Arles & Van Gogh

Arles is the city where antiquity and art meet most impressively. The Romans made Arles the capital of Gaul—their amphitheater (Les Arènes, 1st century AD, still used today for bullfights and concerts), the Théâtre Antique, and the remains of the Forum Romanum are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And then came Vincent van Gogh.

Van Gogh lived in Arles from February 1888 to May 1889—fifteen months during which he created over 300 works, including some of his most famous: the Starry Night over the Rhône, the Night Café, the Bedroom in Arles, the Sunflowers series, the Langlois Bridge. None of these paintings are in Arles today (they are scattered in Amsterdam, New York, London, and Paris), but the original locations are marked: The Fondation Vincent van Gogh (entry €10) presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art in dialogue with Van Gogh. A marked Van Gogh walking tour (10 steles with reproductions) leads to the places he painted—from the Place du Forum (the "Café de la Nuit," today "Le Café Van Gogh" with a yellow facade) to the Rhône riverbank.

Since 2021, Arles has had a new cultural beacon: LUMA Arles, a tower designed by Frank Gehry made of 11,000 mirrored aluminum panels, standing like a twisted crystal in the Provençal landscape. The cultural center showcases contemporary art, photography, and design (entry €16). Next door, in the former railway workshops, the Rencontres d'Arles take place—the world's most important photography festival (July–September).

The amphitheater (2,000 years old, 21,000 seats, smaller than the Colosseum but better preserved) can be visited (€9). In summer, bullfights (Courses camarguaises—bloodless Provençal tradition) and concerts are held here.