Antigone

 It was a glorious day, so after lunch with my friends, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and explore a part of Montpellier that I haven't yet visited. Just beyond the Centre Ville, separated by the Polygone Shopping Centre, there is a district called Antigone. This is a much newer  part of the city that has a more modern feel. It was designed by an Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill who managed to combine the advantages of modernity with warmth and charm. 

I took a new tram (Ligne 1 - blue with swallows) to get there.

Indeed the buildings are larger and more modern, but fit well with the rest of the city. The streets are wider with more traffic as you can see from these pictures.

This courtyard and these buildings remind me a little of Telus Plaza in Edmonton.

However, through the centre of Antigone, there is a beautiful pedestrian walkway lined with outdoor cafés, market stalls, pretty fountains and shops. 

En route you pass the infamous Piscine Olympique (Olympic pool). It really is a huge, modern building, but my camera just couldn't capture its grandeur from the outside. I wandered in and watched some of the people swimming.

Adjacent to the Olympic pool, there's a kiddie pool, a water slide and a couple of hot tubs

Although I didn't see it this visit, I did notice a sign that said there is an Olympic gymnasium as well.

Beyond the pool, there is the Place de l'Europe. This is a great open green space flanked by two semi circular buildings.

It faces the river, Le Lez. Next visit, I hope to ride a bike along the banks of the river and take a number of photos. This time, I took pictures of the Australian bar, the fountain and the buildings across the river when my camera battery died. The Australian bar is popular with the younger students at the school. Needless to say, I haven't been. I did stop for a beer across the way at le Sud and enjoyed watching the pedestrians and cyclists travelling on the boardwalk.

Le Conseil Général du Languedoc-Roussillon

Buildings across the river Le Lez

Our classmate and friend, Martina is leaving tomorrow. We will miss her,  but she is quite excited about moving to Florence to be with her boyfriend and perhaps find work with an International Foundation. My new friend Enio and I are thinking about taking a trip somewhere this week-end. We haven't made any firm plans, but I'll let you know next post.