What to do in Arles? For a day or more, here are some ideas for must-see places to visit and highlights to discover during your visit to the South of France.
Only the Rhône separates Arles from Fourques, pretty little village of the Land of ArgenceA stay in Terre d'Argence offers many opportunities to discover its surroundings, starting with Arles!
The beautiful city of Arles is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a designated City of Art and History for its rich heritage and past as a Roman colony. It is also known for being home to Dutch painter and illustrator Vincent van Gogh. Arles also boasts an internationally renowned photography festival!
We have selected for you the top 5 places to visit and must-do things in Arles!
We start with the Roman amphitheater, also known as "the arenas"!
This is the most emblematic monument of the city of Arles! This monument is remarkable for its excellent state of preservation, it was built around the year 80 AD, no less! And for its dimensions! 136 meters long and 107 wide, the elliptical-shaped building is even slightly larger than that of our friends in Nîmes (but just saying that...)! The Arles amphitheater is ranked 20th in the Roman world.
It is really when you are on the track that you become aware of its monumental grandeur and can imagine the 21000 spectators ready to "enjoy" the show!
The Arles amphitheater was not always a performance venue, as it was a fortified walled city in the Middle Ages. It was not until the 19th century that the building was uncovered.
The amphitheater is once again becoming a place for entertainment, particularly bullfighting, which is why it is now called an "arena".
On the same topic:
- Enjoy a mild summer evening in front of a movie during the Peplum film festival at the Théâtre Antique
- Stroll around Place de la République and admire the Roman obelisk which comes from the Roman circus, some remains of which you can discover at the Arles Antique Departmental Museum
A "slightly" more modern option: the LUMA Tower
Designed by architect Frank Gehry (he is notably behind the architecture of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Luis Vuitton Foundation in Paris) for the LUMA Foundation, the 56-meter-high, 15000 m2 tower is dedicated to contemporary art, and numerous exhibitions are presented there.
On the exterior, the twisted facade made of steel bricks is a nod to Van Gogh's brushstrokes, the mineral appearance of the building is a representation of the rocky landscapes of the Alpilles and in particular the Val d'Enfer near Les Baux de Provence and the glass rotunda represents the arenas of Arles, an emblematic monument of the city.
Inside, the tower offers beautiful views of the city of Arles. Its double spiral staircase will certainly pique your interest, as will the walls made of crystallized salt panels and its two 9-meter-high slides that connect the second floor to the ground floor (children of all ages are welcome to try it out!)
A stroll through the park will give you a better understanding of the architecture of the Tower and allow you to see it reflected in the water.
In the footsteps of Van Gogh…
Vincent Van Gogh stayed in Arles for nearly 16 months, a prolific period during which he produced more than 300 drawings and paintings!
The artist set up his easel in many places in the city, notably on the banks of the Rhône where at nightfall you can draw parallels with his work The Starry Night, or at the Place du Forum for the painting Café Terrace at Night or at the Espace Van Gogh, the former Hôtel Dieu where he was treated after cutting off his ear following an argument with Paul Gauguin. The garden there has been replanted identically to the painting The Garden of the Hospital of Arles.
Photography Meetings
For over 50 years, Arles has hosted the international festival Les Rencontres de la Photographie. This summer festival, which has become a must-attend event, showcases historical works, renowned artists, and emerging and committed talents.
From early June to late September, around forty exhibitions by artists from around the world are on display throughout the city. The exhibitions are presented in various locations throughout the city, in historic monuments such as the Cloître Saint-Trophime, disused but equally beautiful sites such as the Eglise des Frères Prêcheurs, 19th-century industrial buildings such as the Parc des Ateliers, and many others.
Saturday morning, meet at the market!
Summer and winter, sunny or windy, the Arles market is always on! It's certainly the largest market in the region. Stretching along the boulevards des Lices, Georges Clémenceau, and Emile-Combes, it's no less than 2,5 km of stalls where you'll find the flavors and colors of Provence!
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