Inspiring Van Gogh to LUMA, Arles is a Must-Visit for Art Lovers in Provence

If you love Van Gogh, Gauguin, or art history, Arles should be on your travel list. Arles inspired Van Gogh, who created over 300 works here, convinced Paul Gauguin to join him in an ill-fated artistic collaboration and where some of the most famous scenes in art and history still exist today.

Arles a Must-Visit for Art

The fact that you can sit for a drink at the café from “Café Terrace at Night” and stand by the Rhône under the evening sky just like in “Starry Night Over the Rhône” is almost too much to comprehend. It’s a reminder that art isn’t just something to see in a museum. Visiting Arles, it’s something you can feel and touch.

When Van Gogh moved to Arles in 1888, it is said he was chasing the brilliant light of Provence. He had an idea for a studio where artists could live and work together. He rented a small house near the train station and painted it bright yellow—a reflection of his excitement and hope. Inviting Paul Gauguin to join him, they painted side by side for two months. Continue reading here for the Barefoot Blogger’s article about why Arles is a must-see for more than just art lovers.

Reasons to Visit Arles, France

Arles has it all – history, contemporary architecture, museums, shopping, gourmet food and enough grit to capture your interest. Arles is considered the gateway to the Camargue wetlands and Rhône River delta. It is the last major urban centre before leaving Provence’s southwestern boundary. Here is our city guide for visitors to Arles. While the city centre is small and easily covered on foot, there is a lot to see in this town, so if time permits, plan on spending at least two days in Arles.

Art Guide: Venues to Visit in Provence

Inspiring Van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh spent over a year in Arles, where he painted and sketched. He socialized with other artists, including Eugène Boch, Christian Mourier-Petersen, Dodge MacKnight and Paul Gauguin. In December 1888, van Gogh cut off his ear during a raging psychotic episode and gave it to a local prostitute. By May 1889, van Gogh’s mental stability had deteriorated to the point where he admitted himself into Saint-Paul de Mausole, the asylum, in St Remy de Provence. During the year (May 1889- May 1890), van Gogh was highly productive in the Alpilles, completing 150 paintings and 100 sketches.

Fondation Vincent Van Gogh is a small museum that supports the impact of the famous artist on the region. Imagine arriving in Provence for the first time on February 20, 1888, after two years of struggling to make a living in Paris. For Vincent van Gogh, who grew up in Holland with its muted colour palette and luminosity, Provence’s radiant light was a stark contrast. Some might say this profound change spurred his creative abilities to obsessive levels. During his two years in the South of France, van Gogh produced over 200 paintings and many drawings. The Fondation does not have a permanent collection of the artist’s work but exhibits pieces from other museums, including the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Temporary shows have featured artists such as David Hockney, Alice Neel, Pablo Picasso and others.

Fondation Vincent Van Gogh
35 ter, rue du Docteur-Fanton
13200 Arles
Book your tickets online.
Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm
Last admission at 5:15 pm
Telephone: +33 (0)4 90 93 08 08

LUMA Arles Contemporary Art Centre

The interdisciplinary creative campus opened in the former Parc des Ateliers. Maja Hoffmann’s grand vision for converting 11 hectares of abandoned railway yards into a gathering place for creative minds began as a concept in 2013. Frank Gehry Architects designed a contemporary tower that reflects elements of the natural environment in its construction materials.

Parc des Ateliers, LUMA, Arles, France.
©Adrian Deweerdt
2021

While some detractors may have yet to embrace the 12-story Frank Gehry-designed tower, few can argue that the LUMA Foundation project has successfully converted abandoned railway lands into attractive urban parks and gathering places. Today, the sparkling 15,000 m2 LUMA tower twists skyward from its circular base, surrounded by 11,000 stainless steel bricks that reflect the Provençal sun and sky.

The balance of Parc des Ateliers was little better than a scrapyard, which included seven industrial hangar buildings and a plot of land that had once been part of the Alyscamps cemetery. French landscape architect Bas Smets’ first impression of the site was that it was a harsh landscape with abandoned concrete slabs, no water, and almost no vegetation. He describes this project as the most complex and challenging of his career. In a complete transformation, the Parc des Ateliers now has a pond, pathways, varied topography, 80,000 plants and 500 trees.

LUMA Arles
Parc des Ateliers
35 Avenue Victor Hugo
13200 Arles
Open daily from 10h to 19h30

The park grounds, the base of the tower and the Drum Café are all free to visit.
Reservations are recommended for dining at the Drum Café.
Book in advance for the guided visits to the tower and grounds.

La Fondation Lee Ufan

In April 2023, the Lee Ufan Foundation opened in Hôtel Vernon. Contemporary Japanese architect Tadao Ando restored the elegant house dating from the 16th and 18th centuries to suit the Lee Ufan collection. The exhibition space of 1350 m2 (roughly 14,500 sqft) spreads over three floors, starting with a concrete spiral called “Relatum, ciel sous terre.” On the second level are some of his drawings from 1964 and paintings from the 1970s to the present day.

“Dialogues” 2016-2018 ©Lee Ufan Arles

Lee Ufan’s artistic style as a painter and sculptor is considered minimalist. Born in Korea in 1936, Lee Ufan moved to Japan in the late 1950s. Today, he spends time between New York, Paris, and Tokyo. He began lecturing at the Tama Art University in Tokyo in 1973. Then at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris in 1997. Although trained as a painter, his sculptures are distinct in their simplicity. Ufan works with stone, wood, glass, metal, and other materials. Lee Ufan is the father of the experimental Japanese artistic movement Mono-ha (“the school of things”). Ufan’s works form part of global museum collections from New York to London, Seoul, Tokyo, and now Arles, France.

Fondation Lee Ufan
5 rue Vernon,
13200 Arles
Telephone +33 (0)9 78 07 83 26

Arles: Dining Guide

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Deborah Bine

The Barefoot Blogger, aka Deborah Bine, loves to share tales of her solo life in France as an American expat who speaks no French. Retired from a career in advertising and marketing communications, and divorced after a 40-year marriage with children, Deborah left Beaufort, South Carolina and all of her belongings last year to move to the south of France. Now that she has found her "bliss," her passion is to encourage others to break away from whatever is holding them back and to go after their dreams. "We're on life's journey alone. Be certain you love where you are."

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