ARLES is a major town on the tourist circuit, its fame sealed by the extraordinarily well-preserved Roman arena, Les Arènes , at the city's heart, and backed by an impressive variety of other stones and monuments, both Roman and medieval. It was the key city of the region in Roman times, then, with Aix, main base of the counts of Provence before unification with France. For centuries it was Marseille's only rival, profiting from the inland trade route up the Rhône whenever the enemies of France were blocking Marseille's port. Arles declined when the railway put an end to this advantage, and … more »
France's charms are manifest, whether it is the chic boulevards of... more »
The amphitheatre and Roman walls of Arles speak of the Provençal... more »
Arles (Provenal Occitan: Arle in both classical and Mistralian norms... more »
Set on the banks of the Rhone River, Arles (pop. 52,000) is where Vincent van Gogh lived and painted... more »