The Ultimate city guide to Arles, France

Arles is a magical city of Provence. Arles alone is worth a trip, as evidenced by its UNESCO world cultural heritage. Arles rests on a low hill, where the Rhone river branches in two parts towards the sea. The municipality is the largest in France, with ​​over 750 square kilometers. The city has an ancient history dating back to the 7th century BC, transforming it into a large Gallic and Roman settlement.

The main Roman sites, such as the Arena and the Theater, are truly unique. They are integrated into the houses and buildings of the city, rather than remaining in a solitary and detached position, as happens in other centers of Provence. It was here that the famous painter Van Gogh drew inspiration for his brilliant works, and the warm colors of Provence and the nearby Camargue will be able to capture and bewitch you during your holiday in Arles.

Arles is known throughout the world for its Roman era’s richness and crystalline Romanesque heritage. The monuments of the city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 include the Roman amphitheater (also called the arena), the beautiful Roman theater, the Cryptoporticus (bases of the Roman Forum), the Roman Baths of Constantine, the remains of the Roman circus, the portal and cloister of San Trophime, and the cemetery of Alyscamp.

This cemetery was the starting point for the “Chemin d’Arles,” also known as the Via Tolosana, one of the three medieval pilgrimage routes throughout France, leading to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

The Arles arena has a magnificent elliptical shape with a maximum length of 136 m. It could hold about 24,000 spectators welcomed by a double arch system, for a total of 120 arches, with Doric and Corinthian capitals in the upper part. The Roman amphitheater of Arles lives again today with the arena shows, now no longer bloody.

The large theater is also used for shows and cultural events. Two Corinthian columns remain of the great scene, called Deux Veuves, the two widows.

One of the artistic masterpieces of Arles is the church of St. Trophime, one of the most beautiful churches in all of Provence.

The facade has a magnificent, richly carved, and decorated portal. The interior is austere and straightforward, but the real masterpiece is the large cloister, an architectural marvel surrounded by slender coupled columns with historiated capitals.

All embellished with bas-reliefs and statues.

Discover Arles: Essential Tips for Exploring the Riches of this Historic City

You can first use a brochure on sale at the Tourist Office which describes the four pedestrian routes, based on the theme, which you can follow at your own pace.

Or you can follow the UNESCO World Heritage Trail, a one-and-a-half-hour walking route that represents a synthesis of the main monuments included in the four themed ways (described in a brochure on sale at the Tourist Office).

Alternatively, you can follow a guided tour (about 2 hours) open to the public during which you will be accompanied by a guide-teacher (ask for the program at the Tourist Office).

With your mobile phone or an MPS Walkman rented from the Tourist Office, you can discover the city with «Allo Visit,» an original and lively way to visit with audio curated by actors and more. Just call 3223.

Also noteworthy is the “monuments pass” global ticket, which allows access to 6 monuments and three museums in the city. You can discover the city and its main monuments from Easter to October during a 40-minute bus tour with commentary in 6 languages.

Another activity you can do in Arles is a tourist train ride, between Arles and Fontvieille, the city made famous by Alphonse Daudet. Alpilles, the small train will take you to the foot of the Montmajour Abbey. If you like pedaling, you can safely use the bicycle: the cycle paths are marked in the center of the town.

In Arles, there are excellent museums of which three you should visit.

• The Musée d’Arles et de la Provence Antique, i.e. the Arles archaeological museum, has been anchored on the banks of the Rhone since 1995, and was built by Henri Ciriani next to the remains of the Roman circus. It contains the archaeological collections of the city and the surrounding region, covering the period from the Neolithic to the late Roman and early Christian periods.
• The Museum Arlaten, the local Ethnographic Museum, is instead housed in the former Laval Castellane house dating back to the 15th century. The museum was created in 1896 by Frederic Mistral, a regionalist poet, with costumes, objects, furniture, tools, objects connected with local religious traditions and superstitions, illustrating life in Provence during the 19th century.
• The Musée Réattu, donated by Picasso, is the museum of fine arts, is housed in the former Grand Priory of the Knights of Malta. It exhibits the works of Jacques Réattu, a painter from Arles during the period of the French Revolution, between the 18th and 19th centuries, but also modern and contemporary authors of great depth such as the likes of Picasso, Zadkine and Alechinsky. The museum also has a remarkable collection of celebrated photographs including some shots by Henri-Cartier Bresson, Edward Weston and many more.

Van Gogh Walking Tour

The name Arles is closely connected with that of Vincent Van Gogh. It is impossible to evoke the light of Arles without avoiding the memory of his paintings. It was this luminosity that attracted Van Gogh to the south of France. Vincent arrived in Arles one day in February 1888, looking for the landscape’s light and its inner light.

Here he began a period of intense and passionate work under the bright sun of Provence. His stay in Arles was the most productive period of his life; more than 300 paintings and drawings were done in 15 months in one of the most brilliant chapters in art history. While there are no original Van Gogh paintings in the city, the shadow of his presence is everywhere. It is possible to take a Van Gogh Walking Tour in the city, a walking tour with ten well-marked points.

Among them, we remember the Place du Forum for the “Evening Café,” the Trinquetaille bridge for the “Staircase of the Trinquetaille bridge,” the Rhone quay for the famous “Starry Night,” the Lamartine place for the “Yellow House,” Rue Mireille for the “Old Mill (old mill),” the summer garden on the Boulevard des Lices for the “Public Garden,” Espace Van Gogh for the “Giardino dell’Ospedalel,” and the road along the Arles à Bouc canal for the “Langlois bridge with washerwomen.” The Arena and the Alyscamps were also represented in several paintings.

Getting to Arles is very easy in Italy. From the Ventimiglia pass, continue along the A8, up to Aix en Provence; from here, continue along the A7, immediately afterward turning onto the A54, which (45 km) leads to Arles.

The climate of Arles is typically Mediterranean and therefore characterized by hot and dry summers. In July and August, the heat is felt, but the relative proximity of Arles to the sea and the hills maintains good ventilation. The summer period with little rain allows for several manifestations and cultural events in the city.

The wettest periods are instead autumn and winter, seasons in which it is not very cold, but the famous Mistral takes care of it to make the temperatures rather pungent.

Surroundings of Arles

To the southwest of Arles is Aigues-Mortes, a beautiful old town with a walled city, from where the Knights left for their Crusades. Probably very busy with tourists during the summer.

To the north-east of Arles is Les Baux-de-Provence. It is very touristy but interesting; it requires a lot of time for a walking tour, and finding parking is difficult during the season.

St. Remy-de-Provence is a beautiful city to visit with many exciting things; the abundance of terrace cafes makes it pleasantly attractive. To the east and northeast, the area of Cavaillon is an area of small villages close enough to discover freely.