Data Centers in Montpellier

Montpellier – Strategic Access to Southern Europe

Montpellier is an emerging edge data center market providing strategic access to Southern France and the Mediterranean basin. For businesses targeting this region, Montpellier offers a cost-effective alternative to larger hubs like Marseille, delivering low-latency connectivity for local users and a resilient secondary location for disaster recovery.

Montpellier: At A Glance

Network & Connectivity Ecosystem

Montpellier's connectivity is characterized by strong national links rather than a dense international ecosystem. As a secondary market, it provides reliable access to the primary interconnection hub of Marseille.

Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: The market is served by over 3 major providers, with several national and regional carriers present, as of September 2025. Carrier-neutral facilities offer diverse connectivity options, though provider density is lower than in Marseille or Paris.

Direct Cloud On-Ramps: There are no direct public cloud on-ramps within Montpellier, as of September 2025. Businesses connect to cloud providers via private network extensions or dedicated circuits to Marseille, which hosts on-ramps for all major cloud platforms.

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): Public peering is limited within Montpellier itself. Most network traffic is exchanged through private peering arrangements or routed via major national exchange points in Marseille and Paris.

Bare Metal: Bare metal server options are available, primarily from national providers like OVHcloud. These services allow businesses to deploy dedicated hardware without managing the underlying data center infrastructure.

Power Analysis

France's power infrastructure is known for its stability and high percentage of carbon-free generation, which benefits data center operators in Montpellier.

Average Cost Of Power: Industrial electricity rates typically range from €0.18 to €0.22/kWh, as of September 2025. This pricing, influenced by the nation's significant nuclear power base (~68%), provides cost predictability compared to markets more dependent on fossil fuels.

Power Grid Reliability: The French power grid is well-engineered and reliable. Data centers in the region are supported by modern infrastructure, with redundant connections to the national grid ensuring high levels of uptime for mission-critical operations.

Market Access, Business & Tax Climate

Montpellier provides a strategic location for accessing the markets of Southern France and the Western Mediterranean coast.

Proximity To Key Business Districts: Data centers in the area serve Montpellier's growing technology and startup scene, as well as academic and research institutions. The city is a hub for software development, health tech, and environmental sciences.

Regional Market Reach: The market effectively serves a population of millions across the Occitanie region. Its location provides low-latency connections to cities like Toulouse, Nîmes, and Perpignan, and acts as a gateway to Spain.

Tax Advantage For Data Centers: While France lacks a blanket national tax incentive program, specific projects can receive substantial support. The European Investment Bank has provided significant loan financing for data center construction, demonstrating a favorable climate for strategic digital infrastructure investments.

Natural Disaster Risk

Montpellier has a low overall risk profile, with an INFORM Risk score of 2.7 out of 10, as of September 2025. The primary environmental hazards are related to water, though the probability of a severe event remains low.

Key natural hazards for the region include:

• River Flood: Score of 7.5
• Coastal Flood: Score of 7.4
• Earthquake: Score of 2.8
• Tsunami: Score of 2.5

While coastal and river flooding present the highest individual risks, modern data center site selection and facility engineering effectively mitigate these threats. Tropical cyclone risk is non-existent.