Arriving in a new city is one of my favorite experiences. I’ve made a few plans, I have just finished a flight or a train trip, I’m finally at my destination! If it’s in a city I’ve previously visited, I’ve got a head full of memories from other trips, anticipation to explore new spots or re-enjoy sites I’ve found so appealing that I can’t resist seeing them again. If it’s a city I’ve never visited, I’m even more jazzed, knowing that a whole new suite of experiences awaits! It doesn’t really matter if the near future holds good or bad experiences, it’s all going to be new and exciting. I have yet to arrive in a city and not find it’s been worth the work in preparation.
Arles was no exception. Arles is a city in the southeast of France, surrounded by other notable cities like Avignon, Nimes, Aix, Marseilles. But Arles has an identity all of its own. It’s an ancient Roman town, and for me, one of the coolest cities I’ve ever visited. Why is it a top tier city for me? Well, to start it’s not huge, about 50,000 in population, which makes it very walkable. There is no better way to get to know an area than to do it on foot. It’s fairly flat, which again makes it easy to do a lot of walking. It’s got a train station right in the town, so it’s very easy to get there and to get around. And of course for the curious engineer, loaded with ruins from previous civilizations. Definitely ticks all the boxes for me!
Arriving
I walked a couple of blocks from the train station into Arles and was greeted by the ruins of two towers. These were the ancient entry towers when Arles was a walled city, back in the days of the Romans.
A little further in, walking up Avenue Victor Hugo, visitors are welcomed by a beautiful fountain with an interesting history.
The Fontaine Amédée Pichot was built by Pierre-Amédée Pichot, in honor of his father’s friendship with the painter Paul Balze. Pierre-Amédée acquired one of Balze’s paintings and wanted to donate it to the city of Arles. But the city couldn’t find anywhere to display it, so Pierre-Amédée decided to build the monument himself. He bought a property on the street and worked with Augustus Veran and Balze’s brother Raymond to complete the monument. It’s a welcoming site as one enters the city.
As I mentioned, Arles was a walled city, and the old town – la vieille ville – is the heart. Bits of the walls still stand today, as well as the remains of a tower at the southeast corner of the old town, Le Tour des Mourges. Check out how it’s built right on the bedrock, again just amazing engineering by the Romans.
The old town is filled with small streets that wind back and forth, and at the center is the Place du Forum, an open square that used to hold the Roman Forum building. Today it’s lined by cafes and hotels. I picked this area for my hotel, the Hôtel du Forum, because of its central location in the old town. Every morning I had a picturesque view to enjoy with my croissant.
A Bit of History
Arles is an ancient Roman town, but it existed well before Jules decided to put his mark on the city. The Ligurians were in the area around 800 BCE, followed by the Phoenicians and the Celts (the Gaules). The Romans took the city around 120 BCE, turning it into a major city. They built a canal that ran from the city down to the Mediterranean Sea, and used the city as a river and sea port. But Arles was consistently out-done by coastal Marseille, until the conflict between Jules Cesar and Pompey, when Arles backed Caesar and Marseille backed Pompey. Caesar turned to Arles and requested that 12 war vessels be built in 30 days. The skilled Arlésians craftsmen delivered, Caesar was victorious, and rewarded Arles with a high level of investment. This is evident today, with a number of relics still in existence.
Walking in the Romans’ Footsteps
Musée Départemental de l’Arles Antique
The Arles Museum of Antiquity – Musée Départemental de l’Arles Antique – is a good place to start exploring some of these relics. This museum is located outside of the old town, but is still within walking distance.
The museum has some great examples of the boats built by the Arlésian craftsmen, as well as some remarkable sculptures and mosaic tile floors.
Just outside of the Museum is a site where the Romans ran chariot-races; today it’s a lovely walkable garden.
Théâtre Antique
Back in the old town, the outdoor Gallo-Roman Theater – Théâtre Antique – holds around 10,000 people. By day, it’s an interesting spot with circular outdoor seating, surrounding a stage with several stone columns. By night, it’s a romantic spot for summer concerts.
Les Arènes
Just down the street from the Theater is the Arena – les Arènes – built about a century after the outdoor theater. The arena or amphitheater is an amazing example of Roman engineering, holding over 20,000 spectators, and is older and larger than its cousin in Nîmes, just to the west. Today it’s used for bullfights and concerts, and even the occasional gladiator show. The seating surrounds the center oval, with 30 rows of seats to the tops of the entry arches. These arches were blocked during the middle ages, and the amphitheater was used as a fortified town, with homes jammed into the center oval. Climbing to the top of the seats and even above to one remaining medieval tower is worth the effort, the views of the arena and town are fantastic.
The amphitheater shows some spectacular Roman engineering. Big stones were used and were the result of Roman stonework. Above the arches are small stones filling in the gaps. These were filler material gathered to use during the fortification of the arena.
Place de la République
Further down from the amphitheater is the Republic Square – Place de la République, the heart of the old town. The square is surrounded by the Hôtel de Ville on one side, and the Church of Saint-Trophismus on another. In the center of the square is a tall Obelisk. And treasure of treasures, a free public toilet! As anyone who has known the agony of ‘having the need’ without a sou in their pocket, this is big!
Cryptoportiques
The Hôtel de Ville houses government offices as well as the entrance to the Crytoporticos – Cryptoportiques, a set of underground chambers and supports that were built to bear the weight of the upper half of the Roman forum, which stood above in the present-day Place du Forum. In Roman days, these underground supports and arches would have been at or above ground level, but have been buried over the millennia. These chambers are damp and dark, but fascinating to wander through. Just amazing thinking about the infrastructure the Romans developed as part of their building projects.
Thermes de Constantin
There are other Relics from Rome worth exploring. Down by the river are the remnants of an ancient bathhouse, the Baths of Constantine – Thermes de Constantin. These were built in the 4th century by the Emperor Constantine. These baths were built in many Roman cities, and were social centers used for exercising, networking as well as bathing. The engineering involved with these types of ancient spas was elaborate, with water supplied from the roman aqueducts, and temperatures controlled by wood-burning ovens. These baths were open to all social classes and to both men and women, and even had specific areas for children. These bath houses had sport courts, shops, and were magnificently decorated with colored marble and frescos. Entry was free or at least very cheap. Today, there is a charge to explore the ruins, or people can peek through the fence to see what remains.
Les Alyscamps
The Alyscamps- the Roman necropolis (ancient Greek νεκρόπολις nekropolis, literally meaning “city of the dead”). This was a large designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. As I mentioned, I was there in late October, and besides the girl selling tickets to get in, I was the only person there, so I could explore at my leisure. Walking down the main entry road, a number of excavated sarcophagi and remains of ruined buildings line the edges of the road. At the heart of the Alyscamps is a beautiful chapel, the medieval church of Saint Honoratus.
The Spirit of Van Gogh
As much as the Arles is littered with relics of the Roman past, the presence of the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh can be found throughout the city. There is a cool walking tour taking interested people throughout the city to specific locations where Van Gogh spent time painting the local sites. Well worth doing, not only to follow the paths taken by Van Gogh, but also as a way to really explore the city.
Van Gogh was one of the most prolific painters to have ever lived. His amazing works can be found in many of the world’s greatest museums. But at least some of them are still in Arles. In all, he produced over 300 drawings and paintings just during his stay in Arles. To see some of his paintings, the Foundation Vincent Van Gogh is worth exploring, with multiple works by Van Gogh and others.
Of course, the story of Van Gogh takes a tragic turn as he suffered from deteriorating mental health, leading to the infamous severing of his ear lobe in December 1888. As a result, he was admitted to the local mental hospital twice in rapid succession. The people of Arles were alarmed at his eccentricities, and circulated a petition to have him confined, and he left Arles in May 1889 for the Saint Paul asylum in nearby Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
Modern Life
Arles boasts the biggest market in Provence, held on Saturdays. Another Arles outdoor market is held on Wednesdays, but the larger is the Saturday event. I lucked out to be there on a Saturday, and even late in the season, it was packed with people. Tables set with everything imaginable from consumer electronics, clothes, different types of food, housewares, and even furniture were available. It stretched from the Rhône river, down the length of Boulevard Georges Clemenceau and Boulevard des Lices, curling around the corner of the old town and down the Boulevard Emilie Combes. Worth exploring for an interesting Saturday morning. And cafes and ice cream are readily at hand all along these major boulevards.
As with almost every city in France, great food is always at hand. There are so many fantastic restaurants, it becomes difficult to single any out. And Arles is no exception. However there are a few worth mentioning for those lucky enough to be spending some time in Arles. One block north of the Place du Forum is a street, Rue du Docteur Fanton. There are several very good restaurants in a row, Les Filles du 16, Le Galoubet, Au Brin de Thym, and Le Plaza La Paillotte. I was able to try all four during my stay in Arles, and all delivered in a big way. Wonderfully nice servers, small intimate settings, and unbelievable food. However I have to give a big shout out to Le Plaza La Paillotte. The food was so good, I’ve often thought about returning to Arles even for an evening, just to enjoy their creations again.
As I mentioned at the start, Arles really hits all the points of a city worth exploring for me. Deep history, small enough to explore on foot, easy to get to, cool remnants of old civilizations, and, given my love of food, a large number of gastronomic pleasures. Arles, à la prochaine fois, et merci !
