Toulouse or Montpelier

I visited all three of these places last May. Narbonne makes a nice home base. We stayed there three nights, and the evenings were very enjoyable.

We also stayed in both Toulouse and Montpelier. You can't go wrong with either option. They are both very walkable and pedestrian friendly. I lean more towards Toulouse. That might be because we spent more time there so we got to see more of it. A really nice discovery was the Jardin des Plantes. Since we had long days, we would walk there in the late afternoon/early evening. We also enjoyed the archeological Musée Saint-Raymond. After our museum visit, we had a very pleasant lunch in the courtyard.

Honestly, you can't go wrong with either city. They both have lots to offer.

I agree with Laurie, both options are interesting.

Both cities are very dynamic (many universities), Toulouse has a particular style, it's called the Pink City.

Be aware, however, that Toulouse is a larger city than Montpellier (it's the 4th largest city in France) and requires at least two full days to visit the main attractions. This can be somewhat of a disadvantage if you only have one day and part of it will be spent traveling by train.

Also, don't forget that just because you arrive at the train station doesn't mean you're a two-minute walk from all the must-see places (quite the opposite).

Given that they're both about an hour away by train, in the end it's up to you to think about it and choose according to your interests.

To help you choose:

https://www.toulouse-tourisme.com/en/

https://www.montpellier-france.com/

We visited Toulouse in a day trip from Carcassonne about a week ago and really enjoyed it. The itinerary was the self-directed walking tour using the map we picked up at the tourist information office. Really enjoyable time. For us, I think the time we spent was perfect.

I spent several days in Toulouse last year with the specific goal of seeing the Airbus museum and plant, which were very interesting. I also enjoyed the Bemberg Art Museum which houses an excellent collection of Impressionists.