Arles

In February 1888, an artist got off the train at Arles. Over the next year, he produced some of his most famous works of art. Below is a stroll which takes in most of the van Gogh-related sights and if you want to get a pre-stroll flavour, how about watching this short video of my wander around Arles.

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You can download and print a copy of the strolls here

A wander around Arles (3K red)

This stroll takes us around some of the key sites of Arles and places that inspired Vincent van Gogh to create around a picture a day. Why not see if it brings the artist out in you too?

Let’s leave Arles station and walk down Avenue Paulin Talabot to the roundabout which is where Vincent van Gogh lived with Paul Gauguin for an intense couple of months. The Maison Jaune (Yellow House) (1) has long gone but there is a sign showing where it was and what it looked like - and at least there’s a yellow supermarket nearby.

Walk through the Porte de la Cavalerie (2) with its solid towers which have had several makeovers over the centuries. The Cavalerie were the Knights Templar who set up shop here.

Going down Rue de la Cavalerie (3), you reach a fork in the road with a grand fountain (Fontaine Amédée Pichot) which was installed the year before Vincent arrived and contains an artwork by Paul Balze. It’s worth stopping to look at the picture, an allegory on poetry in the style of Raphael. This is what most people thought of as proper art when Vincent was here - it’s hardly surprising Vincent struggled to sell anything.

Take the left fork along Rue Voltaire and continue to the impressive Arena (4), unless you’ve come from Nimes, in which case the quite impressive arena. Vincent only painted the arena from the inside and even then, the building itself wasn’t what interested him.

Walk around the right-hand side of the Arena past the souvenir shops selling lavender and van Gogh tote bags and you’ll find the Roman theatre (5), just a little way up Rue Port de Laure. This place takes a bit more imagination and the site was used as a source of stone for the city’s walls after the Romans had left.

From here you could take the extended walk (see Alyscamps extension below) to see two places that shaped Vincent van Gogh’s work. Alternatively, take the Rue de la Calade, which passes in front of the theatre, and continue down this narrow street before taking a left turn down Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville to the Place de la Republique.

In the Place de la Republic (6) is the Hotel de Ville and it’s here that every three years a new Reine d’Arles (queen of Arles) is presented to the public.

Since 1930, Arles has been choosing its own queen, based on her knowledge of Provencal culture, language, long hair and ability to ride side-saddle behind a horseman. Alas, royal wedding enthusiasts will be disappointed as she must remain single for the duration of her reign.

The Place is also home to the compact Cathedral, dedicated to Arles’ first bishop, Saint Trophime. It has a great fantastic Romanesque facade that seems to have been sculpted by someone who was happy to depict any scene as long as it involved lions.

Saint Anne’s church opposite might seem like an excess of churches for a small square and that’s exactly what the Republican authorities thought in the 19th Century turning it into a museum for pagan art. These days it’s just used for temporary exhibitions. In the centre of the Place is a Roman obelisk - a 4th Century import from Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). When it was placed here in 1676 during the reign of the Sun King Louis 14th, it was topped with a golden globe. During the revolution that was replaced by the favourite headwear of the revolutionaries - a Phrygian cap. Then during the empire, it was changed to an eagle and so on through each phase of France’s turbulent 19th century. These days, it’s just been left as a bare point.

Cross the square and go down Rue Jean Jaurès and take the first right onto Rue de la Rotonde (which continues into Rue Molière). After about 200 metres there’s a rather imposing looking building from the outside, but friendlier (and more yellow) on the inside. 6 This was the old hospital, the Hotel Dieu, where Vincent was treated. Now it’s been renamed L’Espace Van Gogh (7) and you can take a look inside. Turn right just before the Espace up

The courtyard garden is kept to look as it did when Vincent painted it.

Let’s leave L’Espace van Gogh and wander through the lanes to another place painted by Vincent.

Continue up Pl. Félix Rey and then turn left onto Rue du Président Wilson. At the end turn left onto Rue de la République. Then take the first right onto Rue Frédéric Mistral. At the end turn right onto Rue Barremes and then take the first right onto Rue du Forum which leads to Place du Forum (8).

The pride of place in the Place is the statue of Frederic Mistral - the Nobel laureate and Provencal’s favourite poet who kick started the movement to promote Provencal culture and language at a time when France was becoming increasingly uniform.

While there may be a special place in the locals’ hearts for Mistral, there’s a special place in their wallets for Vincent van Gogh. You’ll find a recreation of the iconic ‘Cafe Terrace at Night’ on the opposite side of the square.

The next stop is Fondation Vincent van Gogh (9), where there’s always one of his paintings together with the works of new artists. Facing ‘Le Café Van Gogh’ go to the left-hand side of the square and take Rue des Thermes. At the end turn left onto Rue du Dr Fanton and the Fondation is 100 metres up the street on your left.

After you have finished there, continue along Rue du Dr Fanton until you have reached the banks of the Rhone. I’ve marked a slightly more wiggly route on the map if you want to look around some more of the back alleys.

Turn right and wander along the banks of the River Rhone and see if you can spot where Vincent painted ‘La Nuit Étoilée’ (starry night) picture (10). I wonder what Vincent would have made of these fishermen and their catch?

Carry on along the banks until you reach the remains of the grand two lion railway bridge (11). The road to the station is on your right.

Alyscamps extended walk (1km blue)

This walk will take you to the old roman cemetery and is where Vincent brought Gaughin to paint together. There are further two sites that help bring van Gogh’s time in Arles to life. Let’s start where we left off at the Roman theatre.

Head down the Rue du Cloître. There’s a footpath through to the park on the left just before the archway, but if it’s closed for any reason you can always follow the road around to the front entrance to the park.

Vincent used to visit and paint in the Jardin d’été (12), getting inspiration from nature (and the people who promenaded). Signs have been put up at the key places along with a map, so it’s easy to take yourself on a tour and try to match up what Vincent painted with what you can see now.

Vincent also visited another public space, with a long history, which you can visit next. Leave the park at the far end and turn right down the Avenue des Alyscamps - but before you do, take a peek left to see one of the towers that made up the city walls, the Tour Morgue (13).

Follow the Avenue down the hill and to the left, or follow the canal path if you prefer. At the end is the Alyscamps, the Roman necropolis (14). Alyscamps is local Provencal for Elysian Fields (a.k.a Champs-Élysées), the place where the good and the brave of Roman society went to after death.