Destination Weddings in Arles

Exchange your wedding vows in Arles, the backdrop of a Van Gogh masterpiece.  It is a city of endless sun with an immensely exciting past and present. Arles' unique history, ancient beauty and special light make Arles an exceptionally romantic place for your marriage celebration in Provence.

Arles is a charming city; gateway to the Camargue, land of the gypsies, and meeting place of the cowboys of Camargue.  Today the ferias or bull runs and bullfights are held in this very same arena (12,000 seats) that was the scene of the Roman games in the first century!  It is rare site to see and feel!

The name Arles comes from Arelate, meaning "near the marshes".  Sitting on a low hill where the Rhône River branches in two parts to the sea, it is the largest city in France with the surface area of 758km2. The town dates to the 7th century BC, and was a major Gallo-Roman city. The major Roman sites, such as the Arena and the Theater, are unique in that they are integrated into the houses and buildings of the town, rather than sitting apart as they do in places such as Orange. The streets of this city are truly medieval in character, narrow and winding, are an integral part of the houses and other town buildings. Automobile traffic is permitted on many of them, but walking is much easier than driving.

A bastion of Provençal tradition and culture, its museums are among the best in the region. Few other towns in Provence combine the entire region's charm as much as Arles. Its Roman remains such as the wonderfully preserved arena and Constantine's baths are complemented by the ochre walls and Roman-tiled roofs of later buildings. You will see Arles' Roman monuments are registered with UNESCO, and a must see. The houses and private mansions of the 16th and 17th centuries, the cloister of St. Trophime, the Hôtel de Ville, and the shaded terraces of the Place des Lices.

Arles, capital of Provençal culture, the city of festivals, art and tradition, has never stopped attracting artists such as Van Gogh, his friend Gauguin, and Picasso, who was a passionate lover of bullfights.

Wander around the town, and if the quaint, narrow streets of Arles and its surrounds look strangely familiar, it is because you have seen them before in the paintings of Van Gogh. It is here in Arles that Van Gogh (1853-1890) spent the two last years of his life, having one of his most prolific periods, painting 200 masterpieces, which created the story of the art.

It's impossible to go to Arles and to not breathe the Van Gogh's air.

Vincent Van Gogh in Arles

Finally tired of the rush of city life in Paris, on February 19, 1888, Vincent left for an ocean front Provence.

Inspired by the bright colors and strong light of Provence, Vincent executes painting after painting in his own powerful style. Here, he enters a period of sustained creative activity. He has little to distract him from his painting, for he knows almost no one: Captivated by the spectacle of spring in Provence, Vincent paints the landscape, concentrating on blossoming fruit trees and late, in summer, on rural life scenery. He paints the outdoors, often in a single long session: Color becomes an expressive tool by which Vincent conveys particular emotions, an innovation that aligns his work with Post-impressionism.

Arles is truly a food lover's paradise. One could easily spend the entire day browsing the seemingly endless, open market that winds around the central part of the city. The food selection is astonishing. You can sample cheeses and buy herbs and spices in small 50-gram quantities. This is the best place to purchase regional products such as olive oil, the special Marseille soaps, antiques, and bolts of the colorful, Provencal fabric. The market is also an ideal place to buy goat cheese, saucisson, olives, tapenade and olive bread, cherries, tomatoes and apricots. The merchants are warm and friendly. Leaving the marché you will find the lovely, calm park with benches, and curved walkways which is located along the Boulevard des Lices, at the end of the Roman "Theatre Antique".  Its large trees, including a gigantic cedar, provide a welcome shade on the hottest days, and a handy place for resting your weary feet on a market day.

Annual events in Arles, including the Rice Festival, La feria du riz, celebrate the start of the rice harvest, with bull-fighting events at the Arènes and the international festival of Photography Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie brings many visitors.

If your passion is discovering a country through its cuisine, its wines and its history you are in the right place. Arles is a magical region of artists & artisans and, most especially its haute cuisine dating back to ancient times.

You can participate in a large variety of culinary holidays and cooking classes at the well-known culinary arts schools. Your wedding reception will be the perfect time to sample and savor Arles' gastronomic Provençal dishes so delicately paired with wines of the Rhone valley and Languedoc.