I toured the Canal de la Robine by bike and by boat!
The Canal de la Robine in spring: it's great!
The discovery of this sea inlet will take you past Les Halles and on through natural landscapes and historical monuments.
From Narbonne to Mandirac lock, then back to the heart of the city, read on to share my experience in complete harmony with nature!
Parking
For peace of mind all day long, I leave my car in the free car park at the end of Quai Victor Hugo (in the direction of Le Théâtre).
I make a note for my next walk: market day on Thursday is busy, so remember to come early!
Les Halles
My early morning meeting point is at Les Halles with my friend! This "Art nouveau" building is the pride of the people of Narbonne.
Set in the heart of the city, the building, which combines steel and glass, is in the style of Victor Baltard. It is both superb and striking!
Awash with reds, greens and everything in between, the Mediterranean colours and aromas instantly evoke the warm, authentic atmosphere of the South of France.
With a huge choice of local products sold by friendly merchants, our country picnic is already taking shape.
Did you know...?
In 1871, the overcrowded market for vegetables and produce had become increasingly dangerous for traffic and could no longer contain all the merchants.
Hence the municipality's decision to build a covered marketplace.
This was erected in the former Place aux Herbes (now the "Place de l'Hôtel de Ville").
By bike!
Our first stop is the bike rental shop: Languedoc VTT Evasion. Hugo welcomes us with a smile and some good advice. Once ready and equipped, we can start our trip along the banks of the canal up to the Mandirac lock!
The tow-paths are perfect for cycling: fairly flat, quite shady and surrounded by nature!
This quiet and relaxing setting also affords some beautiful panoramas, such as the view of the Canigou mountain, or the Cathedral of Saint-Just and Saint-Pasteur.
Be careful
Watch out for the weather!
To avoid skidding and slipping on the tow-path, we advise you not to do this on rainy days!
On the way
Once you reach the Mandirac lock, you will see the shipwright: a professional integration site which works to conserve the region's maritime and fluvial heritage, and which you can visit all year round.
Crossing the footbridge, we suddenly have an unexpected change of scenery: yes, those really are rice fields!
What's that we see in the distance? Seagulls, storks and terns! Of course, the region is a haven for migrating birds!
By now our bellies are starting to rumble: time for that picnic!
Did you know...?
The rice fields make me think of the rice salad I'm about to enjoy. In fact, rice cultivation is a very specialised affair, with no room for mistakes!
The moisture content of the harvested rice grains needs to be between 19 and 22%, otherwise the grains will shatter and it will all end up too sticky!
By boat !
Back in the city centre, the charm of Narbonne works its delightful spell on us. A canal that runs right through a city is pretty original!
After returning our bikes, we continue our discovery and head for a boat named Le Solal!
Once aboard our "gabare" river boat, we peacefully watch the city pass by. We are particularly impressed by the Pont des Marchands, or Merchants' Bridge, a very unusual historical monument.
One of our favourites
A bit like the Ponte Vecchio in Florence! The Pont des Marchands (currently not accessible due to works) is one of France's rare bridges with buildings built on it and that is still inhabited!
Totally zen!
Children's curiosity is aroused when crossing the Narbonne lock, a typical hydraulic work of art. It has to be said: the boats coming back and forth make this tour very attractive.
An about-turn before the Gua lock and it's back to the starting point.
All in all, a very pleasant outing on what proved to be a canal of tranquillity.
Good to know!
When on board Le Solal, an awning, called a "taud" in French, is used to shelter the passengers come rain or shine.
To end on a high note!
Let's go to the "passerelle des Barques" footbridge to immortalise our outing in style!
With our selfies duly taken, what better way to end the day than on the "Promenade des Barques" for a drink on the terrace of one of the bars?
In the shade of the trees that line these large pedestrian spaces, we look back on our great day out.
Our contentment gets us thinking about what we'll do tomorrow!
Unusual fact
The banks of the canal used to be the realm of the washerwomen until the 1930s. Anyone passing by would see the laundry drying on the banks!
Today, this place is still the heart and soul of the city, enjoyed by people of all ages!
