Narbonne is a commune and subprefecture in Southern France, located in the Occitania region. It is located about 15 km (9 mi) from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and was historically a prosperous port city. Narbonne lies 849 km (528 mi) from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is an arrondissement. From the 14th century onwards, it declined following a change in the course of the river Aude. While it is the largest commune in Aude, the capital of the Aude department is the smaller commune of Carcassonne.