LUMA Parc visitor guide

Visit LUMA Parc, France

The LUMA Parc in Arles is a recent construction close to the centre of Arles, designed by Frank Gehry, and now a centre for contemporary art.

Explore the LUMA parc of ateliers in Arles

France This Way review: the contrast between the gleaming metal walls of the LUMA Center and the ancient buildings of Arles is very striking, and close up the structure is very imposing and we recommend you visit during your time in Arles.

From various places in the centre of Arles you will catch a glimpse of the LUMA Parc, with a roof like a gigantic silver house from a fairy tale glimpsed in the distance. The LUMA Parc is about a ten minute walk from the historic centre of the town.

The site that was chosen for the centre was previously an industrial complex for the railways, and the new tower is surrounded by the (now restored) brick buildings from this historic site, and an attractive area of gardens and parkland. Work on the centre began in 2014 and was completed in 2021.

The idea to construct the centre came from Maja Hoffman, a rich art collector from Switzerland, the daughter of Lukas Hoffman, founder of the World Wildlife Fund and grandaughter of Fritz Hoffman, founder of a large pharmaceutical company.

The family have a history of collecting important artworks by renowned modern artists, and the goal of the centre is to raise awareness of artists and photographers.

Start your visit to the LUMA Parc with a walk around the park that surrounds the buildings. This walk provides many interesting views of the main tower and the restored buildings and is probably the highlight of a visit for many visitors.

The extensive gardens cover an area of about four hectares and have been planted and organised in a contemporary style, based on Mediterranean plants and a large pond, by Bas Smets, the Belgian landscape designers.

This garden is itself a remarkable feat, built entirely on top of a thick layer of concrete that remained from the decades as a railway yard. The small lake is used to regulate the water required by the gardens.

The Luma tower is 56 meters high and has 10 stories, several of which can be explored. The central atrium rises the height of the tower, and at the top there is a viewing platform with views to Arles and the countryside. The tower is covered with steel panels, which is designed to evoke the craggy appearance of the Alpilles hills around the town and shines in all directions with the Provencal sun above.

The tower and park contain several imposing works of art, and the centre also contains numerous workshops and exhibitions by upcoming artists and photographers. Among these are a large circular suspended mirror that is constantly moving, and a slide that you can use to travel quickly from the second floor to the ground floor!

There is little point in our describing individual exhibitions at the center because these are temporary and will regularly change, but the building and park of the Luma centre should be visited even if it is not to see a particular exhibition, or in the hope of discovering artists that are as yet unknown to you.

There is a small cafe in the centre of the complex, and another close to the entrance to the site, so you can combine your visit with a "pause café".

Attractions nearby

There are many historic sites in the centre of Arles including a theatre and an amphitheatre, and town also has an imposing church and attractive streets where you can walk in the footsteps as Van Gogh and other artists - see the Arles guide for details.

You can find more travel ideas in the Bouches-du-Rhone guide and the Provence guide.

To make travel arrangements to visit LUMA Parc see HERE