About
The Préfecture de l'Hérault is the administrative headquarters of the Hérault department, set in the city of Montpellier in the Occitania region of southern France. It houses the offices of the prefect, the state's representative in the department, along with a range of public administrative services. For most visitors it is first a working government building, and a visit here is best understood as a look at how the French state is organised locally.
The building and its setting
The prefecture stands on the place des Martyrs de la Résistance, in the Cedex 2 district of Montpellier. Its address is a useful reference point when planning a walk through the city, since the square is a short distance from the centre and the public transport network serves the wider area well. The building is recognised as a notable institutional building in the city, and its role gives it a civic weight that visitors may find interesting to observe from the outside.
What to expect
- A working administrative building, so the visit is best approached as a look at the exterior and the square rather than a guided tour of interiors.
- Access to the public services housed within is for those with business to conduct, so check in advance what applies to your visit.
- The surrounding streets offer the cafés, shops and squares that make Montpellier an easy city to explore on foot.
The prefecture suits visitors with an interest in government architecture, French administration, or the everyday life of a regional capital. Combined with a walk through the historic centre and a stop at one of the city's squares, it makes a quiet and worthwhile part of a day in Montpellier.