Arles, Les Baux de Provence & St. Rémy

For lovers of history, photography, food, and Van Gogh.

 

A NOTE ABOUT DRIVING TIMES
About 3 hours on the road — a bit heavy compared to other services from this port.
 

DETAILS: ARLES, LE BAUX DE PROVENCE & SAINT-RÉMY from Marseille

Arles
This part of France is a land steeped in history. Numerous archeological gems, some dating back over 2000 years and many of them UNESCO World Heritage sites, attest to Arles’ rich past. The Gallo-Roman Theatre and the Roman Amphitheatre are among the important remnants that you’ll see, demonstrating the power and the wealth of the city in ancient times.

St. Trophime Church, a major work of Romanesque architecture, is famous for its sculptures, particularly those on the facade depicting the Last Judgement (12th C) and the columns in the cloister.

In more modern times Arles is associated with Van Gogh, where the sunshine and colours of the landscape inspired him to create over 300 works before his deteriorating mental health caused him to move to St. Rémy. Throughout the area you can see placards depicting his works in the places where he painted them. The Old Arles Hospital is now home to a gallery of his paintings.

St. Rémy
St. Rémy, besides being a great place to buy beautiful local food items, is also the birth place of Nostradamus. Before lunch, which you might want to enjoy in a typical bistro, we’ll take a look at the various architectural aspects of Saint Rémy.

Les Baux de Provence
In the early afternoon we will take a trip back to the Medieval. Les Baux, perched on a spur of rock, has been deemed “One of the most beautiful villages in France”. There are a great many historical monuments in this small place, and lots of opportunities to buy local handcrafts and olive oil. This part of France is known for terra cotta figurines called santons that are traditionally placed in Nativity scenes.

ARLES, LE BAUX DE PROVENCE & SAINT-RÉMY from Marseille
DURATION: 8 hrs