Narbonne is a pleasant and dynamic city, the center of which is crossed by the Canal de la Robine. Labeled City and Country of Art and History, Narbonne has many monuments to discover. In 2021, the Narbo Via Museum will complete the cultural offer of the ancient Roman city.
From the Roman city to the modern city
Since Antiquity, the region of Narbonne has been a crossroads of river, sea and land routes. In - 118, the Romans built Narbo Martius, capital of Narbonne Gaul. It is equipped with an immense port where merchant ships and the war fleet dock, inaugurating the vocation of commercial crossroads of Narbonne and its region.
Town Hall Square, in the heart of City of Art and History, one of the testimonies of Romanity is revealed to you: the Via Domitia. This ancient trade route linked Italy to Spain. It is located under the monumental complex of the medieval period: the Archbishops Palace (which houses the Archaeological and Art Museums) and the Saint Just Saint Pasteur cathedral.
In the XNUMXth century, the creation of Canal du Midi gives new hope for prosperity. The Robine canal (dug in the old bed of the Aude) joins the Canal du Midi via the junction canal at Gailhousty and crosses Narbonne, to reach in a slow progression in the middle of the ponds, Port-la-Nouvelle and the Mediterranean sea by passing through Saint Lucia Island, a natural reserve that we can also visit. This route can be done from Narbonne by bike, for example by renting a Electric mountain bike at Languedoc VTT Evasion !
The modern city is just as enjoyable to visit, with its sunny quay, its terraces of cafes and restaurants, its alleys and pedestrianized squares. Do not fail to do some shopping or quick lunch at the counter in the halls of Narbonne, open every day from 7 a.m. to 14 p.m..
Narbo Via, a museum of Romanity in Narbonne
New for 2021, the Narbo Via Museum presents a rich collection of ancient works from the city and its surroundings, through an ultra modern museum tour. From now on, Narbonne's Roman past will hold no more secrets for you!