Montpellier

Partners: Cie imagine As part of: Artistic Encounters Hosted by David Azéma from Compagnie Imagine This body expression workshop will be approached through a sensory experience, drawing on diverse musical worlds inspired by antiquity to the present day. It will feature improvisations blending a touch of animality in suggested movements with the classical human element. A playful, imaginative, and choreographic way to allow hybrid creatures and characters to emerge, using the techniques of dance-theatre. Adults Information: 0434887684 MPT card required - registration required

EXTREME HOTEL is the name of a hotel in Addis Ababa, a simple place where Raymond Depardon likes to stay during his travels in Ethiopia. A modest base, a quiet place from which to observe the world. The exhibition follows this idea: taking the time to observe what surrounds us. It brings together nearly 150 color photographs, from the 1960s to the present day, and is organized into several series, including The Land of the Peasants, The DATAR, USA, Cartagena, and Tokyo. These images reveal a dual story: that of the photojournalist, during the heyday of news agencies and striking magazine front pages; and that of a man, the son of a farmer, whose gaze gradually shifted towards a freer and more intimate observation of the world. For this "carte blanche" exhibition, Raymond Depardon has opened his color archives to the Pavillon Populaire. He presents his work published in the press during his career as a photojournalist: from Queen Elizabeth to the Lebanese Civil War, from the Olympic Games to the Françoise Claustre affair. Throughout the exhibition, we also discover other, more solitary series in which Raymond Depardon spontaneously photographs places devoid of events, scenes of ordinary life, paying close attention to color and light. This exploration continues today with USA, a new series shot with a large-format camera in Texas, New Mexico, and South Dakota. Each series is a journey, a way of being in the world. Raymond Depardon offers us a colorful exploration of the countries he has traveled through and the feelings that accompanied him during his many stays across the globe. By taking us along on his travels, he teaches us a simple and humanist photography that deeply touches the traveler in each of us. Marie Perennès and Simon Depardon, curators of the exhibition Exhibition Itinerary 1. The Land of the Peasants Created in the 2000s, La Terre des Paysans (The Land of the Peasants) is Raymond Depardon's homage to his roots, a rural world he had long neglected, caught up in the pace of current events. Color accompanies this return to the land, to childhood, to what shaped him. Born in 1942 on a farm in the Saône Valley, Raymond Depardon still cherishes the gestures of his parents and the scenes of daily life in the farmyard, where he took his first color photographs with a Rolleiflex camera. One of the images from the series The Land of the Peasants, the portrait of Marcel Privat, has now become a postage stamp, a discreet symbol of a rural France that is gradually disappearing. 2. Press Color Black and white long dominated photojournalism, perceived as the language of seriousness and truth. Only the covers of major weekly magazines like Paris Match or Life were an exception: color became a tool of seduction, designed to make an impact and capture attention at newsstands. Photographers then worked with two cameras: one loaded with black and white film for the report, the other with color film to try and land the cover, the true Holy Grail for photojournalists. Featuring press clippings from Raymond Depardon's personal archives, the "Press Color" section traces his career as a photojournalist: from Algeria to Vietnam, from the Olympic Games to the Claustre affair. Initially working for the press, color became for him the starting point for a freer, more personal, and more intimate style of photography. 3. The Datar In 1984, the DATAR (Interministerial Delegation for Regional Planning and Attractiveness) commissioned several photographers, including Raymond Depardon, to document the French landscape. Inspired by photographers such as Walker Evans, Paul Strand, and Robert Frank, Depardon recognized the importance of photographing his own territory and chose to return to his childhood home, the family farm. Shot in color with a large-format camera, the series meticulously captures even the smallest, seemingly insignificant details: a play of light, an oilcloth on a table, a wallpaper pattern. This more intimate approach to his subject marked a turning point in his practice. Thus began a demanding period of work with the large-format camera, which would give rise, 20 years later, to major series such as La France, or more recently, USA. Practical Information Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm (closed between 12pm and 2pm) Free entry. Last entry 15 minutes before closing. Accessible to people with disabilities. Guided Tours Weekly visits: Friday at 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 11am and 4pm Family visits: Wednesdays and Sundays at 11am and 3pm Booking is mandatory for all group visits (guided or unguided): [visites@montpellier.fr](mailto:visites@montpellier.fr)

From Saturday, December 13, 2025, the Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d'Espeyran, a private mansion located next to the Fabre Museum, will host Guimet+ Montpellier, born from a partnership between the Montpellier metropolis and the Guimet Museum in Paris. Discover an exceptional selection of masterpieces, a first approach to the ancient civilizations of China, the Indian world, Japan and the Himalayan world. A rich cultural program, combining artistic practices, conferences and debates, will enrich and nourish this new axis of openness to the world, in the great tradition of sharing knowledge and cultures in the city of Montpellier. Welcome to Guimet+ Montpellier! IMPORTANT The Cabrières-Sabatier d'Espeyran hotel is open on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm.

Free play areas are set up in different corners of the Pitchouns Space for a special moment with your child. Parent'aise is also a time for parents to connect and share experiences! Toddlers, children up to 6 years old accompanied by an adult Information: 0448186210 MPT card required - registration required

Join us every Tuesday for fun and friendly activities for toddlers and the adults who accompany them. Very young children up to 3 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Information: 0430783095 MPT card required - registration required

The Adoventuriers is your Wednesday afternoon meeting at the Maison pour tous l'Escoutaïre. Here, we don't just participate in activities: we imagine, create, and organize projects together for and with young people. (Excluding school holidays) Teenagers aged 11 to 15 Information: 0448186210 MPT card required - registration required

Tastavin Park Learn how to repair or maintain your bicycle, rollerblades, skateboard, or scooter (non-electric). Skilled volunteers will guide you, providing tools and practical advice to keep your equipment in good condition and ride safely. Registration is recommended: priority is given to registered individuals. Children under 10 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Information: 0434887684 MPT card required - free entry

Partners: Arpège, Baby Car Micro-nursery (Mas des Moulins), Hérault Sport, Early Childhood Center, William Shakespeare Media Library Come and let your children enjoy a fun, sensory and motor skills-based space, to share a friendly moment with your children and other parents, led by early childhood professionals. Early childhood, toddlers Information: 0448186220 MPT card required - registration required

Opening Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 6 p.m. With the IBM Montpellier Photo Club Discover the winning photos from the IBM France National Competition - 2025 The 75th edition of this major competition took place in Montpellier in October 2025. We are pleased to present here the winning photos from this event. Suitable for all audiences Information: 0448186205 Free admission

Join us every Tuesday for fun and friendly activities for toddlers and the adults who accompany them. A workshop dedicated to toddlers and their parents to share a moment of discovery and connection, with simple and fun activities to awaken creativity and curiosity. Toddlers up to 3 years old accompanied by an adult Information: 0430783095 MPT card required - registration required

Tastavin Park Transition from a balance bike to a small bicycle without training wheels, learning to pedal, steer, and ride safely. A fun way to gain confidence and discover the joy of cycling. Each child brings their own bike and helmet. Children aged 4 and 5 only Information: 0434887684 MPT card required - registration required

A workshop dedicated to toddlers and their parents to share a moment of discovery and connection, with simple and fun activities to awaken creativity and curiosity. Toddlers Information: 0430783095 MPT card required - registration required

Partners: Emile Zola Media Library Co-organized with the Mama Sound association A friendly, cultural and festive moment programmed every second Friday of the month to be enjoyed with family or friends at Rimbaud Park. Kids' area from 5:30 pm followed by concerts until 10 pm. Suitable for all audiences Information: 0448186208 Free admission

Throughout history, the Lez River, a source of life and creation, has inspired poets, painters, and filmmakers. Now, the photographic gaze joins this lineage: that of women and men who, through their images, explore the light, reflections, and metamorphoses of this ever-changing landscape. Each photograph becomes a fragment of visual memory, a trace of the passage of time on the water, the stone, the vegetation, or human creations. Between documentary observation and poetic interpretation, these images question our relationship to the river and its environment. Opening reception Thursday, January 22nd at 6:30 pm The Objectif Image Montpellier association invites you to come and discover and discuss the theme Around the Lez River. May these images also take you on a journey during this opening. Suitable for all audiences Information: 0448186219 Free admission

An exhibition presented by the photography workshops of the Boris Vian and Mélina Mercouri community centers. The theme chosen for the photography workshops evokes movement, travel, whether real or imagined. Setting off on an adventure, on the road, in the air, on the sea, going to meet the world and oneself. Wednesday, January 21st, from 7pm to 9pm Opening of the photo exhibition "On the Road" Sharing a glass of friendship. Meeting and discussions with the exhibitors. Suitable for all audiences Information: 0448186245 Free admission

Tastavin Park Do you already know how to ride without training wheels? Come and perfect your skills at workshops dedicated to braking, navigation, and balance. Bring your bike and helmet. Children aged 5 and up Information: 0434887684 MPT card required - registration required

Partners: Elever en tribus Association Discover the world's traditions and rituals through an artistic approach. An invitation to explore cultural diversity together, drawing inspiration from the world's riches. Children aged 4 to 6 years accompanied by a parent Information: 0430783095 MPT card required - registration required

Partners: Elever en Tribu Association Come and discover a welcoming and playful space specially designed for parents and their children, to promote free movement, curiosity and social and emotional development. Toddlers up to 3 years old accompanied by a parent Information: 0430783095 MPT card required - registration required

A morning to play with family or friends. Suitable for all audiences Information: 0430783095 Free admission

The William Shakespeare, Émile Zola, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau media libraries, alongside their partners, invite you to explore the worlds of the imagination. A rich program combining workshops, screenings, meetings, games, and numerous activities, where creativity, personal reflection, and science fiction intersect, awaits you. The spectrum of resilience unfolds in multiple visions: ❯ collapses (apocalypses and disasters) ❯ human resistances (reorganizations of the social world) ❯ protections of the living (preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity) A whole laboratory of futures in full eruption! [Discover our program](https://mediatheques.montpellier3m.fr/default/myceliades.aspx)