Summertime until October? There's no such thing. But there is! In Montpellier the sun shines more than 300 days in the year; even in the winter you can sit outside at a café. The people here are affectionate and always in a good mood, so you'll quickly make new friends.

Narrow alleys, beautiful old houses, and traditional palm tree lined street cafés under come to mind when one thinks of Montpellier. The atmosphere here is simply great: many students live here and account for a lively hullabaloo in the historic downtown area. You'll also meet street musicians and artists in this area and above all festivals that are known far outside of France's borders.

And if you want to see a flamingo, not just on TV or at the zoo but right up close, you'll have luck in Montpellier: in the lagoons on endless sand beaches you can experience large colonies of this wild, pink bird!