Narbonne is a commune in Southern France in the Languedoc region. It lies 528 miles from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It is located about 9 miles from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and was historically a prosperous port.

Narbonne is most famous for its association with antiquity, when it was an ancient port city. Today, remnants of the past can be found all over Narbonne. The city is also the birthplace of the iconic French signer, Charles Trenet.

Located in the Languedoc region of France, an area often overlooked in favor of its much more popular neighbor of Provence, Narbonne was first founded some two millennia ago. First named ‘Colonia Narbo Martius‘ and known colloquially simply as ‘Narbo‘, the city was established in 118 AD in what was then Gaul.

Once upon a time, each Roman port city would trade in something specific; whether it be wine or grain. Today little of the original Roman city remains. Instead, should you visit this part of the Languedoc you can expect to find plenty of the warm stone buildings which are synonymous with the region, as well as several ancient churches.

Transport links are available via train to and from larger settlements such as Beziers and Perpignan. If you’re looking to visit from a little further away, then an international airport can be found in the city of Beziers, which is just half an hour away by train.

SNCF operates a train from Toulouse Matabiau to Narbonne hourly. Tickets cost $20 - $45 and the journey takes 1h 36m. TGV in Oui also services this route 4 times a day.

The beach is just 10 minutes away from the town. You can reach Narbonne-Plage via a 9-mile road across the Massif de la Clape. This road is your link between Narbonne town and the beach resort. The horizon and 3 mile of beaches stretch before you.

Narbonne-Plage is its vast beach of golden sand. You’ll appreciate it for an invigorating walk in winter, on a day when the wind is light. In summer you can sunbathe peacefully and just relax, or go and have fun at Aquajet! In spring, don’t miss the Natur’ailes giant kite display on the beach, a real sight to behold.

When it comes to accommodation, Narbonne is reasonably priced. As Narbonne is a little off the beaten path and not so much of a tourist destination as other Languedoc cities like Carcassonne or Montpellier, there are no major hotels to be found here. Instead, there are a plethora of two and three-star hotels, all of which are priced for under €100.

Yes, dating back more than 21 centuries, Narbonne boasts vineyards that line the Via Domitia and the Via Aquitania. Thanks to the savoir-faire of the Romans, this vast region was planted with vines all the way around the great port of the Narbonne area.

Despite being the oldest and largest French wine region, Languedoc hasn’t always had the greatest wine reputation. In the past, the winemakers here were guilty of being mass market-focused, but no more! Today, the wineries of this region are turning out innovative, high-quality blends that – for now at least – remain outstandingly good value.

The rugged, sun-drenched land is reflected in its wine, very Mediterranean. There are plenty of wine estates where you can taste the wine or buy a few bottles of AOC Côteaux du Languedoc “La Clape” or “Quatourze”, as well as AOC Corbières wines.

Les Halles de Narbonne is a traditional food court in the city of Narbonne. In operation for over a hundred years, the indoor market just next to the Robine channel, is the perfect place to experience France’s rich food culture.

In Les Halles you can find bars, restaurants and all kind of stores where you can buy regional products such as cheese, sausages and honey. Edible souvenirs are the best ones. From garlic to baguettes, and from luxurious wines to scrumptious ciders, the gastronomy industry in l’Hexagone could not be more integral to the country’s life, culture, and tourism industry.

So, if you want to get a literal taste of the real France, then you should consider a visit to ‘Les Halles’ (covered marketplace) of any French city. It is open 365 days in the morning and the area is specially vibrant on Sundays.

Also be sure to pay a visit to Les Grands Buffets you can enjoy a two-hour culinary journey across Occitania. Yes, it is only a buffet restaurant, but it has become a tourist attraction itself. In fact, Les Grands Buffets are really crowded at the weekend so you need to book your table quite in advance through their website.

Eating in Les Grands Buffets is an experience itself. They officially have the largest cheese selection in a restaurant (111 kinds of cheese!). It will be hard to taste them all because of all the other seafood, foie gras, steak tartar and much more. Apart from the buffet, there is a meat section where they prepare anything you want straight away. Drinks are not included in the buffet price, although they have a good offer of wine bottles.

The currency of France is the Euro, US dollars are not accepted.

Narbonne in the Languedoc-Roussillon region enjoys four distinct seasons. Summer is the season for swimming and sunbathing, but this is also when the region is at its hottest and busiest. May and June are pleasantly warm, though they may be subject to late spring showers, which will gradually decrease as the days roll on. July and August are balmy and perma-sunny, with temperatures rising to the high 80’sF.