Narbonne

08.09.13

Narbonne is a medium-sized, cheerful town profiting from the booming wine region that surrounds it. 

Canal de la Robine

 

Jeff

 

We really don't know very many people here, but who should we bump into but Jeff, the grounds keeper at Villa Mimarmel!  Perfect opportunity for Karl & I to get our photo taken together.

 

Narbonne is bisected by the tree-shaded Canal de la Robine; to the north is the restored medieval quarter with many elegant stores and good restaurants. 

M at the Brasserie Co

Located here is one of Narbonne's most intriguing tourist attractions, the Horreum.  This underground warren of granaries and grain chutes dates from the 1st century BC, when Narbonne was a major port and capital of the largest Roman province in Gaul.

The town prospered through the Middle Ages until the 15th century when the harbor silted up and the course of the river Aude altered, taking Narbonne's fortunes with it.  By then, an important bishopric had been established and an ambitious cathedral project, modeled on the great Gothic cathedrals of the North, was underway.  However, the full grandiose design was abandoned and just the chancel, begun in 1272, became the Cathédrale St-Just et St-Pasteur we see today.

Canal with Cathedral in the background.

Closer view of the Canal de la Robine that bisects the town.

On Thursdays and Sundays, there is a large market that attracts people from all surrounding towns.  All the booths that sell clothes, shoes, and "things" are outside, but "Les Halles", a permanent covered structure, houses all the food.



Les Halles

We do enjoy a good market, but in case you are getting tired of looking at the same old pictures, we tried to find all the "unusual" photos that might "appeal" to you.  Without a doubt, the seafood and meats provide the best examples of things we're unlikely to see in Canada.



Pigeons raised on corn.

Grey chicken with feet and head still attached.

Duck hearts.



Lovely olives.

Cheese, many of them quite aromatic.



Fruit of the Med.

Fish varieties.



Karl trying to imitate the look on these fish, but not succeeding too well...



White tuna.

Sardines.



Eels.

Mini octopus.



Big prawns!

Something found in "Pirates of the Caribbean".



Shellfish.



Trying to get "that look" again...



A few shrimp, a few calamari.

Is this a marlin?  Or at least its head?

Yes, my tender hearts, there is horse meat available.



Horse meat is very lean and apparently very nutritious.  So says the butcher, but not "Mr. Ed".

No, this is NOT Mick Jagger's tongue!

Lamb shanks.



Parts best not to identify.



Fancy chickens still wearing part of their feather finery!



Cathar chickens; good stuff.  Robust!

More unknown offal parts.  Perhaps Ris de veau?

Where all unknown parts come to dwell.

 

 

As a respite from all these mouth-watering photos, I've included a few that you may appreciate.

 

Monsieur, attending to his rotisserie chickens.

M, picking just the right one!

That'll be 13 euros.

Hard to choose among the delicious desserts.

  

And so ended our visit to the Narbonne Halles.

 

As we came out of the Halles, this statue was in front with the canal behind it and the north shore where the Cathedral is located.

 

We will be back!