Arles

A historic town with a Roman arena and ancient theatre still in use, a World Heritage site, and the place where Van Gogh painted “Café Terrace at Night” and “Starry Night Over the Rhône.”

Arles sits at the apex of the Rhône delta. Since the 1st century BCE, it has been an important city in the Roman province. Its Roman and Romanesque monuments were inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1981. The Roman Arena in the city centre (Arènes, built in 90 CE with seating for 20,000) still hosts bullfights and course camarguaise (Camargue bull games). You can climb its tower for views over the city. Tickets cost about €9, including the ancient theatre next door, which is used as an open-air venue in summer. Other sights include the Baths of Constantine, the Cryptoportiques (underground galleries), the Church of Saint-Trophime and its Romanesque cloister, and the Alyscamps necropolis on the city's outskirts. Multi-site passes (Pass Liberté €15 or Avantage €19) can save money. Van Gogh lived in Arles for 15 months in 1888 and 1889 and produced more than 300 works. These include “Café Terrace at Night” on the Place du Forum (the café has been restored with its yellow facade), “Starry Night Over the Rhône” (on the Quai du Rhône), the hospital garden where he was treated (Espace Van Gogh, free), and, outside the city, the “Langlois Bridge” (rebuilt, 3 km from the centre). Ground markers along the “Van Gogh Trail” link these sites in town. The Fondation Van Gogh museum hosts a themed exhibition every year. The LUMA Arles art centre, opened in 2021, features a silver twisted tower designed by Frank Gehry and is a new landmark of contemporary art. From early July to late September each year, the Rencontres d'Arles international photography festival fills the city. Trains from Avignon take 20 minutes, and from Marseille 50 minutes. The old town is walkable to all the sights, and half a day to a full day is enough. The Wednesday and Saturday morning market on Boulevard des Lices is one of the largest markets in Provence.

Arles

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