Arles

Arles is most famous for its Roman amphitheater, still intact, and its connections with Van Gogh, who spent one of his final years here painting 200 canvases. Its real appeal, however, is found in the lovely pedestrian promenades, historic landmarks, museums and tranquil plazas, all of which make Arles one of the most charming places in Europe. Ancient Greeks established the first significant settlement here 2,600 years ago, because of its ideal climate, fertile soils and natural harbor. It was later built up by the Romans under Julius Caesar, who in 49BC rewarded Arles for its loyalty by making it the capital of southern Gaul; it maintained that level of importance for the next thousand years. Many buildings in the town center were constructed during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, but have been beautifully maintained and function today as apartments and modern shops. Built largely from stone, they seem immortal. Most of the medieval wall around the town is intact, enclosing the space and still protecting it from undue modernization. Nothing much seems to have happened to disturb these old buildings, so the historic center still looks as it did centuries ago. Primary strategy for sightseeing here is simply strolling up and down the main lanes to catch their different moods during the day and night. With such a small historic center, one half-mile long and a quarter-mile wide, it’s easy to revisit various sites and thoroughly see the whole place on foot. There are also various museums, monuments and plazas to include in your visit, along with shopping and eating. Theoretically one could cover the entire pedestrian zone in 30 minutes because the actual length of road set aside exclusively for pedestrians is only a half-mile; however there are so many other small lanes and plazas with great charm and little traffic that are fun to explore and could keep you happily entertained for days. The noisy face of Arles is found along the broad Boulevard des Lices, on the south edge of the old section, with busy traffic, broad sidewalks and many outdoor cafes. DAY ONE Start off at the most prominent landmark, the Roman amphitheater, or arena, called the Arènes d’Arles, one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in town. With a capacity of 25,000 people, it is a smaller version of Rome’s Colosseum, completed about ten years earlier. Amazingly, the Arena is still in use today for concerts, bullfights and other festivities, but no longer for gladiator battles. During the Middle Ages it was converted into a fortified village with 200 apartments built within, but they have since been removed and the arena has been restored to its original condition. It opens for public visits at 9:00 (10:00 in the winter), but just seeing the outside is quite a thrill. Next to the arena you’ll notice an outdoor theater, which is a modern re-construction of the Roman building created here 2,000 years ago for the Emperor Augustus. Only a few broken columns are original but the design is based on authentic Roman plans, and modern performances are presented regularly. MAIN SQUARE From the Arena, walk two blocks down the Rue de la Calade to the center of the Old Town, the Place de la République, which contains all the main structures: city hall, ancient church, obelisk centerpiece with fountain, flanked by shopping lanes. Enter the vaulted lobby of the old City Hall, built in 1675 according to plans by the famous architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, who left his mark all over Paris. Next door, the former cathedral, called Eglise San Trophime, has a fantastic series of Byzantine sculptures around the door on the façade that have been recently restored to their pristine beauty. The interior is also from the Byzantine, older than the Gothic. It’s quite a church, and another UNESCO World Heritage site. Be sure to find the Cloister of San Trophime, tucked away around the corner. This cloister is like an open-air museum with architecture and sculpture spanning a 300-year period: gothic pointed arches on one side, and older, Romanesque barrel-vaulting on the other side. The open court in the center is surrounded by beautiful columns, each with different, detailed stone carvings on their capitals, and corner columns especially noted for their realistic, gothic statues representing various saints. It’s a calm and peaceful place. Stroll a few blocks along the main pedestrian shopping street, Rue de la République, especially fun when the shops are open, but less thrilling in the afternoon when they all close for siesta -- the custom throughout the south of Europe. A museum of folk crafts and art might catch your eye here, the Museon Arlaten, established one century ago by the famed local poet Mistral and featuring a collection of clothing, furnishings, artifacts, wood carvings and scenes from daily life that are spread through 30 rooms. Note the displays of small Santons figurines, vividly depicting colorful people in traditional outfits. These whimsical little statues are unique to the south of France and can be purchased in many shops. If you’re looking for a Van Gogh museum, don’t: there are no paintings by him in Arles, but the former hospital where he stayed has been converted into a culture center called Espace Van Gogh with other art exhibits. The two houses he lived in during 1888-1889 were destroyed by American bombing in WWII. MUSEUM OF ANCIENT ARLES Another, far more interesting museum awaits at the far end of town, about a 15-minute walk through a quiet neighborhood. Pass through Place Antonelle and stroll along the short Rue du Porcelet, which soon becomes Rue de la Roquette, leading you through a residential area with a scattering of local shops and restaurants. Upon reaching the wide street, turn right and pass under the viaduct by the river, which then leads directly to a new building housing the ancient remains. Called the Musée de l’Arles Antique, it primarily displays treasures from the Roman period of Arles with an excellent layout in a large building that opened in 1995. There are rows of marble sarcophagi, or tombs, of the Romans and early Christians, richly decorated with sculpture depicting religious scenes and daily life. Elevated platforms enable you to look down on the large collection of mosaic floors from Roman homes that reveal brilliant scenes created with tiny pieces of colored stones depicting sea creatures, the zodiac, nereids, the four seasons and realistic human portraits. A large, impressive 3-D model of Arles in ancient Rome times shows how the city covered all of today’s historic center and demonstrates how sophisticated the buildings were. A large model of the arena shows how little it has changed over the millennia. Also on display are original glass works, tools, gold jewelry, small statues, and a nice lineup of busts of the various emperors, along with simpler artifacts dating back to the Stone Age. These dramatic displays remind us that Arles was one of the largest economic centers in the Roman Empire, with a busy commercial harbor and an extensive urban core. Even then it was so valued as a place to stay that many Roman generals retired here and are buried in the Alyscamps cemetery along with hundreds of their soldiers, in the south part of town. BUSY STREET AND MAIN SQUARE Walk back to the center along the wide Boulevard Georges Clémenceau, the busiest street in Arles, where you can find a nice place to sit with a drink and watch the locals parade by, although it’ s a bit noisy with all the traffic. Stop at the Tourist Information Office a few blocks along on the right (south) side for maps and brochures. Helpful agents can tell you about attractions here as well as some nearby places you can visit tomorrow. Cross the busy boulevard and plunge back into the historic center via Rue Jean-Jaurès, which leads back into the Place de la République. This time, walk through the square and along Arles’ other main pedestrian lane, Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, lined with attractive shops. Then take the second left, which brings you into another main square, the Place du Forum, which is probably the most popular plaza for eating and drinking, with its charming bistros and cafes. Named after the ancient Roman Forum, which extended from here back towards City Hall a few blocks away, Place du Forum has one of the only four-star hotels in Arles, the Grand Hôtel Nord Pinus, which would be an excellent lodging choice. Arles’ other four-star property is the Jules César, near the Tourist Information office. At least a dozen other small, comfortable hotels are in the historic center and would all be suitable, especially the cozy Hôtel Calendal, where we enjoyed the charms of a private house and its excellent location next to the Roman Amphitheater. CRYPTOPORTICOS The Roman Forum was the center of social life in ancient Arles and miraculously, part of it has survived. Barrel-vaulted arcades, which served as storerooms and foundations for the main forum, are beautifully preserved in the underground Cryptoporticos Museum of Arles. Walking through these dark, musty basements is an eerie experience, with water dripping from the stone roof and fragments of statues and buildings lying around on the floor. Mysterious side chambers lead to spooky dead-ends in what had once been a busy shopping mall, 2,000 years ago. Above ground the streets are bustling. By now it should be late in the afternoon, when you’ll see lots of friendly folks out walking -- it’s a great time to be out for a stroll. Puppies frolic, kids play, musicians earn some coins and neighbors catch up on the day’s gossip. We’re in the south of France where they do observe the siesta, so most shops are closed from 1:00pm through 4:00pm, and then they re-open until about 8:00pm in the evening. The weather is generally nice, the lights are on, the daylight is still lingering in the twilight sky beyond, inviting you to find a nice restaurant for dinner.