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Arles

Arles is found in south-west Provence and to the north-east of the camargue region.

The sizeable town is most famous for two things - it's Roman ruins and its association with Van Gogh. Both play a large role in the attraction for tourists of the town, but even without either of these 'highlights' it would still be very worth visiting.

Although there are numerous places to visit in Arles, the main star is the town itself. Open squares with bustling cafes, linked by narrow streets lined with attractive houses and shops, many looking old and faded and all the more romantic as a result.

The centre of Arles is quite compact and easy to explore.

Roman Remains

Start your exploration of roman Arles at the amphitheatre (partly restored, partly not restored and partly in course of being renovated), a large and substantially intact round structure once used for gladiatorial competitions.

The other Roman ruins at Arles include the Roman theatre, the necropolis (Alyscamps) and the thermae of Constantine (Constantine baths) at the northern edge of the town. Further Roman sarcophagi can be found at the excellent Museum of Arles and Provence. Each is individually interesting but has much less to see than the amphitheatre, although the theatre has sufficient remains to give a good feel for the original building.

One personal favourite is in the Place du Forum. Once the heart of Roman Arles and surrounded by fine buildings, all that now remains of that period is a portion of an entrance set on two columns and now incorporated into the wall of the Hotel du Forum, Arles.

Just adjacent to this curious remain is a cafe renovated to look like a Van Gogh painting - when I visited many tourists were photographing the cafe and all seemed oblivious to the forum remains, which I found a bit curious (and disappointing).

The roman ruins at Arles are also a listed UNESCO world heritage site.

Medieval Arles

Moving forward to medieval times, head off to the Place de la Republique to see the church of St Trophime, above all for its ornately carved doorway which depicts the Final Judgement. After looking in the church, go into the attractive 17th century town hall just across the coner for a look at the stairway and statue.

Adjacent to Saint Trophime is the entrance to the 12th-14th century cloisters of the church. You pay to enter these cloisters, and while they are interesting and attractive, with lots of pretty arches created from double columns, very little effort had been made with the garden in the centre - more or less just a square of mud with a couple of overgrown trees - so it is hard to get a feeling for the relaxing serenity that you hope for in a cloister.

Other sights in Arles

There are lots of other sights - churches, obelisks, fountains etc that you will come across as you explore - visit the tourist office on Boulevard des Lices just south of the church of Saint Trophime (next to the Parking du Centre) for a detailed map.

One little sight in Arles that was very interesting was the Espace Van Gogh - with a small courtyard recreated exactly as it was painted by Van Gogh in 'Le Jardin de la Maison de Santé a Arles'. An idea that works better than you would expect, and with a bit of tranquility away from the bustle of the city

Unfortunately there are none of Van Gogh's works to be found in the town, despite the two years he spent in Arles being his most productive period. The Foundation Vincent Van Gogh at the Palais de Luppé (between the Arènes and the Theatre) has a good collection of 'tribute to Van Gogh' works by other modern painters and artists including Francis Bacon, Lichtenstein and Rauschenburg.

The Museon Arlaten in Arles - a museum of the history of the region - has some very interesting displays and artefacts, especially in the 'Salle des Rites et Legendes' (hall of Rites and Legends)

General Visitor Information

The Saturday market is a good time to visit Arles, with the extra colour and activity it brings to the town.

The garden d'été (summer garden) near Arles Tourist Office is a nice shady park with a children's play area.

Access to, and parking in, the town was easy, with several large car parks

Which town to visit? Nimes and Arles compared!

A couple of kilometres outside Arles, 11th century Montmajour Abbey and the associated 12th century cloister is a listed historic monument and makes for an interesting side trip from the town.

Arles: tourist information, map, travel plans and gites

Tourist Classifications for Arles

- Listed as "Ville d'Art et Histoire" (ie focus on preserving the town heritage)
- approved Station Classée (resort paying particular attention to facilities for tourism)

Places to visit near Arles

Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Arles.

Some places to visit within 30 km of Arles are shown below (if found).

Baux-de-Provence Most beautiful village at 20 km
Beaucaire Town of art and history at 15 km
Camargue Natural Park at 30 km
Fontvieille Small Provence town at 11 km
Roman Arles World Heritage Site at 1 km
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer Camargue town at 33 km
Saint-Remy-de-Provence Village and Glanum at 26 km

See also Arles (version Francais)

Airports near Arles

Avignon airport at 39 km Marseille airport at 70 km Montpellier airport at 74 km Nimes airport at 25 km

Photos of Arles - click a photo to see larger version