Arles

Arles is the largest city in France with a surface area of 758 square kilometres and a population of 51,614. It is situated 35 km to the south of Avignon and can be reached via the N570, or it can be accessed via the N568 and A55 from Marseilles which is 90 km away.

Arles is a truly beautiful place to visit as it situated in an exceptional area on the banks of the River Rhone surrounded by the arid plains of Crau, the Alpilles and wild Camargue.

It is a cultural city which is popular with artists. Bull flights and runs take place here in the original Roman amphitheatre (including some in Provencal style when the bull is not killed but a team of athletic men attempt to remove a tassle from the bull´s horn without getting injured.) Picasso loved this Spanish tradition and was so inspired that he did two paintings and 57 drawings at Arles. Van Gogh adored the Provencal landscapes and produced over 300 paintings and drawings including Night Café, the Yellow Room and Starry Night Over the Rhone. His famous ear severing incident happened in Arles in 1888 and the Arlesians were so concerned that they drew up a petition demanding his confinement.

Once a metropolis of Roman Gaul, the fascinating monuments here including the Alyscamps burial grounds, 12,000 seat amphitheatre and fourth century Constantin Roman Baths, which are registered with UNESCO. There are numerous sixteenth and seventeenth century mansions to visit, the cloister of St Trophime, the Hotel de Ville and shaded terraces at the Place des Lice where there is a street market every Saturday morning. Arles in the centre of a large agricultural area, and you can purchase some of the local produce, clothing and household goods here.

There is plenty to do here with three beautiful beaches, nine schools offering horse riding and pony trekking, mountain biking, the nature walk of the Camargue called La Capeliere and the Van Gogh and gypsy mosaics tours. The Musee de l’Arles Antiques has sarcophaguses from the fourth century, the Musee Arlatec has exhibits of furniture and traditional and folk art and the Musee du Riz is a rice museum detailing the area’s links and history with the paddy fields.