Arles

Day 1: The Roman heart of Arles

Begin with the city’s imperial core, where streets still wrap around monuments raised under Augustus and Domitian. Today is about getting your bearings and letting the layered history (Roman, medieval, modern) reveal itself at walking pace.

• Morning: Enter the amphitheatre (Les Arènes) as gates open to avoid heat and crowds; climb to the upper tiers for city-and-Rhône panoramas and spot the medieval towers that once helped fortify this “stone village.” Continue next door to the Roman theatre; stand by the two surviving columns and imagine the vanished scaenae frons that once dazzled audiences.
• Midday: Break for lunch around the Place du Forum, then slip into the cool, dim cryptoporticus beneath the Hôtel de Ville. These subterranean galleries supported the Roman forum above—perfect at midday when stone elsewhere is scorching in summer.
• Afternoon: Stroll a “spolia trail” through the old town: find temple fragments embedded in walls near the Place du Forum, the obelisk in Place de la République (once on the circus spina), and reused Roman blocks in facades. Wear sturdy shoes—Roman paving and cobbles can be slick when wet.
• Evening: If in season, catch a course camarguaise or concert in the amphitheatre to experience the arena as a living venue; otherwise, enjoy golden-hour light on stones from the outer arcades. Tip: in peak summer, book timed tickets and carry water—seating bakes after 16:00.

Day 2: River, museum and Constantine’s city

Anchor the day with context at the museum before “reading” the ruins outside; you’ll see far more once you know what was found in them. Then follow the late antique story along the Rhône, where Constantine reshaped Arelate into an imperial residence.

• Morning: Start at the Musée départemental Arles antique (the “blue museum”) to see the Arles-Rhône 3 barge, mosaics, early Christian sarcophagi and the contested Julius Caesar bust. This air‑conditioned visit pairs well with hot days and frames everything else you’ll see.
• Midday: Walk the riverfront to the Baths of Constantine; study the hypocaust pillars and wall channels that circulated heat in the caldarium. In summer, plan a shaded lunch nearby or picnic by the Rhône; mistral days bring glorious clarity but can be blustery.
• Afternoon: Cross to Trinquetaille for views back over the historic core and to grasp how Roman engineers piped water across the river via an inverted siphon. Return via Place de la République to admire the re‑erected circus obelisk and, a few minutes away, the cloister of Saint‑Trophime to trace Roman forms reborn as Romanesque (cool, quiet, and atmospheric).
• Evening: Check what’s on at the Roman theatre—summer brings concerts and Rencontres d’Arles screenings. If no event, linger at sunset on the theatre’s steps; light rakes across seating tiers and the “two widows” columns make superb silhouettes.

Day 3: Necropolis and aqueducts—Arles beyond the centre

Shift mood to the city of the dead and the engineering that fed the living. Today blends the poignancy of the Alyscamps with a countryside foray to the aqueduct mills that powered Roman Arelate.

• Morning: Walk the Alyscamps allée to Saint‑Honorat; continue past the first cluster of sarcophagi for quieter, more evocative sections. Best in spring/autumn light; in summer, arrive early when plane trees cast long shade and cicadas buzz.
• Midday: Loop back towards the museum forecourt to trace the faint footprint of the Roman circus (look for the low wall of the spina). Pause for lunch nearby; if it’s very hot, the museum café or a cool bistro trumps alfresco.
• Afternoon: Optional excursion (self‑drive or e‑bike) to the Barbegal mill complex, where a repurposed aqueduct once powered 16 waterwheels—remarkable evidence of Roman industry in the hills above Arles. If you stay in town instead, revisit a favourite site with fresh eyes or join a guided walk focused on hydraulics and the cryptoporticus.
• Evening: Celebrate with a Provençal dinner around the Place du Forum—perfect for people‑watching where the forum once stood. Festival notes: during the Easter and September ferias, the amphitheatre prioritises bull events; in August, the Arelate Roman days animate streets with legionaries and workshops—book lodging and tickets early.

Notes for all days:

• Buy a monuments pass at your first site; it’s more economical than single entries and simplifies re‑entry.
• Use local names (Les Arènes, Théâtre Antique, Cryptoportiques, Les Alyscamps) and bring cashless payment for passes.
• Accessibility varies: the museum is fully accessible; many ancient sites have steps and uneven stone.
• Heat strategy: sites 09:00–11:00 and 17:00–19:00; museums and shaded/underground spaces at midday.

By Air

• Marseille Provence (MRS) – approx. 70 km; 50–60 min by car. Shuttle to Vitrolles Aéroport TER (5–10 min), then TER to Arles (~50–70 min, usually via Miramas). Or coach to Marseille St‑Charles (~25 min) then TER (~1 hr).
• Nîmes–Alès–Camargue–Cévennes (FNI) – approx. 25–30 km; 30–35 min by car. Shuttle bus to Nîmes centre (~30 min), TER to Arles (20–30 min). Limited/seasonal flights.
• Montpellier Méditerranée (MPL) – approx. 75 km; ~1 hr by car. Airport bus 620 to tram, tram to Montpellier St‑Roch, then TER to Arles (total 1 hr 15–1 hr 45).
• Avignon Provence (AVN) – approx. 25–35 km; ~40 min by car. Very limited scheduled flights; taxi or bus to Avignon centre then TER to Arles (~45–60 min).

By Train

• Main station: Arles (SNCF). Regional TER services to Avignon Centre (~45 min), Nîmes (~20–30 min), Montpellier St‑Roch (~1 hr 05–1 hr 20), Marseille St‑Charles (~1 hr).
• High‑speed access: TGVs do not stop in Arles. Nearest hubs:
  • Avignon TGV: TGV from Paris (~2 hr 40–2 hr 55) or Lyon (~1 hr), then TER to Arles (~35–45 min).
  • Nîmes Pont‑du‑Gard (TGV): connect via Nîmes Centre (TER/shuttle) then TER to Arles.
  • Aix‑en‑Provence TGV/Marseille St‑Charles: frequent TGVs; onward TER to Arles.
• Typical through journeys: Paris to Arles via Avignon TGV ~3 hr 30–4 hr total; Barcelona to Arles via Nîmes/Montpellier ~4 hr 30–5 hr 30.

By Bus/Coach

• Regional liO buses link Arles with Nîmes, Avignon, Salon‑de‑Provence and Camargue towns (stops around the railway station/central area). Useful where train frequency is lower.
• Long‑distance operators (e.g., FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus) run limited services seasonally; check current timetables and stop locations in Arles.

By Car

• Arles sits on the A54/N113, linking the A9 (Spain–Montpellier–Nîmes) and A7 (Lyon–Avignon–Marseille).
  • From Marseille: ~90 km, ~1 hr via A7→A54.
  • From Montpellier: ~85 km, ~1 hr 15 via A9→A54.
  • From Nîmes: ~35 km, ~35–40 min via A54.
  • From Avignon: ~35 km, ~40–50 min via N570.
• Parking: several paid car parks ring the old town (e.g., Boulevard des Lices, Lamartine, Trinquetaille). The historic centre has narrow/part‑pedestrian streets—avoid driving inside when possible.