Canal de la Robine

The Canal de la Robine, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a beautiful place for a walk or bike ride—especially through central Narbonne, where it offers a peaceful escape from the city’s bustle. There’s nothing quite like strolling along the water, watching boats drift by, and enjoying the famous Narbonne breeze. This waterway actually traces its roots back to Roman times, when it was part of the Aude River and used to access the sea. But a massive flood in the 15th century shifted the course of the Aude, and the remaining channel became too shallow for boats—though it still helped power the city’s mills. In the 17th century, after the success of the nearby Canal du Midi, engineers decided to connect Narbonne to it by creating a navigable waterway through the city. That’s how the Canal de la Robine took shape, officially brought into service by Vauban at the end of the 1600s. At first, the canal didn’t directly link up with the Canal du Midi—you had to travel part of the way by land. It wasn’t until 1780 that the Junction Canal was completed, finally linking the two waterways. The Canal de la Robine now stretches nearly 32 kilometers, from the Junction Canal to the Mediterranean Sea at Port-la-Nouvelle. Today, it’s a favorite for river tourism, offering boat rentals and guided tours that let you experience Narbonne from a whole new angle. And here’s a fun fact : the name “Robine” comes from the Occitan word robina, which simply means “canal”!