La Valette: AgroParisTech partners with a future community-based third place

The AgroParisTech campus in Montpellier is located on the La Valette site, which is also home to a former orphanage that stands vacant today. This historic building is set to take on a new lease on life: on May 22, 2026, the City of Montpellier officially launched the planning phase for a future “third place” dedicated to scientific culture and the ecological transition. This project is part of a broader initiative to revitalize the large Lunaret Park, the city’s future green lung to the north.

Rather than starting construction right away, the project leaders have opted for a gradual approach: a full year of experimentation will allow them to test how the space is used before its final transformation. There will be a daily presence on site, featuring events, participatory workshops, and initial hands-on experiments focused on food, coworking, cultural activities, school visits, and environmental education.

This future third place is the result of a consultation process conducted in 2025 with numerous local stakeholders—including associations, scientists, and institutions—united by a common goal: to create a space that serves the Grand Parc de Lunaret. Alongside local organizations and residents, several scientific organizations and institutions of higher education are involved in the initiative, including INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Institut Agro, CIHEAM-IAMM, and AgroParisTech, all united under the banner of Agropolis International.

For Montpellier’s elected officials, the challenge is to make the Grand Parc de Lunaret accessible to as many people as possible while preserving its natural and cultural heritage. This project is part of the “Montpellier Ville Nature” strategy, at a time when residents are expressing a growing need for nature, a sense of community, and shared spaces amid rapid urban growth. For AgroParisTech, which has long been based at this site, this is an opportunity to strengthen its ties to the local community and to contribute, alongside its scientific partners, to a project that combines research, outreach, and civic engagement.