Montpellier Away Heineken Cup

[UlsterNo9]

Seems a bit early to be starting this but with all the nonsense threads we get during the summer months thought it might be useful to start some constrcutive planning.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/images/cont ... FINAL_.pdf

Montpellier regularly tops polls of where French people would most like to live. No wonder. The style is sensuously elegant with brains to match, stately, insurgent and never still. The car-free old centre, with its sense of sinuous conspiracy, bursts out to La Comédie, the most seductive central square in the south. New neoclassical development strides monumentally to the river. Southern life courses through, so that, when the sun goes down, the heat stays up. You can’t go wrong.

Before the match
Start with coffee on the Comédie square, watching the sunlit spectacle of city life. Now stroll up rue de la Loge, towards the Arc de Triomphe, marking Louis XIV’s triumph over local protestants. Louis looks suitably gratified on his horse on the Peyrou promenade beyond. Wriggle back through the labyrinthine old centre, past bourgeois town houses, funky shops and ethnic bars, to the Fabre museum. The collection of 15th-19th century European art is among the best outside Paris (39 blvd Bonne Nouvelle, £5). Or take one the city’s Boris bikes (Vélomagg) for the six-mile pedal to the sea. That will justify later excess.

Overnight
The Newhotel du Midi has a Hausmannian presence right by the Comédie, but with updated comfort (22 blvd Victor Hugo; 0467 926961; new-hotel.com, doubles from £83). In a quieter part of the old town, the Hôtel du Palais is a cosy little nugget of Frenchness (3 rue Palais des Guilhem; 0467 664636; hoteldupalais-montpellier.fr, doubles from £67).

Eating
The obvious rugby eatery is La Chistera, owned by Montpellier and French fly-half François Trinh-Duc. It’s a convivial bar plus grill-restaurant, though not desperately cheap (2bis Rue d’Obilion; 0467 553951; la-chistera.com, mains from £14). For good and cheap, head for La Tomate. Locals have been packing in here for decades for regional food at ridiculous prices (6 rue Four des Flammes; 0467 604938; la-tomate.com, menus from £11). My present favourite, though, is Saveurs et Sens – small, youthful, inventive (55 rue Alexandre Cabanel; 0499 616204; saveursetsens.fr, menu from £16).

Drinking
A table on place Jean Jaurès will start you off right. Nearby, Le Circus is New-York-bar-meets-the-Big-Top (3 rue Collot). Beer fans should amble to Couleurs de Bières a little off-centre at 48 rue Faubourg Saint-Jaumes while calmer souls will be happy at the Comptoir de l’Arc on the bucolic place de la Canourgue.

[browner]

Never too early no 9....see ya there.

[Bring Humph On!!]

Browner are you organising the taxis again?

[browner]

Browner are you organising the taxis again?

One way or another we're planning on flying into Montpellier...so no need for the big T's.

But if things change I'll post up our travel plans.

[damienmcguigan]

Can i come too? I'll bring some flegs

[browner]

Can i come too? I'll bring some flegs

Certainly you can...don't bother with the flegs...just bring plenty of money.

[damienmcguigan]

Can i come too? I'll bring some flegs

Certainly you can...don't bother with the flegs...just bring plenty of money.

Consider it done! Was in the Languedoc area on holiday last year, fabulous place. Cant wait to get back there!

[browner]

When it comes the time to book our flights n hotel etc i'll get in touch...ok Damo?

[HwoodMike2umate]

Anyone else heard the rumour that the URSC were considering running a bus to this game but have since cancelled it last night as no-one had signed up by 5pm yesterday?

[damianmcr]

Haha let it go Mike!

[UlsterNo9]

Browner,

What flight options are you looking at.

I take it by flying into Montpellier you will be doing Belfast / Stansted / Montpellier?

Dublin to Carcassonne still decent option then 1hr 30 - 45mins on train to Montpellier?

We were thinking of flying Belfast to Nice then hiring a car to cruise up the French coast.

Had a quick look at hotels in Montpellier, plenty of choice!

[BR]

I think flights/route will depend on which schedule we're on.

[browner]

Browner,

What flight options are you looking at.

I take it by flying into Montpellier you will be doing Belfast / Stansted / Montpellier?

Dublin to Carcassonne still decent option then 1hr 30 - 45mins on train to Montpellier?

We were thinking of flying Belfast to Nice then hiring a car to cruise up the French coast.

Had a quick look at hotels in Montpellier, plenty of choice!

Can you go through STANSTEAD?

At the moment it looks like Gatwick or Birmingham or into Carcasonne then train or taxi...but it's early days.
As Biggus Dickus sez a lot will depend on the schedule and of course the day and kick off time.
Good luck with the drive down from Nice.
Anyway... The beer kittys in good shape now that deep pockets Damian has signed up...watch this space.

Ps...do Montpellier have traditional day for HEC/Euro games?

[UlsterNo9]

Apologies meant to say Gatwick

[damienmcguigan]

When it comes the time to book our flights n hotel etc i'll get in touch...ok Damo?

Perfect!