Rebecca Marshall for The New York Times  Clockwise from left, a Christian Lacroix-designed tram, anchovies at La Morue, a view from inside city hall, a room at Baudon de Mauny and apricots at a Sunday market. More Photos »  NOSTRADAMUS, a former resident of France’s eighth-largest metropolis, might have put it this way: “The lord of multicolored pants / Will conjure two iron serpents / And a bald builder shall erect / A mighty blue monolith.” It would be an apt prediction of the splashy new projects appearing in this Mediterranean city, which has recruited titans of fashion and architecture to inject some style and modernity. Christian Lacroix, celebrated for his radiant clothing lines, has decorated two recently unveiled tram lines, while the superstar architect Jean Nouvel devised the plans for the enormous new monolithic (and very blue) city hall. Throw in a forthcoming futuristic municipal archives building from the architect Zaha Hadid, and this university center and night-life hotbed may be France’s most forward-looking city.  5 p.m.1. STREETCAR NAMED LACROIX  To surf Montpellier’s design wave, ride tram No. 3 (1.40 euros, or $1.70 at $1.20 to the euro) to the Moularès station. Designed by Mr. Lacroix, the kaleidoscopic tram cars — covered with strange sea creatures and exotic marine flora — drops you next to the new Hôtel de Ville, or city hall. The $130 million 12-story blue monolith was created by Mr. Nouvel and his co-architect François Fontès to anchor Montpellier’s fast-rising Port Marianne district. Walk around the building and admire the canals, light shafts, pixilated windows and dazzling silvery panels in the courtyard. Brasserie de l’Hôtel de Ville (80, place Georges Frêche, 33-4-67-85-22-96; bdhv-montpellier.com) is a pleasant spot to admire the architecture while sipping pastis (2.60 euros).  7 p.m.2. SONG AND DANCE  Another iconic French designer — Jean-Paul Gaultier — has helped reinvigorate Montpellier by doing the costumes for “The Marriage of Figaro,” for the reopening of the opera house (Place de la Comedie, 33-4-67-60-19-99; opera-montpellier.com) this June after nearly two years of renovations. For modern moves, Agora (18, rue Sainte Ursule; 33-4-67-60-83-60; mathildemonnier.com) is a 1641 convent that has been transformed into Montpellier’s Cité Internationale de la Danse, a haven of contemporary dance.  10 p.m.3. TOP MEAL, TOP DEAL  Is L’Atelier Gourmand (17, avenue du Pont Juvénal; 33-4-99-51-75-23; lateliergourmand-montpellier.com) a gastronomic temple or a design emporium? Judging from the chef Pascale Vende’s modern menu and the dining room’s burgundy walls and neo-Moorish tiles, both labels apply. With an ace three-course dinner menu for only 29 euros, the year-old town-house restaurant is practically a philanthropy as well. Appetizers include cold green and white asparagus with tangy asparagus foam; dessert might be warm liquid dark chocolate in a highball alongside a glass of chilled white chocolate with raspberry jelly. In between, the duck is robust, with avocado mousse.  11 p.m.4. PAPA KNOWS BEST  Ernest Hemingway would have loved Papa Doble (6, rue du Petit Scel; 33-4-67-55-66-66; papadoble.fr). The stylish underground bar is a shrine to two of the Nobel laureate’s favorite things: booze and himself. Images of Hemingway are all over the cool, cavernous interior — and a daiquiri favored by the writer provides the bar’s name. But the real resident genius is the owner, Julien Escot, an award-winning bartender whose concoctions are a global journey, from the Caribbean Julep (dark rum, mint, sugar, cinnamon, Pimento Dram liqueur; 9.50 euros) to Tokyo Society (vodka, Nigori Yuzuchu sake, lemon juice, sugar, vanilla bitters, Sichuan pepper; 9.50 euros). He’s even a writer as well, with a new book, “Cocktails: Leçons de Dégustation.”  11 a.m.5. ART OF DARKNESS  At the Musée Fabre (39, boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle; 33-4-67-14-83-00; museefabre.fr), bet on black. Sure, the venerable institution brims with colorful paintings by Dutch masters and other notables, but the real jewels are the dozens of black canvases donated by the French abstract artist Pierre Soulages. Some look like giant Rorschach blots, others like oversize Chinese ink brush swaths. For additional darkness, the temporary exhibition “Corps et Ombres” — “Bodies and Shadows” — features another dark figure, Caravaggio, through Oct. 14.  If you can’t get to the sea, get to La Morue (23, rue du Palais des Guilhem; 33-4-67-52-82-62). Opened last year, this tiny boathouse-chic restaurant does unfussy preparations of nearly anything with fins, gills or shells. (The name means “cod,” a menu staple.) Tender anchovies are fried just enough to give a snappy coating without overcooking the soft meat within; a light touch also brings out the undersea flavor of the grilled cod fillet. For dessert, the tiramisù with Nutella is dangerously rich. Lunch for two runs about 50 euros.  4 p.m.7. DOGS, DRESSES, DESIGN  Walkers rejoice: L’Écusson, Montpellier’s historical core, is one of the largest pedestrian zones in France, and the twisting passages of medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and 19th-century buildings contain the city’s coolest shops. Those hard-to-find white fire extinguishers embossed with pictures of dandified dogs (108 euros) are on sale at Metropolitan (30, rue Foch; 33-4-67-67-18-70; metropolitan-ad.com), an art gallery and home-décor shop. At No Comment (47, rue de l’Aiguillerie; 33-4-67-60-85-91), the leather designer Marc Jaillot can zip you into a violet sleeveless dress (370 euros) or fuchsia pants (350 euros). You may expect to run into Robert Crumb (who lives in the region) at En Traits Libres (2, rue du Bayle; entraitslibres.blogspot.com), a haven of underground comics, illustrated T-shirts and posters by local artists.  6 p.m.8. A BLUE MOOD  You’ll cross paths with everyone from Lolita to Miss Marple at L’Heure Bleue (1, rue Carbonnerie; 33-4-67-66-41-05), a cozy tearoom decorated in 19th-century British drawing-room style. Those are the names of two of the many tea blends (4 to 5 euros) on the eclectic menu, which is also full of coffees and pastries. It’s the perfect spot to unwind after a day of art-gazing and shopping. Much of the décor is for sale, including the set of 19th-century Baccarat liqueur glasses (160 euros) and the hammered copper lampshade from Afghanistan (245 euros).
In this Mediterranean city, trams are wrapped in style, city hall wears blue and the fruit of the sea decorates plates.