L'Arbre is the restaurant and rooftop bar of the Arbre Blanc, the bold architectural landmark on the banks of the Lez in Montpellier. Spread across two levels — at the foot of the building and right at its summit — it's the creation of Eric Cellier alongside Charles and François Fontes, conceived as an audacious contrast between the modernity of the Arbre Blanc and a wish to reconnect with the French gastronomic tradition. At ground level, reached via the esplanade overlooking the Lez (which also serves the building's art gallery, La Serre), the restaurant serves a warm, traditional brasserie cuisine: a modernised cuisine bourgeoise that celebrates the produce of Occitanie and comes dressed in new virtues — convivial, balanced, family-friendly, and accessible.
The seasonal carte is rooted in French culinary heritage. Starters might include a sea bream terrine with fresh herbs and lemon gel, a chiffonnade of Serrano ham, or escargots à la bourguignonne, while mains run from frog legs with lemon jus and persillade to grilled beef with fries and béarnaise, a turbot filet with Noilly Prat sauce, courgette, and tapenade, and a fregola sarda risotto with tomato and parmesan espuma. To finish, there are classics like a royal chocolat, apple tart with chantilly, an abricotine with almond mousse and white-chocolate crunch, a baba au rhum, and a cheese plate. The restaurant welcomes guests for lunch from Tuesday to Friday and for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.
Up on the 17th and final floor, reached by a private lift from the restaurant's reception, the rooftop bar reveals a breathtaking 360° panorama over Montpellier and its region — the Mediterranean stretching to Sète and the Mont Saint-Clair on one side, the first foothills of the Cévennes and a seemingly close Pic Saint-Loup on the other. Here you can enjoy a wide selection of spirits, regional and further-flung wines, and a regularly changing cocktail list with creations like the Mare Capri gin and tonic, an Italicus Spritz, a Mojito, a Pina Colada, or a Moscow Mule, alongside sharing tapas served without reservation in eco-labelled tableware — from teriyaki chicken skewers and crispy squid with cocktail sauce to goat cheese with olive oil and herbes de Provence. Open Tuesday to Saturday into the early hours, the rooftop also hosts regular sunset lounges and DJ nights. With its striking setting, its proudly French and regional cooking, and its unbeatable view from the top of the Arbre, L'Arbre offers a memorable experience from top to bottom in the heart of Montpellier.