Montpellier (Hérault) squats the small screen. Since 2018, it is here thatsuch a big sun, the daily soap opera of France 2, is filmed. Last year, it was here, too, that France 2 celebrated music. And, for two years, on the occasion of Nights of Peyrou, W9 and Culture Box are recording several of their summer musical shows outdoors in the Hérault capital. Rebelote until Thursday, at the Domaine d’O. But do these countless appearances by Montpellier on television have an impact on tourism? When you see Montpellier on television, do you really want to visit the city?
There is no doubt, for Caroline Berland, the deputy director of the Tourist Office of the metropolis of Montpellier. “Anything that puts the spotlight on Montpellier is, of course, beneficial,” she confides. Impossible to quantify precisely how many, but many tourists call the Tourist Office or go to the counter, on the Place de la Comédie, specifying that if they have chosen this destination, it is… because they saw it on television.
“These programs highlight a tremendous effervescence”
Programs such as “La fête de la musique” (France 2) or “Tonight we sing with the firefighters” (W9) have the merit of allowing viewers, “to discover a city they may not know continues the deputy director of the Tourist Office. The images are always magnificent, it makes you want, of course. And then, beyond the heritage, these programs highlight a tremendous effervescence, it makes you want to discover this city, where there is always something going on. »
But the program that brings the most curious people to Montpellier is such a big sun. Every evening, the city is the star of the soap opera, at prime time. “Many future visitors call us at the Tourist Office because they are fans ofsuch a big sun, and that they want to follow in the footsteps of the series, continues Caroline Berland. This is enormous visibility for Montpellier. International visibility, since the series is also broadcast abroad. A few years ago, we went to the United States, and an American accosted us saying “Oh, Montpellier, such a big sun, I love it!” A lady also called us one day to say “It’s my daughter’s birthday, she’s a fan, we’re going to surprise her by coming to Montpellier!” »
“It’s nice to know that people are walking around Montpellier and saying to themselves, ‘Ah, that thing, I saw it in an episode!’ »
On the other hand, to the great displeasure of fans of the La Deux series, it is not possible to visit the studios. On the other hand, the Tourist Office has set up two guided tours, in the Ecusson and in the new districts, to discover the outdoor filming locations ofsuch a big sun, with Magali, a guide like no other: she is also one of the dressers and costume designers in the series. So, of course, the walk is full of behind-the-scenes explanations. “Some people remember absolutely everything, down to the smallest detail, confided Magali, to 20 minutes, when we tested its guided tour, when it was launched in the summer of 2021. I remember a boy, returning to CM1, who remembered the name of a villain in season 1. Incredible! »
At the Tourist Office, there are also heaps of goodies inspired bySuch a big sun. And the team is also working on revamping the location map it created for fans of the program. The tourist benefits ofsuch a big sun are “necessarily pleasing”, rejoiced Toma de Matteis, deputy director of France TV Studio, questioned on this subject by 20 minutes during his visit to Montpellier two years ago. “What we’re trying to do is tell stories,” he noted. If we can do this by highlighting a territory, we achieve a double objective. “It’s a way, for the one who was the historical producer of the series, to “take advantage of the space”, by “giving back something to those who welcome us. It’s nice to know that people are walking around town and say, “Ah, that thing, I saw it in an episode!” “.