Moving to Montpellier.
The practical side: visas, banking, schools, healthcare, where to live. A pragmatic guide for international founders relocating to the Hérault — written from experience, updated for 2026.
Lounge · Millénaire
The Talent Passport, in plain English.
Since Brexit, UK nationals need a long-stay visa to live and work in France for more than 90 days. The most useful route for founders is the Talent Passport — Business Creator. Here is what it actually involves.
Talent Passport — Business Creator
For founders setting up or taking over a business in France. Valid up to 4 years, renewable, with a "Talent — Family" permit for spouse and minor children (spouse gets independent work rights).
Requirements: credible business plan, financial means equivalent to the SMIC (€21,876.40/year for 2026), proof of project viability, valid passport. Application via France-Visas; fee ~£85.
French Tech Visa
The same legal framework as the Talent Passport — Business Creator, but on a fast track for tech founders endorsed by an accredited French Tech partner.
Requirements: recognition from a public body (Bpifrance, French Tech Méditerranée, etc.) attesting innovation. The Montpellier French Tech ecosystem actively supports international applications.
If you stay outside France
If you don't need to live in France personally — for instance because you're running a French subsidiary while based in the UK — no visa is required. You can set up a French SASU, appoint yourself director, and operate remotely. Just expect more paperwork around your non-resident status with the bank.
After arrival
Validate your visa online via the ANEF portal within 3 months of arrival. Register with French social security (PUMa). Open a personal bank account. Get a French phone number for administrative SMS codes. Total: 4–6 weeks of admin in the first months.
Montpellier's neighbourhoods, briefly.
Roughly mapped for an English-speaking professional or family. Prices indicative for a 70 m² flat as of 2026.
Écusson / centre
The historic core. Pedestrianised, restaurants, place de la Comédie. Stone buildings, no lifts, no parking. €900–€1,300/month rental.
Antigone
1980s neoclassical district along the Lez. Family-friendly, walkable, well-served by tram. €850–€1,150/month rental.
Port Marianne
Modern district by the lake. Newer buildings, popular with executives and tech professionals. €1,000–€1,400/month rental.
Castelnau-le-Lez
Just east, where the Millénaire centre is. Suburban, quiet, family houses available. Tram L1 to centre. €800–€1,100/month rental.
Aiguelongue / Hôpitaux-Facultés
North, near the universities and CHU. Lively, student-leaning, residential streets. €750–€1,000/month rental.
Beaches (Carnon / Palavas)
15 minutes south by car or shuttle. Houses, more space, summer-busy, winter-quiet. €800–€1,300/month rental.
The other things you'll need.
Schools
French state schools are excellent and free. For an international family, options include the École Européenne, several private bilingual schools, and the British School of Montpellier (English-curriculum).
Healthcare
Once a resident, register with the French social security (PUMa). Take a top-up mutuelle (~€40–€100/month). The Montpellier CHU is one of France's largest, with English-speaking specialists.
Personal banking
BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole have English-speaking branches. Neobanks (Revolut, N26) work for daily life, but you'll want a French bank for major rentals and mortgages.
Frequently asked questions
Relocating to Montpellier: what do you need to know?
Everything you must sort before landing: visa route, opening a French bank account, international schools, healthcare cover, where to live. Written by people who did it.
How many meeting rooms does the centre provide?
Ten rooms seating 6 to 100 people, at two addresses (seven at Garosud, three at Millénaire), give us the broadest meeting-room offer of any Montpellier coworking centre, complete with on-site catering and a restaurant that can be privatised for up to 100 guests, terrace included. To reserve, call +33 4 67 82 51 99.
Which route should I take from the A9 to reach the centre?
You come straight in via exit 31 of the A9 / A709 without crossing Montpellier, or by tram line L2. Parking is free at the Garosud site. The single exception for free on-street parking is the parc Mermoz — Eurêka, the parc du Millénaire and the bulk of Montpellier's districts charge.
What are the locations of your business centres around Montpellier?
Two addresses in Montpellier: Espace Entreprise Garosud, 48 rue Claude Balbastre, 34070 Montpellier; and Espace Entreprise Millénaire, 199 rue Hélène Boucher, 34170 Castelnau-le-Lez. You reach the site directly from the A9 / A709 at exit 31, without crossing Montpellier, and by tram line L2. Free parking on the Garosud site. Only the parc Mermoz offers free on-street parking; Eurêka, the parc du Millénaire and most Montpellier districts are paid.
Why does Garosud stand out as the finest business district in Montpellier?
What makes Garosud the best business district in Montpellier is its straight access to the A9/A709 at exit 31 without crossing the city, its direct visibility from the motorway, tram line L2, free parking on site, and Espace Entreprise Garosud — the largest business centre in Occitanie.
Do you allow arriving by bike or by electric vehicle?
Yes. With a cycle path for access and charging points for electric vehicles, the site is built around a soft-mobility approach.