Pont des Marchands

Medieval bridge over the Canal de la Robine with buildings on top

The Pont des Marchands (Bridge of Merchants) crosses the Canal de la Robine at the most atmospheric point in the old town. Unlike most old bridges, this one has buildings on it — shops and houses that have stood since the Middle Ages, making it one of a very small number of inhabited bridges remaining in France. The bridge connects the market district on one bank to the cathedral quarter on the other.

Walk across slowly and look down at the canal from the small gaps between the buildings. The stone parapet is worn smooth from centuries of use, and the view north and south along the plane-tree-lined canal is one of the best in the city.

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A story
The Pont des Marchands is one of only four inhabited bridges in France — bridges with buildings built on top of them. The practice was common in medieval towns where bridge tolls made the location commercially attractive. In Narbonne, the bridge's shops and houses have been continuously occupied since the 13th century.