The Merchants’ Bridge

It might not be obvious at first, but you’re actually standing on a bridge —right in the middle of it, in fact! This is the Merchants’ Bridge, one of Narbonne’s most curious landmarks, and almost unique in France. In fact, along with the Rohan Bridge in Landerneau, Brittany, it’s one of just two remaining inhabited bridges in the entire country! As you look around, you’ll notice shops and even homes lining both sides of the street, which makes it easy to forget you’re on a bridge at all. Pretty unusual, right? It’s the same idea as the famous Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Originally built during the Gallo-Roman period, the bridge was part of the Via Domitia—the major Roman road that connected Spain to Italy as early as the 2nd century BC. In the Middle Ages, it served as a vital link between the Roman city, then called Narbo Martius, and the medieval quarter. Back then, the bridge had seven arches stretching across the Aude River, which was known as the Atax. But by the end of Antiquity, the river was diverted, and the Canal de la Robine was created in its place. Today, only one arch remains—but even this small section invites us to step back in time and picture what it once looked like. There’s even a bonus, you can do a bit of shopping as you cross it—so take your time and enjoy the experience!