Our Last Day: Arles ~ October 12, 2019

Our Last Day:  Arles ~ October 12, 2019

The daily program from Viking reads, "there are few places lovelier than Arles to spend the day in.  The "Pearl of Provence" and gateway to the Camargue region, picture-book Arles is quintessentially French and perhaps the most Provencal of all Provencal towns.  Its location on the Mediterranean between Italy and Spain adds to its distinctive character, as does its delicious food and historic architecture."

By Chensiyuan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50801466

Wikipedia tells us that Arles is a city in Southern France on the Rhone River.  It has a long history and was quite important in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis.  There are many Roman and Romanesque Monuments that are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites (since 1981).  Arles is also well known as the home of Vincent van Gogh from 1888 to 1889, where he produced over 300 paintings and drawings.

The area has been populated since 800 BC by ancient Italians, Celts, and the Phoenicians.  The Romans took over the town in 123 BC, expanding it into an important city with a canal linking it to the Mediterranean Sea in 104 BC.

Ancient Arles (Arelate) covered an area of about 99 acres and had a number of monuments, including an amphitheater, triumphal arch, Roman circus, theater, and a full circuit of walls.  

The above photos are taken in and around the Roman Arena.

Obelisk in the Place de la Republique

Carousel in Arles

Market in Arles

Streets of Arles

Cat in Arles

Arles remained economically important as a major port on the Rhône until the arrival of the railway diminished river trade.  Perhaps this is why Vincent van Gogh chose Arles in February of 1888.  Many of his most famous paintings were completed there, including The Night Cafe, the Yellow Room, Starry Night Over the Rhone, and L'Arlésienne.  Paul Gaugin visited van Gogh in Arles, but van Gogh's deteriorating mental health led to the infamous ear-severing incident in December of 1888, resulting in two stays in the Old Hospital of Arles.  In May of 1889, van Gogh left Arles for the Saint-Paul asylum at nearby Saint-Remy-de-Provence.

The Night Cafe

A Starry Night Over the Rhone

L'Arlesienne

Arles Town Hall

Vaulted Ceilings in the Town Hall

Doorway of the Hotel de Dieux (Hospital)

Garden adjacent to the old hospital building

Cheese and Bread at La Mule Bianco

In the Cafe

Scenes from the Bus on the Way Back to the Ship

A farewell from Captain and Heads of Department 

Jeff with Guiseppe - finally gets to play the piano

Kevin and Khalin man the bar

This has truly been a most memorable and wonderful trip.  Two very different components - first the Bordeaux experience shared with Peter and Betty Lou, and then the Viking Cruise from Lyon to Avignon.  A taste of Bordeaux and a taste of Province.  It is a beautiful part of the world!