Detour to Narbonne

'Roman Bridge' Narbonne

Before we say goodbye to the canal du Midi I need to backtrack a little- almost to Le Someil (the photogenic village with the antiquarian book shop and the narrow arched bridge). A couple of km from the village we turn off onto the Port Nouvelle Junction and descend 8 locks in 5 km onto the River Aude - the river which flooded last year causing such destruction and deaths. This year the Aude is shallow and care has to be taken to keep carefully to the required course to avoid running aground. After 600m we leave the river and enter the Canal de la Robine which leads to the city of Narbonne and then on to Port Nouvelle on the Mediterranean.

Umbrella pines at junction leading to Canal du Robine and Narbonne

Being in a hurry on our way south in 2015 we had ignored this canal but as it's unlikely we'll be back this way again by boat we decided to make the detour. And we are happy that we did. Narbonne is certainly worth a visit.
There is some disagreement as to the lowest bridge on the Midi. Capestang is usually the one everyone worries about. It is certainly low and, at the same time, like many bridges, at a slightly awkward angle but I think that Carcassonne is lower. Much depends on fluctuating water levels though. As I've previously mentioned we removed our windscreens and lowered our nav frame in order to safely fit under the Midi stone bridges and we expected the Robine bridges to be the same. Little did we know that the water level had been raised by 10cm.

Duck!

Exiting a lock through a little arched bridge we came to a grinding, juddering almost halt half-way through. One of the mounts on top of the nav frame was jamming on the roof. There was nothing for it but for me to hang off the frame as if it were a monkey bar and just keep on scraping through whilst gouging a furrow in the 250 year old limestone (we weren't the first to be caught out - the evidence was clearly to be seen).
Once through we lowered the nav frame further which was just as well as once you reach Narbonne there is an even lower bridge - the medieval "Roman Bridge" which has a complete street of shops and houses on top of it.

The back of the 'Roman Bridge" leading into the port

Narbonne was once the major sea port between Spain and Italy but by the Middle Ages the sea had retreated. The port (Port Nouvelle) is another 20km further down the canal. This section, we were informed, was too shallow for us to navigate which disappointed one of us.

In the last lock into Narbonne

-and out

The port is situated right beside the historic centre dominated by the huge 12th-14th century Bishop's Palace and below the wonderful covered market. Our only quibble was the incessant music blasting through loudspeakers situated all along the quayside and throughout the narrow medieval streets. In the evenings this was replace by assorted (and better) live music from outside the restaurants, bars and the night market. A lively city.