Built on a former set of barracks in the 1970s, Antigone has a fascinating architectural design around a central citadel. Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill was the creator of the remarkable neoclassical aesthetic around the esplanade and shopping center. Visit Antigone and marvel at the style of the buildings spread through this intriguing quarter beside the center of Montpellier.

Right in the center of Antigone are the ruins of the historic Citadel of Montpellier. Admire the imposing stone walls of the bastions that have survived, half covered in overgrown vegetation. Note that the site was built in the 1620s under the reign of King Louis XIII to halt rebellions. It became the Joffre Barracks in the 1900s, before serving as the Lycée Joffre college.

Providing a modern contrast to the 17th-century citadel is the impressive Le Polygone shopping center, with a modern, glassy exterior. Browse the stores and cafés and stop at the FNAC Montpellier department store. In front of the mall, watch street performers in the spacious plaza, which is lined with shops and ice cream parlors.

Walk east through a baroque esplanade, passing gorgeous fountains, potted floral displays and classical sculptures. At the eastern end of Antigone is the Place de l’Europe, a gorgeous courtyard overlooking a large fountain in the Lez River. A range of bars and restaurants overlook the water, while a curved arch of two neoclassical structures surrounds the back of the plaza.

The area’s name comes from the play written by Sophocles in 441 B.C. The quarter borders the eastern side of the Place de la Comédie. Walk north from the Gare Saint Roch to get here in about 15 minutes or travel by tram to the Antigone, Place de l’Europe or Léon Blum stops. Visit some of the neighboring quarters, including St. Roch, Port Marianne and Les Beaux-Arts.

With shops and bars overlooking the river and a citadel at its core, Antigone offers a change in aesthetic from the rest of the city.