It is 3:50 PM and your Intensive French course, business French or DELF exam course is over. It is quite probable that all the new learning has made your brain a bit tired and in need to turn on your energy save mode. Well then, you have the perfect excuse (and timing) to grab a cup of tea. Fortunately, Montpellier has quite a range of coffee shops and tea salons to pick from that are the perfect setting to visit with other students from the ILA French immersion school and get your homework out of the way or simply to sit and read a nice book. (Extra points if it is in French.) If this plan sounds like something you’d enjoy, here are a few suggestions.
Palma
With its rather stylish deco, pink walls and super comfy sofas the café boutique is a great and comfy place to have a chai latte and a vegan chips cookie if its chilly outside or one of their fruity, savory and unique popsicles if you have taken the summer French courses in France instead. Once you have enjoyed any of there delicious drinks, you can check out their stylish selection of pret-a-porter clothing or deco. They also have the cutest small notebooks that I think are perfect to write down the key vocabulary you learn in you French course.
L’heure Blue
Rue de la Carbonnerie, Montpellier, right next to Black and Blue record store, this charming salon de thé is perfect if your looking for something a little more reserved or quite. Elegant, (and also a bit pricy) you’ll find a unique variety of tea made with filtered water and accompanied with delicious cookies. You must try the 7 euro crumble, that well isn’t 7 euros for no reason. I’ve tried quite a few around the city and this is by far my favorite. And besides, you can always share with you friends from the ILA French immersion school in Montpellier. The decoration is filled with enchanting amenities, all of which you can buy if you have 1. The money 2. A way to take it back home. Downside, even the though it is poise, the staff is definitely quite elitist. One time during my French language stay, they even asked me to leave. (But it is totally worth it for the crumble.)
Les demoiselles de Montpellier
It is not my favorite but it’s still in my tops. It also has a great advantage; it is a vegan and allergen free option. So for all of you willing to take French immersion education in France for quite a while but are a bit worried about special diet and food, this is a great place to chill out with the friends you meet at the French school. No eggs, no gluten, no dairy but with a nice variety and great taste, all home made by their pastry chef. I also love studying here because it is usually not as full as other places, set in a quiet street, and the tables are bigger than at other cafes which is perfect to set your notebook and all the copies given during the Intensive French course. It is also quite spacious which makes it perfect for reviewing along your friends weather your taking the DELF exam course in Montpellier and have all your books or for the Business French Course to reunite and plan presentations.
Coffee Club
Set in Rue St Guilhem, where you will actually find a number of other coffee shops to try out, including Coffee Club’s “brother” Bonobo, which is aaaahhh- mazing and it requires maybe an article of its own, or at least it will be described in more detail later on. -Back to coffee club. – Once you start your French immersion education in France, with a beginner level, it might be hard and intimidating to even dare to order a cup of coffee. Even though there are more English speakers in Montpellier than in other cities in France, probably due to the amount of foreign students doing a language stay as well or in university, it is sometimes hard to understand the French accent or sometimes you have to repeat yourself 5 times before you just give up and ask for “just de l’eau” (been there, done that.. the first weeks of my immersion education weren’t easy) This is when knowing a spot like Coffee Club is handy. Hipster, cozy and delicious, you will always feel welcome here because staff is very nice and open. Every waiter and waitress speaks fluent English. With a big map on the wall where you can pin where you come from, you will see that there are often a lot of foreigners visiting which is very interesting. They also some how manage to have an amazing music playlist every single time. Extra tip: Ask for the stamp card, you’ll be coming here more often than you think during you French language stay in Montpellier.
Café Solo
You’ll definitely notice it when walking by because of its cool shabby-chick style and the people sitting up front in the sun. The tea is really nice and I can guarantee once you see the menu you’ll have a long list of different flavors to try throughout your language stay, at a moderate accessible price. However, for what I’ve heard I’d recommend you to stick to the tea as I haven’t heard very good reviews for the coffee and I haven’t tried it myself. If you take a French summer course in France, make sure to sit in the white lounge chairs under the sun and consider taking a calm afternoon nap after your drink.
The list goes on, as there are always certain places that catch your attention when getting lost within the small streets of Montpellier. During you French language immersion stay, tea is always a good idea, but its even better when you discover new unique places to go.