Via Domitia

The Via Domitia, in Narbonne

The Via Domitia is the oldest Roman road of Gaul, a section of which is unearthed in the heart of Narbonne. The Narbonne audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this ancient vestige, a witness of the past of the first Roman colony of Gaul.

The oldest Roman road of Gaul

The Via Domitia is the oldest Roman road of Gaul, built at the end of the second century before our era to link Italy to Spain through the south of Gaul. Narbonne, founded as a Roman colony, became a major stage on this great communication route, which made its prosperity and its influence. In the heart of the town, on the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, in front of the Archbishops' Palace, a section of the Via Domitia has been unearthed and is exposed in the open air. There you see the stone slabs worn by the passage of chariots and travellers two thousand years ago, marked by the ruts. A moving vestige of antiquity, the Via Domitia recalls the glorious Roman past of Narbonne.

What to see

You admire the section of the oldest Roman road of Gaul, unearthed in the open air on the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville in front of the palace, with its stone slabs worn and marked by the ruts of the chariots of two thousand years ago. The Via Domitia recalls the glorious Roman past of Narbonne. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Via Domitia is exposed in the open air on the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, in the heart of Narbonne, in front of the Archbishops' Palace, reachable on foot. It is an open-air vestige, freely visible from the square. You discover it as soon as you arrive in the heart of the town.

What is the Via Domitia in Narbonne?

The oldest Roman road of Gaul, built at the end of the second century before our era to link Italy to Spain; a section is exposed in the open air in the heart of Narbonne, with its slabs marked by the ruts of the chariots.

Where is the Via Domitia in Narbonne?

On the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, in the heart of Narbonne, in France.