Friday 6th November and we're gradually settling down into hibernation mode, well we would be but the brilliant sunshine won't allow us to. The weather afterall is what we came down here for.
Narbonne with a population of approximately 51,000, is a place rich in history, and being close to the Spanish border, is a great mixture of cultures, which is reflected in its language and food.
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| Blue skies and autumn sunshine! |
So now we begin to explore the town in earnest.
The Mairie/Archbishops Palace
Aux Dames des France, Rue Droite. In front are remains of Roman road.
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| Elegant mansion along Cours de la Republic. |
Interior of Notre Dame de Lamourguier church now Lapidary Museum.
I somehow don't think we will be lonely here. There is an ex-pats gathering at the local bar on Thursday evenings and Sunday lunchtimes. Other events are also organised by Capt. Tosh, Phil Haines who lives on the boat Chateau de Valentre and invites us to join his 'harem'!
A solemn moment in Narbonne
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| Sadly only 3 days later another silent gathering. |
The ex-pats group meet every Thursday evening for a social drink at a nearby pub, and Sunday lunch time in Les Halles. So we gradually expand our group of friends, beyond the three British boats moored behind us, all of whom were known to us at previous winter moorings.
Well the BOFs arrived all 8 of them. Before they arrived the weather was like this and warm!
Luckily they had the dosh to pay for an hotel stay. So we got everything ready, table laid and hosted their first night dinner.
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| All ready for the 'invasion' |
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| So they tucked in! |
The next day we went for a stroll around the city.
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| and posed for a photograph while others returned to the hotel to grab extra warm clothing! |
After wandering aimlessly around we returned to the covered market of Les Halles and found a place to have lunch, where a very friendly stall holder gave us a bottle of wine and said he would only charge us for how much we drank!
After this we needed a longer walk to work off the calories.
The following day we took the train to Carcassonne, and walked through the town to the castle, stopping on the way up for coffee, back to the city for lunch and snacks then back to Narbonne for evening meal.
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| It was a long walk from the railway station to the castle of Carcassonne! |
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| What else to do on a rainy day! |
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| We wondered around the city. |
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| We looked from the view point! |
Then we returned to Narbonne where there had been no rain at all, for our evening meal.
And so exhausted and replete they left for the airport ...........
Notice how the sun has come back and the sky is blue again!!! Sorry BOFs.
