Lodged at Canet, the prince was poised to cross the Orbieu and move on to Narbonne, little more than half a day's march away, on Sunday 8 November. Narbonne was a wealthy town and, being built on low, flat ground, potentially a softer target than Carcassonne. It promised rich rewards for the army. However, it was also close to the Mediterranean coast and a decision would soon be needed whether to turn for home or strike in another direction.

We cannot be sure of the location of the crossings of the Orbieu, but there are two likely places. The first of these is at La Rougeante near Ornaisons, five miles south of Canet, where the Roman road from Narbonne to Carcassonne is believed to have crossed the Orbieu. It seems that there was a bridge here from Roman times which at first sight brings this location into conflict with Baker's report that a bridge was under construction. However, the Orbieu is prone to very heavy flooding with even modern bridges being carried away, a recent case being in 1999, and it is possible that a bridge was being constructed to replace an earlier structure destroyed by floods. The second option is at Villedaigne, a mile to the south-east of Canet and the closest crossing point to the overnight halt.