Narbonne

Narbonne has been an ideal stop off when going places since Roman times and nowadays it’s also a good place to change trains.

Interactive Map

Printable PDF

You can download and print a copy of the strolls here

wander around town (4k blue)

Leave station and go straight ahead down Av. Pierre Semard

At the little roundabout, turn right and then cross the pretty little park of Square Thérèse Léon Blum and down Rue Ancienne Prte de Béziers.

Let’s wiggle to the left on to Rue Michelet which has the former Carmelite convent which has become a romantic hotel and adjoins the church of St Sebastien

Take the next right and squeeze down Rue Girard which opens out on to Place du Forum

Turn left to go down Rue Droite which has an arch topped by the roman she-wolf with Romulus and Remus - the Louve de Narbonne.

We pass the synagogue (opening times in the link) on our left.

Let’s continue down Rue Droite past the shops

At the end the street opens out onto a square (Pl. de l’Hôtel de Ville) with a fancy department store on the left, the archbishops palace on the right and in front, a sunken area, which is an exposed bit of the old roman road, the Via Domitia.

Take the far left left exit at the end of the square which leads to the canal - let’s follow the canal to the next bridge.

If you have the time, you could follow the canal all the way to Narbo via (red route) where there is an exhibition of the extensive Roman finds around here.

Cross the bridge (Passerelle des Barques) which on the far side has Les Halles. A fine place to pick up some fine food to fill our tummies every morning (open 7am- 2pm).

Goodies got, let’s meander back to the station and start with a wander along the canal.

One of the bridges is filled with shops - feel free to browse before continuing to the next little bridge, which takes us back.

Turn right and then left to go around the back of the Archbishops palace, which contains the garden and high-gothic cathedral of Saint-Just and Saint-Pasteur with flying buttresses and Flemish tapestries.

Follow the Cathedral round to the right and then turn left on to Rue Rouget de Lisle. This leads to the Horreum, an underground network of tunnels, the Romans used to store produce like grain. The visiting hours are here.

After visiting the Horreum (or walking past), turn left down Rue de Lieutenant-Colonel Deymes and then at the Roman garden mural, turn right down Rue du Capitole. The fancy Roman doorway halfway down this street on the left is the entrance to the Institute Sevigne, a private Catholic school.

At the end of the road is the significantly bigger state school, Collège Victor Hugo. Turn left down Av. Maréchal Foch and at the end is the railway tracks which lead back to the station on the right.

More history old and new (1k green)

From the station go left and then turn right down Rue Chaptal. Turn left at the main road (Av. de Lattre de Tassign) and on your left is a dip down to an old Roman well.

On the other side of the road is the City Cemetery which contains the grave of Frederick Bishop who died in the early stages of the First World War. Thanks to this discussion, we now know how he died. The diary entry of his commanding officer noted:

“A sad accident occurred only a few minutes after leaving Marseilles. In passing through a long tunnel the horses in one of the trucks became alarmed. In endeavouring to quiet them two drivers were kicked out of the train, and falling between the train and the wall of the tunnel, one was killed and the other badly injured.”

Leave the cemetery and take the left hand road which has an entrance to Clos de la Lombarde a Roman archeological site - it’s free to visit, but you might want to leave a donation to help volunteers protect the site (and explore more).

Narbo Via via the canal (3k red)

If you have the time, why to go for a wander along the canal which takes us to the new museum of Roman Narbonne, Narbo Via.

From the point we arrived at the canal on the wander around town, continue down the canal for 1 km. You will pass three bridges. The first is the one that would take you to Les Halles. Then you will pass a little footbridge and finally pass under the Pont de l’Avenir. Immediately after that is a theatre/cinema and there is a little exit from the canal to it. and you can walk across the carpark to Narbo Via which is next door.

Charles Trenet house(2.5k orange)

Even if you have never heard of Charles Trenet, a.k.a. (Le Fou chantant / the Singing Madman), you will probably have heard is songs. He wrote the lyrics to La Mer, which makes regular outings in films (L.A. Story, A life Less Ordinary, French Kiss) and advertising holidays when he was 16. But it wasn’t until he was 30 that he came up with a tune while on a train travelling past the Étang de Thau near Sète - well don’t we all!

His life story is told in a little house on the wrong side of the tracks where his mum lived.

From the station, turn right and follow the road (and rail track) all the way past the palm trees to the canal where you will see a picture of Charles on the building ahead.

Cross the canal and roads and go under the railway and take the next left along Av. Charles Trenet. The way is signposted.

As the road curves around to the right, the museum/house is on the corner. Details of opening times are here.