Narbonne is a commune and subprefecture located in the Occitania region of Southern France. It serves as an arrondissement within the Aude department, situated approximately 849 km (528 mi) from Paris. The city is positioned about 15 km (9 mi) inland from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Historically, Narbonne was a prosperous port city. However, it began to decline from the 14th century onwards following a change in the course of the river Aude. Although Narbonne is the largest commune in the Aude department, the administrative capital of the department is the smaller commune of Carcassonne.