Visit Arles, France where Van Gogh’s Famous Yellow Cafe is

Last updated on 27 December 2024

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The city of Arles is very unassuming. While we didn’t have long there – barely time to find a restroom and grab a bite to eat as we made our way through France, the small city of Arles, with its 50,000 or so people, was a sweet one to walk around, even for a short time.

The city lies on the Rhône River, which is in the Provence region of southern France, and like many a French city and town the streets in the city centre are cobbled, with the Arles Amphitheatre at its heart. It would have been nice to check it out in more detail, and perhaps pop inside, but alas, we were strapped for time on our Contiki tour and finding a toilet was paramount. You get it.

Vincent Van Gogh in Arles

Perhaps its biggest name to fame is by that of the late Vincent Van Gogh. For over a year, Van Gogh lived and painted in Arles (from 1888–1889), and many of his paintings are based on scenes from the French town.

One of the notable ones is his painting called Cafe Terrace at Night, which has a vibrant yellow cafe in it. That cafe is still there in Arles, or rather the building is. When we visited, nothing much seemed to be happening there, the doors were all closed up and just some tourists outside like us taking photos.

Things to do in Arles, France

There are lots of things to do in Arles, and while I only had the chance to wander around for an hour or so, there are definitely a lot of places I’d love to check out if I ever get the chance to visit again.

Arles Amphitheatre (Arena)

I’ve already mentioned this, but the Roman arena dates back to the 1st century, and even hosts events throughout the year. As is the case with many like it around France (and Italy, Greece … other spots around Europe), it’s an impressive feat of engineering and architecture and worth checking out.

Musée Départemental Arles Antique

The Musée Départemental Arles Antique showcases Arles’ rich Roman history, featuring artefacts like mosaics, sculptures, and the famous Roman barge discovered in the Rhône River in 2011. That is a fascinating story, and you can read more about it here on National Geographic.

Fondation Vincent Van Gogh Arles

A contemporary art museum/space which celebrates Van Gogh’s legacy in Arles, the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh Arles has exhibitions throughout the year.

The Langlois Bridge

You might recognise the Langlois Bridge from paintings by Van Gogh. While the original bridge that Van Gogh painted was destroyed in WWII, it was replaced by a reinforced concrete one, which is now a few kilometres away from the original spot. But you can still visit it, and pretend you’re in a Van Gogh painting like the one below.

Abbaye de Montmajour

Up on the hill above Arles, the Abbey of Monmajour, looks out over the city and river – stunning views! It was built in 928 (a date I can barely fathom!) by Benedictine monks, and today people can visit the abbey to experience 8 centuries of architecture, and stunning cloisters, or even take a guided tour to learn about the history (this is in French though, FYI).

Espace Van Gogh

Espace Van Gogh is a colourful garden square and exhibition space set in the hospital where Van Gogh was treated, which now celebrates his art and life in Arles. Definitely gutted I missed out on this one!

St-Trophime Cloister (Cloître St-Trophime)

St Trophime Church is actually a pilgrimage point, and the starting point of the Via Tolosana (the Arles Way) walk to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The church of St. Trophime has many sculptures, beautiful cloisters and capitals, depicting stories from the Bible. The monuments here are UNESCO World Heritage listings, as of 1981. I saw the outside of this church (pictured above), but if you’d like to learn more about it, you can do that here.

Cryptoportiques

Underneath the heart of Arles, you’ll find an incredible set of underground chambers dating back to the city’s Roman roots in 46 BC—and possibly even earlier, to ancient Greek times. The Cryptoportiques are definitely something I would have loved to see, even if Trip Advisor labels them ‘dark and creepy’. 🤣

Baths of Constantine

Ruins of a grand Roman bath complex can also be found in Arles. Roman baths like this one can be found all over Europe and the UK, too. My first memory of seeing some was probably in Bath, England (the irony), when I visited in 2013. The Baths of Constantine are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and are one of three thermal baths in Arles, apparently. You can visit for just a handful of Euros.

Walking Tours in Arles

If you don’t want to create your own itinerary for Arles, there are numerous walking tours that you can join. One of the things I love about European towns is that they are so walkable. You’d never get a good sense of Auckland with a walking tour, that’s for sure.

Heading back to visit Arles, France

As I said, I’d love to go back and visit Arles, France.

From the little time I spent there, it seemed like such a sweet and charming city. The cobblestone streets, cute little cafes, and the historic spots that I’d love to explore more … I know I only got a small taste of what it has to offer, but I bet there’s so much more to discover—like the Roman history, the beautiful architecture, and all the Van Gogh connections. It’s definitely a place I’d love to head on back to.

Due to us not having a lot of time to explore, I didn’t actually take many photos at all. So here are some images from Wikipedia, with their permission-to-use information attached, so you get a better idea about the town.

Have you been to Arles, France? I’d love to hear from you! What are some of the things you did?