A day in Arles (France)

We arrive in Arles on a hot Sunday in July. We stop for a day while we're on our way on holiday. A bit to break the monotony of a long car journey and a bit to see this splendid French city.

Arles is a very beautiful city to visit, with a clear Roman imprint. The Romans first appeared, so to speak, in 102 BC when they had the 'Fosse Marinae' canal dug to make navigation easier. In 46 BC Julius Caesar placed the small Celtic settlement that would become Arles under Roman control. Later the emperor Constantine I made it one of his favourite residences. From the Roman Forum to the theatre, the legacy the Romans left has come down to us.

Without a doubt the highlight of the city is the Roman amphitheatre: Les Arènes. Built in 1 AD, today, thanks to its excellent state of preservation, it continues to be used for contests between bulls and the Camargue bullfighters. The ancient theatre also boasts a highly respectable history. It was built by Augustus in 1 AD. The austere cathedral of Saint Trophime and its cloister, half Romanesque and half Gothic, are striking too.

We stroll along the city streets, and along the banks of the Rhône, by now at the end of its course.

We end our day enjoying a lovely granita in the city park, packed with tourists and with people spending Sunday afternoon in the shade of the trees.

The Roman and Romanesque monuments of Arles have been included by UNESCO in the list of World Heritage Sites. Arles is a beautiful town; it isn't the first time I've visited it, but coming back is always a pleasure. Even Vincent van Gogh was able to appreciate this city in a particular way; here in fact he lived the last two years of his life and painted some of his most famous works.

The stop in Arles was a positive one; we got to know and appreciate this small French town that boasts the record of being the largest municipality in France. Beautiful Arles... worth seeing.