Narbonne is one of those French cities that everyone should visit at least once in their life, if only for the incredible history of this flagship city of Occitania. Founded just over a century BC, Narbo Martius, in Latin, was one of the first Roman colonies outside of Italy. This was then the starting point for the creation of an essential city, radiant and still today particularly rich in its natural and architectural heritage. Our Concierge in Narbonne, in the person of Antonio its director, offers you today the Top 5 activities and places to visit during your stay in Narbonne.
Narbo Via: the museum on the origins of Narbonne
Let's start this Top 5 with a very recent creation in the city: the Narbo Via museum. This museum aims to retrace the history of the city, from its creation to the present day. Inaugurated in 2021, this museum offers a collection of more than 10000 pieces on an area of 3200 square meters, just that! Murals, funerary blocks, gardens, sculptures will be there during your visits alone or with the accompaniment of a guide. Many events, conferences, children's activities punctuate the days and visits for a real immersion in the history of Narbonne and a better understanding of the issues and major events that the city has gone through.
The heritage of the city in the spotlight:
Narbonne is also a city with a well-preserved architectural heritage. More than 2000 years of constructions cohabit to form an open-air museum mixing surprises and wonder. If a simple walk through the streets of the city will be enough for the most seasoned to marvel and for photographers to find a multitude of subjects, many monuments are unmissable places. Let's start with the Gilles Aycelin dungeon: a square tower 42 meters high whose ascent will require climbing the 162 steps of its spiral staircase. At the end of its construction in 1306 and until today, the tower offers a remarkable view of its surroundings to delight lovers of beautiful landscapes.
Visit the canals of the Narbonne region:
As with many coastal towns but also many others located along rivers and waterways in France and abroad, canals once enabled the economic development of cities. Used by travellers, traders and many other professions, the canals in Narbonne are today places of discovery to be privileged and will offer you ideal days under the sign of simplicity and languor. By bike or by boat, you can visit the Canal de la Robine, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or the Junction Canal to join the very famous Canal du Midi passing north of Narbonne.
Fontfroide Abbey, an unmissable part of Narbonnais:
At the outposts of the Cathar country, and at the gates of the Corbières, the Abbaye de Fontfroide represents more than 1000 years of history and delights 10000 visitors each year. Initially erected by monks who chose this valley to build their abbey, it fell into disuse for many decades until the beginning of the 20th century when it was bought by the painter and collector Gustave Fayet. Restored and regaining its grandeur, the Abbey is now open to visitors, XNUMX minutes from Narbonne, to offer many discoveries throughout the summer: plant festival, medieval day, festival of music, exhibitions… These are all events to enjoy in Fontfroide.
The fine sand of Narbonne-Plage:
Narbonne has certainly not stolen its status as a seaside town. if most of its geography is located inland, it is nonetheless glued to the sea and in this sense offers services particularly for local tourists. With its fine sandy beaches over a length of 5km, its port with 600 pitches and its sports and leisure facilities, the beaches of Narbonne will delight your family outings throughout the summer. Beyond the beaches, it is also a whole environment, natural, rich and green that you can discover at will on foot or by bike during the beautiful days of summer.
We hope that these top 5 summer activities in Narbonne will have inspired you to make the most of your summer. In any case, it is this same list that we recommend to tenants of Airbnb rental properties that our Narbonne airbnb concierge welcomed on a daily basis. One thing is certain, Narbonne cannot be limited to these 5 activities and places! The richness of this city is limitless and everyone can find what they are looking for, during walks, discussions with traders or residents all year round. On our side, we wish you a beautiful summer 2022 in Narbonne!
