Arles is a town situated in south-west Provence and to the north-east of the Camargue region, famous for its Roman ruins and its association with Van Gogh.
Both of these highlights play a large role in attracting tourists to the town, which also has an attractive historic centre to explore.
Explore Arles
France This Way review: although you will discover numerous places of interest to visit in Arles, the main attraction is the town itself. Open squares with bustling cafes are linked by narrow streets lined with attractive houses and shops, many looking old and faded and more romantic as a result.
The centre of Arles is quite compact and easy to explore. In our guide below we first visit the Roman ruins, then the medieval town and then the more recent highlights, but in reality these are all quite intermingled. A good time to visit Arles is during the Saturday market, with the extra colour and activity it brings to the town.
Arles is one of the French 'secteur sauvegardé' towns (see Historic towns of France) and is also listed as a Town of Art and History in France.
Roman monuments in Arles
As you can see below we have more detailed historical and visitor information about each of these monuments, follow the links as indicated...
Start your exploration of Roman Arles at the amphitheatre, which is partly restored. The amphitheatre is a large and substantially intact round structure once used for gladiatorial competitions.
There is enough remaining of the original building to give you a good impression of what it would have been like 2000 years ago, sitting on the benches and watching the gladiatorial battles.
The other important Roman ruins at Arles include:
- the Roman theatre, quite substantial and has sufficient remains to give a good feel for the original building which could seat up to 10 000 spectators
- the necropolis, called Alyscamps, with an evocative walk past sarcophagi to a small dark church
- the Cryptoporticoes, underground tunnels that supported the Roman forum area
- the thermae of Constantine (Constantine baths) at the northern edge of the town.
Each of these is individually interesting and you can buy a combined ticket if you are visiting several of the Roman monuments, although the amphitheatre and the theatre have more to see than the other monuments.
Further Roman sarcophagi can be found at the excellent Museum of Ancient Arles and Provence, along with many other interesting historical artefacts including a unique 2000 year old Roman barge, mosaics and busts.
The museum is very well organised with lots to see and is one of our favourite museums in southern France.
You can see one of our personal favourites among the Roman artefacts in Arles in the Place du Forum. This square was the heart of the city in Roman times and is now surrounded by impressive but more recent buildings.
All that now remains in the Place du Forum from the Roman era is part of an entrance gate set on two columns and now incorporated into the wall of the Hotel du Forum.
The roman ruins are now listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. See more information at roman ruins at Arles.
Medieval Arles
Moving forward to medieval times, walk now to the Place de la Republique. This square is one of the main squares in Arles and has several attractive buildings including the church, the town hall, and a large central obelisk.
You can walk into the main vestibule of the town hall, built in the 17th century, to admire the architecture including a staircase as well as a statue and to find the entrance to the Cryptoporticoes, the subterranean Roman tunnels mentioned above.
The Romanesque style Church of Saint Trophime is famous above all for its ornately carved doorway depicting the Final Judgement, and has further romanesque details inside.
Adjacent to the church of Saint-Trophime you can find the entrance to the 12th-14th century cloister of Saint-Trophime. Unlike the church you pay to enter these cloisters but they have been recently renovated and the architecture is very lovely to see, including both romanesque and gothic elements.
You can also go up some stairs in the cloister to the parapet that overlooks the cloisters as well as see some historic tapestries so a visit is recommended to anyone who appreciates historic architecture.
From here you will want to spend some time exploring the historic centre of Arles, in and around the Place de la Republique and the Place du Forum. This part of the town, and the streets around the outside of the amphitheatre, are the best example of traditional historic centre as well the best place to find bars and restaurants.
Van Gogh and other sights in Arles
Despite the two years he spent in Arles being his most productive period for painting there are few of Van Gogh's works to be found in the town. There are however two centres related to Van Gogh: an art gallery where several of his works are exhibited and you can visit the courtyard of the sanitorium where he passed several months of his life.
You can visit the cafe that the artist painted in his famous 'Café, le soir' painting, which has made great efforts to retain its original appearance and is in the Place du Forum. It was not a cafe for most of the 20th century but in the 1990's it was redecorated as in the famous painting and reopened as a cafe.
The number of people taking photographs of the Cafe le Soir make me think it is probably the most visited place in Arles, but the times we have visited it has been a disappointment, rather neglected tourist trap bedecked with artificial flowers.
The Espace Van Gogh - the Van Gogh sanitorium - has a small courtyard recreated exactly as it was painted by Van Gogh in 'Le Jardin de la Maison de Santé a Arles'. This location was once the mental hospital that Van Gogh attended and the painting is one he painted from the balcony outside his hospital room. Some of the bushes are gone and the little hut the nun is walking away from is no longer there, but otherwise, you are standing in the shadow of his painting.
This is a lovely idea that works very well at putting you 'in the footsteps of Van Gogh' and is in a tranquil place away from the bustle of the city streets.
You can visit the Foundation Vincent Van Gogh at the Palais de Luppé (between the Arènes and the Theatre) where you can see a few Van Gogh paintings and a good collection of 'tribute to Van Gogh' works by other modern painters and artists including Francis Bacon, Lichtenstein and Rauschenburg.
Fans of Van Gogh might also like to visit the Pont Van Gogh (Pont Langlois) a few kilometres south of the centre. The walk is long and uninteresting so you will want to drive to the bridge, but it is a traditional bridge that was painted by Van Gogh and has been preserved as it was at that time so is interesting to see.
Other Arles attractions
There are lots of other sights that you will come across as you explore the town including churches and some fountains, for example, as well as several sites with links to the time Van Gogh spent in Arles so visit the Arles tourist office on Boulevard des Lices just south of the church of Saint-Trophime to ask for a map of the town centre or you are likely to overlook a few interesting sights.
The Museum Arlaten in Arles is a museum of the history of the region and has some very interesting displays and artefacts, especially in the 'Salle des Rites et Legendes' (Hall of Rites and Legends)
One of our favourite attractions in Arles is found a few hundred metres outside the centre. The LUMA Centre in Arles is a centre for the arts, based around a very imposing - and in our opinion very beautiful - building designed by Frank Gehry.
This very modern building is set in a large and well maintained park that also includes renovated industrial buildings, now often serving as art galleries and provides a dramatic contrast to the Roman and nedieval monuments you will see in Arles.
The garden d'été (summer garden) near Arles Tourist Office is a nice shady park with a children's play area.
Attractions nearby
A couple of kilometres outside Arles, the 11th century Montmajour Abbey and its associated 12th century cloister is a listed French National Monument and makes for an interesting side trip from the town.
The town of Nimes is close by and you will find interesting Roman and medieval monuments: see the Nimes guide for details.
For a change of scenery you can travel to the nearby Camargue region, a natural marsh area with flamingoes and wild horses among the wildlife to be seen.
You can find more travel ideas in the Bouches-du-Rhone guide and the Provence guide.
To make travel arrangements to visit Arles see HERE
Find Arles Hotels and Holiday Rentals
Reserve excursions near Arles
Photos of Arles
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See complete Arles Photo Gallery
Map of Arles and places nearby
Places to visit near Arles
Roman Arles
The town of Arles contains numerous Roman monuments including the famous amphitheatre
Roman Arles guide
Cloister Saint-Trophime in Arles
The cloister of the cathedral of Saint Trophime in Arles is an impressive example of Romanesque architecture of the 12th century
Cloister Saint-Trophime in Arles guide
Church Saint-Trophime in Arles
The Church Saint-Trophime is a 12th century church in the romanesque style
Church Saint-Trophime in Arles guide
Roman Cryptoporticoes of Arles
The Roman cryptoporticoes in Arles are a 2000 year old structure built to support the forum
Roman Cryptoporticoes of Arles guide
Antique Theatre of Arles
The Antique Theatre in Arles is an imposing theatre constructed in the Roman era
Antique Theatre of Arles guide
Fondation Vincent Van Gogh
The Fondation Vincent Van Gogh is a contemporary art gallery in Arles dedicated to the legacy of Van Gogh.
Fondation Vincent Van Gogh guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Bouches-du-Rhone
Tourist classifications for Arles
Arles has received the following tourist classifications: historical protected town centre' (secteur sauvegardé); listed town of Art and History
Address: Arles, Provence, 13200, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 43.676, longitude 4.6278
Plan your visit to Arles, Bouches-du-Rhone
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Eglise et cloitres de Saint Trophime, Eglise de Saint-Honorat des Alycamps (Arles): religious monument
- Roman Arles: heritage site
- Arles église St Honorat (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site
- Abbaye Notre Dame de Montmajour (Arles): religious monument (4 km)
- Montmajour Abbey: national monument (4 km)
- Beaucaire: recommended detour (15 km)
- Alpilles: regional natural parc (15 km)
- Baux-de-Provence: most beautiful village (15 km)
- Saint-Gilles ancienne abbatialle (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site (16 km)
- Saint-Gilles: secteur sauvegarde (16 km)
- Glanum: national monument (21 km)
- Etang de Scamandre: site of natural beauty (23 km)
Market days in Arles, France
Regular market(s) are held in Arles each Wednesday & Tuesday & Saturday & Friday. (Markets are held in the morning unless stated.)
The French version of this page is at Arles (Francais)