Arles

I decided to not have a Special Feature Friday this Friday. Due to my daytime job, and because we are moving house soon, I do not get to spend as much time on my blog as I would like to, and instead of a Special Feature Friday I would like to write about a memory we made last summer.

Friends were over with their car, and we decided to go for a daytrip. This time we chose Arles, a city in the Provence of which I heard a lot. It is about an hour away from Marseille and makes from a nice drive on a spring day. We arrived in Arles and found an Provencal market very soon.  It is great to see the items sold by the salesmen. Olives, bread, vegetables, nougat, sausages and meat products. It was wonderful to see all these regional grown and made goods together!

Arles is an ancient city, the area was already inhabited at 800 BC. In 123 BC the Romans arrived and worked on the expansion of the city. Roman influences can still be found today in the shape of an amphitheater, built in 90 BC and a Gallo-Roman theater.

The arcades of the amphitheater against the blue sky. The theater is open for visitors and in summertime it is still used for bull fights. It has an whole history for it's own! The Gallo-Roman theatre can also be visited. Just outside of Arles there is a Roman aqueduct and mill. 

The city center breathes the air of the old Provencal streets, with the typical houses. Decorated with their beautiful doorways, practical wooden shutters and statues of Maria and other saints. Every summer traditional festivals are celebrated. Every 1st Sunday of July "les arlesiennes" will dress up in their traditional costumes and parade trough the city. 

The painter Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles some of the last years in his life. Some of his famous works where painted here, like "Starry Night over the Rhone", "Cafe terrace at night" and "Hospital in Arles". The latter two can still be found and viewed in the city. Above you can find a picture I took of the "Hospital in Arles", where van Gogh stayed for a while.

Arles is certainly worth a visit, and I would advise to visit in spring or Autumn. As summers can get very hot. If you don't want to miss the market it is best to go on a Saturday morning, as markets usually stop early in these parts. If you have the time it is advisable to stay a couple of day's to truly discover Arles. A train goes to Arles from Marseille. Close to Arles you can find the Camargues, a natural parc in between to arms of the Rhone. It is a river delta with wild horses and flamingo's roaming around. About this, I will write more next time!