Getting here:
The nearest airport is Carcassonne (40 mins), followed by Perpignan (40 min) and Montpellier (1 hour). From Scotland, the flight from Prestwick arrives in Gerona in Spain, where car rental is slightly cheaper than in France. Gerona is two hours from Narbonne. There is now a flight three times a week between Edinburgh and Carcassonne. Trains leave Narbonne to Carcassonne, Toulouse, Perpignan and Montpellier. I can pick people up in Narbonne, and exceptionally in Carcassone. There is a bus service four times a day from Marcorignan to Narbonne, linked to school opening and closing times. To visit wonderful villages like Minere, La Grasse, Fontfroide and the Cathar Castles a car is needed.
The village and its facilities:
Marcorignan has just over 1000 inhabitants. There is a bar serving meals and carry out pizzas, a pizzeria, a baker's shop, a grocer's shop, a pharmacy, a tobacconist/newsagent, a medical centre with doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and a dental service. There are vans twice a week selling fresh fish and poultry. Narbonne has a big food market every morning and a choice of supermarkets. St Marcel, 2 km away has two supermarkets.
There are restaurants in all the surrounding villages including Ventenac and Moussan, and a wide choice in Narbonne - only 8 km away.
There are many lovely walks around the village, and by bike you can go to Salelles and visit the European Centre for Patchwork (4 km) or Le Somail (4 km) on the Canal de Midi with its second hand bookshop, antique shop, pottery, boats and barges for hire. There are restaurants and cafés in both these villages.
What to see:
Narbonne is an interesting old Roman town with a branch of the Canal du Midi (Canal de la Robine) meandering through the town centre. There are two markets every week, and a number of museums and monuments to visit. It also has boutiques, restaurants, cafés and places to sit and watch the barges go by.
The Mediterranean Sea is close by, and Gruissan with its port, old village and stilted village deserves a visit. All the coastal villages such as Narbonne Plage and St Pierre have soft golden sand, with cafés, restaurants and boutiques for all tastes.
The Abbeys of Fontfroide and Lagrasse are less than an hour away, and the Cathar castles merit a visit. The medieval village of Minerve is only 20 minutes away, and the magnificent City of Carcassonne with its medieval castle is a 'must' for all visitors. Then there are the Minervois and Corbières hills and vineyards for those who appreciate stunning scenery and good wine.
