Ten riddles across the Écusson and along the Peyrou promenade
The Montpellier scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark, solve a riddle at each by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories, local legends and fun facts behind it. From Place de la Comédie to Place de la Canourgue the walking itself takes around 36 minutes over 2.6 km and 10 stops, and with riddles, stories and the odd pause in the shade the game lasts about 2 hours, starting whenever you open it.
Highlights include the Opéra Comédie, Saint-Roch church, the Peyrou arch and its promenade, the Saint-Clément aqueduct, the Jardin des Plantes and Saint-Pierre Cathedral. The walk moves from medieval lanes in the Écusson to a garden founded in 1593 and an aqueduct built in 1753, so the city's history is easy to follow on foot.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 36 min · 2.6 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
What happens on the way through the Écusson
Painted steps, a king on horseback, unicorns
Every stop hides a riddle in what you are looking at: the painted staircase of Rue du Bras-de-Fer, the arch dedicated to Louis XIV, the unicorns on the fountain of Place de la Canourgue. Careful eyes and some logic crack each one, and you can leave the history books at home.
Pilgrims, botanists and a fortress church
Solving a riddle unlocks the story of the place: why Saint Roch, born in Montpellier, became the patron of pilgrims, how Henri IV came to found the Jardin des Plantes in 1593, and why locals call the cathedral Fort Saint-Pierre. Under the arches of the aqueduct, the audio narration can read each story aloud.
From the square to the aqueduct and back into the lanes
The 2.6 km take about 36 minutes on foot: through the lanes of the Écusson, out along the Peyrou to the Saint-Clément aqueduct, then back past the botanical garden to the cathedral. Between the medieval streets of the Écusson and the open Peyrou, Google Maps keeps you heading for the next stop.
Breaks in the shade
No timer runs, so a coffee on Place de la Comédie or a rest on a bench in the Jardin des Plantes fits in whenever you want, and the game can be picked up again on another day. Staying near the cathedral? Make Saint-Pierre or the Canourgue your first stop in the app.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Who gets the most out of a riddle walk through the Écusson
A first afternoon in Montpellier
In about two hours you cover the Opéra, the Peyrou, the botanical garden and the cathedral, a good way to find your bearings before exploring the Écusson on your own. Each riddle gives you a reason to look up at façades you would otherwise walk straight past.
Children who like painted steps and unicorns
Children enjoy climbing the colourful staircase of Rue du Bras-de-Fer, spotting the king on horseback on the Peyrou and counting the unicorns on the Canourgue fountain. Each team includes an adult, and from the Opéra to the Canourgue no stretch between riddles is long.
Groups who regroup under the hackberry trees
Up to 5 players form a team, each on their own phone, so a group can split up on Place de la Comédie and meet again in the shade of Place de la Canourgue. Everything happens on the streets and squares of the Écusson, so there is nothing to book except the tickets.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
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