, the perfect market picnic. Find details of all MOCO art exhibitions: https://www.moco.art/en Street art in Montpellier There are two parts to Montpellier: the old city and the new. Both are beautiful. But it’s the old city that attracts most visitors to discover its winding labyrinth of hilly cobbled streets, festooned with bunting and lined with chic boutiques, art galleries, bars, cafés and restaurants. Book a guided tour with the Tourist Office to discover the secrets of the city and explore it’s most beautiful streets and street art. Don’t miss the colourful trompe l’oeil at Place Edouard Adam near the market. Created by artists Agnès and Olivier Costa, it is extraordinary. And the optical illusion trompe l’oeil at Place Saint Roche plays tricks with your eyes. It reflects the 19th century Church of Saint Roch, patron saint of Montpellier and you can’t help but turn around to check! Musée Fabre Founded in 1828 by artist François-Xavier Fabre in what was his home and gallery, this huge museum has a fabulous collection of more than 800 works spanning several centuries from 14th century religious art to contemporary. Over the years the venue has grown and now occupies three buildings. They regularly partner with the Louvre for exhibition swaps and put on temporary exhibitions each year. There are several enormous, provocative works by Pierre Soulages, one of France’s greatest living artists.