Arles Travel Guide
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724km (450 miles) S of Paris; 35km (22 miles) SW of Avignon; 89km (55 miles) NW of Marseille
Arles has been called "the soul of Provence," and art lovers, archaeologists, and historians are all attracted to this town on the Rhône. Many of the scenes painted so luminously by van Gogh remain to delight. The great Dutch painter left Paris for Arles in 1888. He was to paint some of his most celebrated works in this Provençal town.
The Greeks are said to have founded Arles in the 6th century B.C. Julius Caesar established a Roman colony here in 46 B.C. Under Roman rule, Arles prospered. Constantine the Great named it the second capital in his empire in A.D. 306, when it was known as "the little Rome of the Gauls." It wasn't until 1481 that Arles was incorporated into France.
Though Arles isn't quite as lovely as it was when van Gogh came here, it has enough antique charm to keep the appeal alive. Its first-rate museums, excellent restaurants, and summer festivals (such as the early June international photography festival) make a visit rewarding.
