Arles

Situated on the River Rhône and the largest ‘commune’ in France, Arles is well-known for having inspired the paintings of Van Gogh. Picasso, a fan of ‘la corrida’, devoted 2 paintings and 57 drawings to bull-fighting.
The 2,500 year old town of Aix was once a city of Roman Gaul, becoming a key location for Christianity, as can be seen from the ‘arènes’ (amphitheatre), ‘Les Alyscamps’ (necropolis), the ancient theatre and the Thermes de Constantin (Roman baths). In 2008, the oldest known bust of Julius Caesar was discovered in the River Rhône. Because of its important history, the city is classed as a « Ville et Pays d’Art et d’Histoire » (Town and District of Art and History) and its Roman and Romanesque buildings became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.  It stands like an island surrounded by outstanding natural attractions - the banks of the Rhône, the arid Plaine de la Crau and the Alpilles.