Photo gallery
About the city
Arles is a city in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhone department, of which it is a sub prefecture, in the former province of Provence. The Rhone river forks into two branches just upstream of Arles, forming the Camargue delta.
City areas
Arles has been organized into 5 districts since the Middle Ages. Today, the city has more than 5 districts, but the 5 still represent the most important part of Arles. The more popular districts are City Hall, Mejan and Roquette, with Portagnel and Hauture having been less popular in the past few years.
Attractions
The city of Arles is a mecca of history, so it’s no wonder there are many things to visit. Beside the museums, there are a number of architectural marvels the really merit a glance. Arles has important remains of Roman times, which have been listed as World Heritage Sites since 1981.
Transportation
Arles lies on the path of the European autoroute E80, which passes through Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey. This road will also take you to see Lisbon, Nice, Genoa, Rome and even Istanbul.
Events
A famous photography festival takes place in Arles every year. Every Easter and on the first weekend of September, Arles also holds Spanish style corridas, with a bull-running preceding each fight. The citizens of Arles were noted for their distinctive traditional dress which is now worn publicly at certain festivals and occasions.
Restaurants & Nightlife
There are many restaurants in Arles, which feature a Provençal and very exquisite type of cuisine. Although, because of its relatively small population, Arles doesn’t offer as many nightlife options as Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Nice, or Marseille.
History & Civilization
Arles was established by the Greeks as early as the 6th century BC under the name of Theline. It was captured by the Celtic Salluvii in 535 BC, who renamed it to Arelate. The Romans took the town in 123 BC and expanded it into an important city, with a canal link to the Mediterranean Sea being constructed in 104 BC.
St. Trophime Church
The Church of St. Trophime is a Roman Catholic church and former cathedral built between the 12th and the 15th century. The church is an important example of Romanesque architecture, and the sculptures over the portal, particularly the Last Judgement, and the columns in the adjacent cloister, are considered some of the finest examples of Romanesque sculpture.