History and Heritage

For centuries, thousands of young people have chosen to study at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Montpellier. As early as the Middle Ages, Montpellier’s apothecaries were renowned for their expertise, and beginning in 1572, they began taking on “apprentice apothecaries.” These apprentices came from all over France and even from across Europe to learn the art of pharmacy and attend classes, particularly in “chemistry” and botany at the Botanical Garden.

Thanks to the master apothecaries’ great expertise and their tradition of passing down knowledge, Montpellier was chosen as the site for one of France’s first three schools of pharmacy, established in 1803. The training program gradually shifted from an apprenticeship system to a more structured university education.

The school expanded and moved in 1963 from downtown to its current location. Its name also changed over time: School, Special School, School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences.

Major discoveries were made: bromine by Balard, then still a student, and the fight against phylloxera by Planchon… As the pharmaceutical industry began to industrialize, a world-renowned program in Industrial Pharmacy was established.

Today, this long history of pharmaceutical arts in Montpellier is brought to life through the exhibits on display at the Droguier and the Albert Ciurana Pharmacy Museum.