The 11 things to do in Arles • Wanderlix

Are you tempted to visit the beautiful city of Arles? Then follow our guide of the 11 things to do in the capital of the Camargue!

Located in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, Arles is the largest municipality in Metropolitan France. With an area of 759 km2, it is seven times larger than Paris!

Known for hosting artist Vincent Van Gogh, and internationally renowned for his annual photography festival, Arles has preserved many vestiges of his Roman past.

It also houses ancient monuments such as amphitheatre, antique theatre or cryptoportics. The City of Arles therefore enjoys an exceptional heritage, which we invite you to discover through our 11 essential things to do in the capital of the Camargue!

1. Arles

This Roman amphitheatre built in Arles around the year 80 AD is the most emblematic monument in the city! A surprisingly well preserved site, it allows to imagine what might be the gladiator fights or the tank races at that time.

Today, the arenas are a place of shows where theatre plays, concerts and taurnal shows are held.

2. Ancient theatre

Built at the end of the 1st century BC, the Roman Theatre of Arles was restored in 2004 as part of the Ancient Heritage Plan. This is one of the must-see places to visit during your visit to Arles because it is an integral part of the history of the city! We advise you to prefer a guided tour, indispensable to get an idea of the importance of these public buildings in ancient Rome.

This monument today hosts many events such as the Festivals of Arles and the costume, the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie, the Festival des Suds and the Festival du film Peplum!

3. Arles through Van Gogh

During his stay in Arles between February 1888 and May 1889, the Dutch painter produced his most beautiful masterpieces: more than 300 drawings and paintings. Follow its tracks through a route created by the city!

All the places where the artist laid his knight are indicated by panels that reproduce each of his paintings. These include: place du Forum for coffee in the evening, place Lamartine for the yellow house or Street Mireille For the old mill.

Espace van Gogh

Built in the 16th century, this building was the main hospital in Arles. It was here that Van Gogh stayed after having cut off an earpiece. During his convalescence, he produced a number of paintings and drawings, including "The garden of the health home in Arles".

Today a special exhibition venue during the International Meetings of Photography, Espace van Gogh plays a major role in the cultural life of Arles. Access to the garden is free and open all day.

Van Gogh Foundation

Opened to the public since 2014, the Vincent Van Gogh Arles Foundation pays tribute to the artist’s work while highlighting its influence in current art. Over the course of the temporary exhibitions, the paintings and drawings of the Dutch painter are immersed in the creations of contemporary art, creating a fruitful and renewed debate!

4. Departmental Museum of Ancient Arles

A museum not to be missed if you are passionate about history and archaeology! The Departmental Museum of Ancient Arles gathers collections found in the territory of the commune of Arles. Collections dating from the end of the Prehistory to the sixth century AD, with a point of pride over the Roman occupation period.

So you can contemplate near 1,700 objects among them sarcophagus, mosaics, amphoras or impressive statues.

Not to be missed: a Roman period boat of 30 meters long, the so-called bust of Caesar, which is an exceptional piece, or a sarcophagus carved with scenes of the myth of Phèdre and Hippolyte!

5. The Alyscamps

The Alyscamps are a necropolis dating from the Roman era. The aisle of the Alyscamps which remains today was built by the religious Minimes in the 18th century. In 1888 Van Gogh and Gauguin came to paint in these romantic " Champs Elysées" in Arles.

This is undoubtedly a must in the city! Take a walk in the middle of sarcophagus and let yourself be carried away by the magic of the place and its tranquility. If you have the opportunity to make a guided tour, don’t hesitate, it’s very interesting and in addition it’s free !

6. The cryptoportics of Arles

Passionate about History and Archaeology, do not miss this testimony of the Roman era of Arles! The cryptoportics of Arles are underground galleries dating back to 46 BC, they were built to consolidate the construction of the Roman Forum.

Today we can circulate in this unusual place. During the visit, you walk in rather dark underground, a few tens of meters underground!

7. The church and the cloister Saint-Trophime

The Cathedral of Saint-Trophime, with its cloister, is the most remarkable Romanesque ensemble of Provence! The cathedral, built in the 12th century, houses many architectural treasures, such as its sculpted portal and its cloister.

The latter ranked at the Historical Monuments in 1846, is famous for its beautiful well preserved sculptures. After the visit, take the time to admire the beautiful views from the cloister terrace!

8. The Baths of Constantin

Site ranked Historic Monument in 1840 and UNESCO World Heritage in 1981, the Baths of Constantin were built at the beginning of the 4th century AD, a prosperous era for the city of Arles. Emperor Constantin had installed one of his residences and one of the monetary workshops of the empire.

If you are amazed by ancient culture and an admirer of old stones, you will certainly enjoy visiting the vestiges of the Baths of Constantin. You can also opt for a tour with a guide to discover more!

9. The Abbey of Montmajour

At the gates of the city of Arles, the Benedictine Abbey of Montmajour, founded in 948, was the source of inspiration for famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh. If you intend to visit Arles, you must go to this fabulous national monument, listed in the UNESCO World Heritage of Humanity.

The Benedictine monastic ensemble, built between the twentieth and eighteenth centuries, blends Romanesque, Gothic and classical architectural forms. It is now open to visits and regularly hosts cultural events, especially during the Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles.

Inside, you can visit the Notre-Dame church , cloister of Montmajour , Abbé’s turn , at the top of which we enjoy a breathtaking view of the plain of the Crau, ermitage Saint-Pierre and Chapel Sainte-Croix .

10. Daudet Mill in Fontvieille

It is on a hill sprinkled with garrigue that stands the Ribet mill, famous windmill made famous by Alphonse Daudet in Les Lettres de mon Moulin. Today the Moulin de Daudet is open to the visit. From the hill you will have a remarkable view of the Alpilles and the Rhone valley.

After the visit, take the path of the mills, a beautiful walk of about an hour, where you can admire three other mills: the mill , Ramet and Tissot-Avon , but also Château de Montauban which houses the Alphonse Daudet Museum.

11. Camargue Regional Natural Park

Founded in 1970, the Camargue Regional Natural Park covers a territory of 100 000 hectares . It is the largest wetland in France and also one of the most secret. It is divided into three distinct areas: crops north of the delta, salins west and east and lagoons south.

Dunes, ponds, rice fields, salt marshes... the Camargue Regional Natural Park offers visitors multiple facets. Located in the migration axis of birds from north of Europe to Africa, this area also houses one of the main breeding sites of pink flamingos in France. But the Camargue is above all a farm of horses and camarguais bulls! Here, bulls and horses live in semi-freedom, most often in herds, called manads, which the gardians watch on horseback.

There are many ways to visit this exceptional site: you can explore the Camargue by following the marked hiking or cycling paths, riding a horse or even a typical wheel boat!

How to get to Arles?

You can quite fly to the beautiful city of Arles. For this, we advise you to use our partner’s flight comparison Skyscanner so that you can easily and quickly find the appropriate plane ticket.

You can also choose the train to get to Arles. We have to count between 3:30 and 4:30 starting from Paris , depending on whether the journey is direct or with one or two changes.

Finally, you can drive to Arles! You'll have to. 7:20 via the A6 or 8:30 via the A77 from Paris to reach the capital of the Camargue.

Where to sleep in Arles?

If you choose to visit Arles, several neighbourhoods are available to you! The downtown area contains the majority of housing options. If you are looking for a quieter area, but close to the centre, Chabourlet Will fill you with its beautiful villas!

For more authenticity, you can also choose accommodation in the heart of the Camargue Natural Park. We advise you to use this Compare hotels , in order to find the accommodation that best matches your desires. You can also choose one Airbnb , for an experience “as at home” !