France captain Guilhem Guirado will make the switch from three-time European Champions Cup winners Toulon to Montpellier from the start of next season.
The 32-year-old has signed a three-year deal and will join up with Montpellier after next year’s Rugby World Cup, having joined fellow Top 14 side Toulon in 2014.
Guirado, who also made more than 200 appearances for Perpignan, made his first appearance for Les Bleus off the bench in the 2008 Six Nations against Italy in the closing week of the Championship.
He has since gone on to establish himself as first choice hooker at international level, before being made captain when Guy Novès took over as head coach in 2015.
Jacques Brunel retained him as skipper after taking over the national side in 2017, with Guirado repaying his faith in the 2018 Six Nations – receiving a nomination for Player of the Championship.
Speaking about his decision to swap Toulon for Montpellier, Guirado said: “Being from Perpignan, this is a club that I know well and I feel close to.
“Montpellier wants to succeed, to settle at the highest level and of course to win titles. It is also my ambition. There are not many seasons left in front of me.
“I know a lot of players in Montpellier, that I rubbed shoulders in selection or on the grounds of Top 14, including Fulgence Ouedraogo and Louis Picamoles.
“We have been playing together since we were small since we are of the same generation. Of course, I took it into account when making my decision. Everything was done so that it goes well.”
Guirado, who has more than 60 caps for Les Bleus, has been in good form during the Autumn Internationals, scoring four tries in three matches for his country.
He touched down in the opening Test against the Springboks, a 29-26 defeat, before crossing again against Argentina as France ended their five-game winless streak.
A further two tries came against Fiji in Paris, but his efforts were not enough to prevent France from finishing the November series with their first defeat to the Fijians.
