Narbonne

Narbonne (in Occitan Narbona ) is a common French, located in the department of the Aude and the area Languedoc-Roussillon. The commune is crossed by the channel of the Caster hammer, classified with the World heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Located in the middle of the 51e Regional natural park of France: " the Narbonnese in the Mediterranean " , Narbonne also has other natural sites classified like the solid mass of Clape and that of Fontfroide as well as the ponds of Bages-Sigean. Its urban center is in charge of history (Cathedral Saint Just-Saint Pasteur, Palais of the Archbishops, Via Domitia,…) and it is surrounded by a made exceptional environment of garrigues and vines. Located on the littoral of a very tourist area it has a beach of 5 kilometers fine sand has Narbonne-beach.

The inhabitants of Narbonne are called the Narbonneses.

Geography

Situation

Localization

Narbonne is located in the south-east of France on the Mediterranean Côte between Montpellier at north and Perpignan at the south. Centered on the low plain of the Aude, it extends from Is in West, of the Mediterranean to the maritime buttresses of Corbières, including the calcareous solid mass of Clape, and North in the South, the current course of the Aude, with the accesses of the island of St Lucia, integrating most of the ponds of Bages-Sigean.

Located in the maritime Corbières, Narbonne is a known crossroads of the Man since the Neolithic era. Today, the city is a road, railway and highway crossroads.

It is bordering with the communes on Gruissan, Fleury d' Aude, Armissan, Vinassan, Coursan, Cuxac-with Aude, Moussan, Marcorignan, Montredon-of-Corbières the, Bages, Peyriac-de-Mer and Bizanet. These communes constitute, with Névian, Ouveillan, Raissac-with Aude, Room-with Aude and Villedaigne, the EDGE, Communauté of agglomeration of the Narbonnese.

Climate

The climate of Narbonne is of Mediterranean type. It is characterized by soft winters, dry summers, an important luminosity and winds enough violent one. Narbonne counts 300 days of sunning per annum.

Transportation routes and transport

Narbonne is located on a node of communication along the Mediterranean coastline. The Highway of the Two Seas and more precisely the section are A61 finishes in the south of the city by joining the A9. A61 gives access the west Toulouse, via Carcassonne while A9 joined in north Montpellier then Nimes and in the south Perpignan then Barcelona in Spain. Two exits (and) of A9 serve the commune. On the district distributers, the Trunk road 113 also finishes in Narbonne by joining the Trunk road 9. The RN113 makes it possible to join Toulouse in the west while the RN 9 joined Montpellier in north and Perpignan in the south. The principal network of Autoroute is parallel to the district distributers of main road on all the commune and the area. Lastly, the secondary Road 613 makes it possible to join with south-west Couiza and the high valley of the Aude while crossing the area of the Corbières and secondary road 907 joined in the North-West Lacaune in the Black Montagne.

At the river level, the channel of the Caster hammer crosses the city while following the old bed of the Aude. It makes it possible to join the river Aude then the Canal of the South which passes more to north of the city via the junction canal. In the south, the channel joined the Mediterranean. Narbonne has also its nautical port on banks of the pond of Sigean.

The commune is also accessible by the Train thanks to the connection Bordeaux - Sète via Toulouse and the connection Tarascon - Port-Bou. The station of Narbonne is located at the west of the city on the boulevard Frederic Mistral.

Narbonne does not have a Aéroport but closest are those of Béziers, of Carcassonne located at 30 min, then those of Perpignan then of Montpellier.

The city has its network of Bus managed by the TAN (Transport of the Narbonnese Agglomeration) under the crook of the Communauté of agglomeration of the Narbonnese set up July 2004. Three lines of bus serve the downtown area and several services shuttle traverse the remainder of the community of agglomeration. Lastly, in summer, of the shuttles give access the Plage S of Narbonne-Beach.

Site

Of very large surface, the communal territory of 17.296 hectares makes of Narbonne the vastest commune of the area Languedoc-Roussillon and the Département of the Aude. She is the common 23e vastest of the Metropolitan France. The city is built in a basin between the Massif of Clape in the east and the hills of the Corbières in the west. The commune has in the south part of the pond of Sigean. The territory of the commune includes also the seaside resort Narbonne-Beach located at more than 10 km of the old center of Narbonne. Hardly a quarter of the communal territory is urbanized.

Urban morphology

Narbonne is divided into several Quartier S: Anatole France, Triggerfish-Razimbaud, Center Town, Crabit-Amarats, Horte New, Gazagnepas-Road of Gruissan, Tops of Nautical Narbonne-Montplaisir Gray Rock it, Joffre-Voltaire, Mayolle, Narbonne-Beach, Pastouret, Revolution, Holy Jean Saint Pierre it Campane it Source and Holy Holy Jean Pierre-Saint Salvayre.

Town planning

Structures

Space of freedom: Olympic swimming pool, skating rink, bowling, cafeteria.
Theater National scene
Media library
9 cinemas
Sport hall, Arts and Work
Park of the Sports and the Friendship (Egassiairal)
Exhibition site
Golf
nautical Marina
Station
Museums
Highways A9 and A61

Housing

Narbonne counted: 20903 residences in 1999. The new buildings are not very present since in 1999, only 10,5% of the main homes went back to 1990 or afterwards. A contrario , constructions former to 1949 accounted for 27,7% of the park.

76,2% of the residences are main homes, distributed with 58,7% in houses and 41,3% in apartments (respectively 59,1% and 40,9% in the area). 45,1% of the inhabitants are owners of their housing, against 50,4% which are only tenants (respectively 56,8% and 37,6% in the area).

It should be noted that with 4.359 residences HLM of the park in 1999 (9,6% in the area) is 20,9%, the city respects the provisions of article 55 of the law solidarity and urban renewal (SRU) of December 2000 fixing at 20% the minimum rate of social housing for the most important communes. One can note moreover that the number of vacant housings was rather weak in 1999 with 6,8% of the park compared with only 7,7% in the area.

The majority of the dwellings have 4 parts (55%), or 3 parts (25,9%), then 2 parts (14,2%). The small residences remain very few (studios: 4,9%). The city has consequently residences of important size because of nonrestricted real space, allowing great constructions, and because of weak demand for small residences. Finally it should be specified that these residences are well equipped since 83,7% have the central heating and 53,2 have a garage, box or carpark (respectively 76,5% and 61,7% for the area).

Projects

Narbonne tries to restructure the rather old habitat of the downtown area. For that, the Communauté of agglomeration of the Narbonnese proposes additional helps to improve comfort of the residences, the frontages, the creation of garages and the access on the floors. Moreover, one Programmed Operation of Improvement of the Habitat was carried out in 1979 and 2006.

A project of health-social district is in the course of construction with a center of gerontology, the extension of the private clinic of care of continuation and readjustment of " Pinède" , of a center of psychiatry, of a crib with zero energy, a nursery school and elementary and buildings of department IUT chemical engineering.

Moreover it is current 2007 which work of a new district will begin which will be the first durable district of France.

History

The Romans founded in 118 av. J.C a Roman colony of the name of Colonia Narbo Martius according to the name of the Roman Consul Quintus Marcius Rex. It was located on the via Domitia, the first Roman road in Gaulle, which made it possible to connect the Italy and the Spain. Before this period, Narbonne was a oppidum préromain (site of Montlaurès), the capital of Elisyques, one of the people of Celtic Mediterranean.

Narbonne was the capital of the Province of the Gaulle Narbonnese, Roman province created at the same time. It was until the end of the Antiquité Roman one of the most important cities of the Gaulle with a surface of more than 2 square kilometers.

In 462, Narbonne was integrated into the kingdom Visigoth of Toulouse. Passed with the capacity of the Frank , the city was occupied of 718 with 759 by the Moslem conquerors from Spain. After this date, it forms part of the frank kingdom definitively.

In 859, Narbonne is plundered by the Viking S of the chief Hasting, which come from Nantes and had wintered in the Camargue.

Until the end of the the Middle Ages, Narbonne is controlled by two lords: the archbishop and the Viscount. King Manual Rene I er, king of the Kingdom of Gascogne of 1490 to 1498, founded a tax on the consommatin of the air. This involving of the economic consquences serious… thousands of people are revolterent. The king sent the army, and the situation was restored.

Rebirth

The Protestants are driven out city in 1562. Charles IX is received in large pump in the city at the time of royal sound Tour de France (1564 - 1566), accompanied by the Cour and Large by the kingdom: his/her brother the duke of Anjou, Henri de Navarre, cardinal of Bourbon and Lorraine.

Heraldic

Administration

Narbonne is chief town of three cantons:
the Canton of Narbonne-Is is made of part of Narbonne (16 851 inhabitants);
the Canton of Narbonne-West is made of part of Narbonne and communes of Bizanet, Canet, Marcorignan, Montredon-of-Corbières the, Moussan, Névian, Raissac-with Aude and Villedaigne (21 459 inhabitants);
the Canton of Narbonne-South is made of part of Narbonne and commune of Bages (16 043 inhabitants).

Narbonne belongs to the jurisdiction of authority, great authority and trade of Narbonne, as well as Court of Appeal of Montpellier.

Political tendencies

Politically, Narbonne is a town of right-hand side, the voters having voted mainly on the right for the municipal elections since 1971. To note that the mayor of the commune since 1999, Michel Moynier, is classified Divers Droite.Il succeeded Hubert Mouly itself Divers Right-hand side.

With the presidential election of 2002, the first turn saw arriving at the head Jean-Marie Le Pen with 20,87%, followed Lionel Jospin with 18,30%, then of Jacques Chirac with 16,85%, then Arlette Laguillier with 5,80%, and finally Jean-Pierre Chevènement with 5,77%, no other candidate not exceeding the threshold of the 5%. With the second turn, the voters voted to 76,54% for Jacques Chirac against 23,46% for Jean-Marie Le Pen with a rate of abstention from 22,24%, result far away from the national tendencies (respectively 82,21% and 17,79%; abstention 20,29%) with five additional points for Jean-Marie Le Pen.

With the referendum on the constitutional treaty for Europe of May 29th, 2005, the Narbonneses largely voted against the European Constitution, with 62,47% of Not against 37,53% of Yes with a rate of abstention from 32,61% (whole France: Not to 54,67%; Yes to 45,33%). These figures are rather in conformity with the departmental tendency of the Aude (Not to 64,62%; Yes to 35,38%), electorate having chosen the positive vote being, according to the political analysts, the fact of a economically more privileged population and more an high level of education that the average of the French.

With the presidential election of 2007, the first turn saw dissociating at the head Nicolas Sarkozy with 29,26%, followed by Ségolène Royal with 28,07%, Francois Bayrou with 15,30%, Jean-Marie Le Pen with 12,97%, then Olivier Besancenot with 4,18%, and finally Marie-George Buffet with 2,68%, no other candidate not exceeding the threshold of the 2%. The second turn saw arriving at the head 50,93% for Nicolas Sarkozy (national: 53,06%) against Ségolène Royal with 49,07% (national result: 46,94%).

List mayors

Safety

The rate of criminality of the district of police force of Narbonne is of 85,86 acts for 1000 inhabitants (crimes and offenses, figures 2005) what makes of them a rate rather high in the Aude and equivalent with average the main road (83/1000). This rate is lower than the rate of criminality of the area Languedoc-Roussillon (109,31 ). The rate of resolution of the businesses by the police services is of 33,45%, an average rate of the department and regional area but near of the averages (26,79%) and main road (28,76%).

The town hall of Narbonne manages approximately a score of agents of the Municipal police.

Twinnings

Four twinnings are active:

, to see

Demography

The town of Narbonne counted: 46510 inhabitants in 1999 (today it exceeds the 50000). It is the most populated city of the Aude. The density of 269 hab/km ² is largely stronger than that of the national average of 111 hab/km ², but is rather low compared to other important cities of the area. The city is also the second the most populated urban Aire department with 70.750 inhabitants covering 14 communes after Carcassonne (82 577 hab) followed Castelnaudary (19 079 hab) and with Limoux (15 160 hab).

The demographic trends of the city are regular and in increase since the 19th century while passing from 9.086 inhabitants in 1800 to 48.080 inhabitants in 1999.

Cassini source

Demographic table of the 20th century

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Economy

Narbonne is the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Narbonne - Lézignan-Corbières and Port-la-Nouvelle. It manages Port-la-Nouvelle and the Port-the-Caster hammer.

In the North-West of the commune, with Malvesi, is a conversion and refinery of Uranium.

Famous characters

Felix Barthe (1795 - 1863), Minister for the State education and the Worships, then Minister for Justice and First president of the Court of Auditors.
Leon Blum, politician elected appointed then president of the Council in 1936.
Joe Bousquet, surrealist writer
Ermengarde de Narbonne
Ernest Ferroul
Rene Iché, modern sculptor
Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville, type-setter and violonist
Holy Careful Sebastien
Holy
Pierre Reverdy, precursory writer of surrealism
Charles Trenet, (May 18th, 1913, Narbonne - February 19th, 2001, Creteil) singer and poet
Benjamin Crémieux, writer
Varron (Publius Terentius Varro Atacinus), Roman poet epic (82-37 av. J. - C.)
Amédée Domenech, (1933 - 2003), player of Rugby to XV

Inheritance

Cultural heritage

Narbonne is classified town of art and history. Several monuments date from the Roman epoch. The Horreum Romain is an underground gallery of the 1st century before our era located under a disappeared monument which could have been used as public warehouse (Horreum). In the center of the place of the Town hall, the antique Via Domitia is visible in its state of the IV century end. It is a vestige of the first Roman main road, traced in Gaulle starting from 120 av. J.C., by the proconsul Cneus Domitius Ahenobarbus, two years before the foundation of Colonia Narbo Martius, first Roman colony as a Gaulle. Via Domitia connected Italy to romanized Spain. In Narbonne, it met the Via Aquitania , open in direction of the Atlantic by Toulouse and Bordeaux, attesting as of this time of the role of crossroads held by the city. The vestige discovered on February 7th 1997 presents a portion of paved hard limestone way, marked by deep ruts. It is bordered of pavements and the base of a fountain.

The Cathédrale Saint-Just-and-Saint-Pasteur is a Cathédrale whose first stone was posed in 1272. Its construction finishes in 1355, stopped because of the invasion of the city by the Prince Noir. It will never be finished. This cathedral is 4th the higher of France, after Cathédrale of Beauvais, Amiens and Metz. Its height is of 41 meters.

The Palais of the Archbishops is composed of the Vieux palate of Romance origin and the Neuf palate of Gothic style. It accommodates since the 19th century the town hall, the museum of Art and the archaeological museum. The Markets of Baltard style was inaugurated on January 1st, 1901.

Near the statue of Ernest Ferroul, set up in 1933 by the General confederation of the vine growers by national subscription, is built, starting from 1938 pennies the direction of Joachim Genarda, the Palate of Arts, the Sports and Work, together architectural of neo-classic influence sheltering a swimming pool, a hall sports, a village hall completed in 1967, rooms of assemblies and seats trade-union. The project to place a theater there will not succeed. The buildings of the itself Labor market, recipient of the unit, are inaugurated in 1952.

Théate National scene, the media library and the law courts are works with the remarkable contemporary architecture.

Rene Iché, sculptor French of the 20th century left some of its works in Narbonne:

the bust of Albarel , in the gardens of the media library
art, work and the sport , high reliefs with the top of the doors of the palate of Work
the athlete , with the park of the Sports and the Friendship
Study of Fighters and the small dancer , with the museum of the Art schools.

Environmental inheritance

The town of Narbonne has 150 ha of green areas, more than 20.000 Arbre S and more than 60 adventure playgrounds to be maintained. She appears in the prize list of the cities and villages flowered with 2 flowers by the National council of the Cities and Flowered Villages of France.

Several green areas are available to the Narbonneses like the garden of the Revolution, the garden of the Saint Paul Plan, the garden of the Archbishops recently renovated, the park of Campane, the banks of the channel of the Caster hammer and the solid mass of the Abbaye of Fontfroide.

Education

Narbonne acceuille more than 4000 schoolboys in 31 schools. It also has many colleges (Victor Hugo, Brassens, Cité,…) and colleges (Diderot, Lacroix, Eiffel,…).

It is also equipped with a University of Right and of a IUT Carrieres Juridiques.Plus of 1000 students attend Campus.Une residence coed is available since September 2007.

Culture

Narbonne in the literature

Victor Hugo, in a poem of the the Legend of the Centuries entitled Aymerillot , devotes nearly 300 worms in which he reports the difficulty that with Charlemagne to find among his men that which will dare to undertake the head office of Narbonne. The emperor by meeting this " single city under the skies " ensure " I will have this city before going " further;. He asks in turn his more valiant knights, counts, dukes and lords to take Narbonne, but the city is so well defended, and the men so worn by their preceding combat, that all refuse. At this point in time twenty years an unknown young man, who was took " for a girl equipped as a boy " and which is named Aymerillot, advances towards the emperor and affirms " I will enter Narbonne and I will be victorious. "

Media

It is in Narbonne that are the studios of the first radio occitane of Languedoc-Roussillon: Ràdio Lenga of òc 95.5 FM (http://www.lengadoc.eu). One also finds there those of the local radio Radio Narbonne the Mediterranean and an antenna of Europe 2.

Sports

Narbonne is also known for its club of Rugby the RC Narbonne which will evolve/move this season in PRO D2 after having remained during 100 years in Signal 14. Great training center of French Rugby, the RCNM gained 2 times the championship of France and has the record of victories in Challenge Yves of the Manor (cut of France of Rugby). The club arrived finally of the European Shield in 2001. This mythical club of French Rugby has provides to a considerable number players to the team of France like large the Walter Spanghero, or Didier Codorniou and Franck Tournaire. The RCNM plays at stage of Egassiairal (12000 places). The club of Rugby forms integral part of the culture and the Narbonnese life.

The volleyball is also very present has Narbonne, the UVBN plays in ProA with the Sport hall.

Distinction

the label “Town of Art and History”.
Flowered City: 2 flowers since 2002.
Sporting City.
Tourist City: 2 stars with the Michelin guide.
Label Nautical France Station.
Tourist resort and balneal (file in the course of classification).
Classified twice First Town of its category for the reception of the Companies by the Magazine the Company.
Blue House allotted since 1988.
Classified " Propres" ports; (for the Nautical one and Narbonne-Beach).
Price Eco-Mayor in 2005.
Price of the " Ribbons of the Durable" Development; in 2006.
4@ with the Labels Cities Internet in 2006.

See too

Common of the Aude
List of the Viscounts of Narbonne

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