Together with Marseille teammates Thomas Deruda and Jean-Philippe Sabo, Bocaly joined Ligue 2 club Montpellier on loan for the 2008–09 season. Bocaly made his debut in a 1–0 loss to Strasbourg on 4 August in which he was voted Montpellier's man of the match. He became a first-team regular, starting all but four of Montpellier's league matches, and scored four goals; his first for the club came on 22 August in a 4–0 win away to Reims, the fourth helped them beat Brest 3–2 in March to boost their promotion chances. Interviewed before an eventful final day of the season, facing a Strasbourg side needing a draw to secure promotion, Bocaly summed up the task ahead: "we don't have to think, we have to win!" They went 2–0 up after 20 minutes, then goalkeeper Johann Carrasso injured his knee saving a penalty and had to be replaced. Strasbourg scored just before half-time, and Montpellier held out through a tense second half and six minutes of stoppage time for a 2–1 win that confirmed a second-place finish, ahead of Boulogne on goal difference.