Holiday Destinations - Narbonne France
See a little bit of the Via Domitia, discover the Canal de la Robine or shop in the 'Halles de Narbonne'
Narbonne in the South of France
The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul and, being over 500 kilometers long, it runs from the alps to the Pyrenees. During building works to the Hotel de Ville in 1997 a part of it was discovered in the square and it has now been uncovered to form a site of interest for Narbonne. So follow the signs for the Hotel de Ville to find it and then if you look closely you can see where the hard lime flagstones have been marked by ruts from the many wooden carts that must have passed over them as the Romans travelled along its length. You will also be able to see the original side walks next to the road.
This is one of the many interesting features of this lovely city in the South of France. Another significant one is the Canal de la Robine which links the Canal du Midi to the Mediterranean Sea and runs right through the centre of the city. It has numerous bridges across it to link one half of the city to the other and during the spring and summer the bridges are adorned with hundreds of flowers.
You can get boat trips on the canal, relax at one of the waterside restaurants or make use of the practically free bike on demand system to take a proactive stance on protecting the environment and keeping yourself a little fitter. Alternatively you can employ the services of the Petite Train, a service found in most of the large cities in the South of France, and for as little as €5 you can take the easy on the feet sightseeing trip of Narbonne.
Places of Interest
- Palais Des Archeveques Saint-Just Cathedral
- Le Palais-Neuf
- Le Jardin et la Salle du Pilier
- Salle du Tresor de la Cathedrale
- Le Musee d’Art et d’Histoire
- L’Horreum Romain
- Musee Lapidaire
- Le Canal de la Robine
- The Via Domitia
There are more but getting around these will give you a great day out in this lovely French city, one of Europe’s finest locations.
Narbonne Plage and Gruissan
Another benefit of visiting Narbonne is that the Mediterranean coastline is but a stones throw away and when you tire of the city centre and all the places of interest, you can soon wend your way to the coast and make the most of the wonderful sandy beaches at Narbonne Plage and Gruissan.
Gruissan is a personal favorite because you have a nice mix of the new with the modern marina and all its restaurants or you can head into the old town to wander around the streets or climb the castle for the view out across the Med. Also of course is that lovely beach for a quiet nap or a few beach games and perhaps a dip in the sea.
We have spent many a day chilling out at Gruissan and can highly recommend it.Oh and if you are around on the 29th June you can join in with the fisherman’s feast to celebrate St Peter’s day.
Halles de Narbonne
If you like the French food markets you will find that Narbonne has 2 a week. All day Thursday & Sunday mornings plus the food hall ‘Halles de Narbonne’ is open all but 1 day in the year from 7.00a.m. to 1.00p.m. The hall was opened on the 1st January 1901 when the square in front of the Hotel de Ville just got too busy to continue to play host to the market.
Because Narbonne is pedestrian friendly, parking can be a little tricky and cars are regularly checked, so its a good idea to park away from the town centre and walk in to save getting into trouble. There is a shuttle service that operates all week except Sunday from the Parc des Sports et de L’amitie, the Parc des Expositions or the Theatre car park. Well worth considering.
Of course the upside of this is that walking around the centre of Narbonne is a pleasure because you are not fighting with traffic and can stroll around trouble free.
