Art & History Lovers: Arles, Saint Rémy & Les Baux Private Tour from Marseille

Experience a private full day guided tour from Marseille to the town of Arles and the authentic Provence villages of Saint-Remy and Les Baux de Provence.

Explore 3 stunning gems on this full day tour to Arles, listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site because of the number of Roman Monuments, the village of Saint-Rémy de Provence, where Van Gogh lived for a year and the village of Les Baux de Provence medieval village.

Meet your English speaking local guide

In the morning, we will come and pick you up at your centrally located accommodation in Marseille. We can also pick up from a centrally located meeting point if you are staying in a rental accommodation. Meet your English speaking driver/guide who will go over the itinerary and program of the day with you. Then board your premium A/C vehicle and begin your private tour led by a local guide.

Arles Town Visit

Upon arrival in Arles, it is possible to choose from different types of walking tours of this charming small town. Discover the Historic city of Arles, a fortified town listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Participate in a walking tour of the historic center to visit the most emblematic monuments of the town including the Amphitheater, the Antique Theater or Saint Trophime church.

The Roman City & Sites

If History and Culture are of interest, then this option is the one you should choose. Arles underwent an urban revolution following the foundation of the Roman Colony of Arelate in 46 BP. Most of the Roman monuments that can be visited in Arles date back to the 1st Century though. The Roman Amphitheater was built at the end of the 1st century to the North of the town.

It is part of a general extension of Arles and was built at the same period of time as the baths. It is larger than the one located in Nîmes and could welcome up to 25.000 spectators. Antique Games will be held within until the fall of the Roman Empire.

The building of the Antique Theatre was requested by Emperor Auguste. It could welcome up to 10.000 spectators at a time. Only part of the Theater remains but it is still one of the most well preserved in France.

Used as a Theater until the beginning of the 5th century, it was then used as a quarry for the construction of the paleo-christian church of Saint Stephen. In the 17th century the famous Venus of Arles was discovered during early archeological digs.

The Roman Forum

Located at the intersection of the Cardo (north-south axis) and the Decumanus (east-west axis), the Roman Forum of Arles is made up of a great square of which only two fragments still exist. What is interesting about the Forum in Arles are the foundations as it is built on a cryptoporticus, which is a covered corridor or passageway.

The cryptoporticus were known to be used as storage areas in other towns but the one in Arles is, however, too damp for prolonged storage and may have served as a barracks for public slaves.

On the Footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh

If you are attracted to painting and wish to learn a bit more about the life of Van Gogh in Arles, then this option is perfect. During his stay in Arles between February 1888 and May 1889, Vincent Van Gogh executed about 300 paintings and drawings. The places in the city where the artist set up his easel are marked with panels representing his paintings. 

During this tour, your guide will take through the town of Arles on the footsteps of Van Gogh to show you the setting of where some of the most famous paintings of the artist were done. To enhance this tour, it is also possible to purchase the tickets to the Arles Van Gogh Foundation during the booking process.

Saint-Rémy de Provence

Along the way, before reaching the small village of St Remy, enjoy a photo stop on the Plateau des Antiques to admire the Roman triumphal arch and Mausoleum. Visit Saint-Paul de Mausole where Van Gogh stayed a year. This lunatic asylum is where the artist voluntarily admitted himself after his breakdown in December 1888 that resulted in the self mutilation of his left ear. It is during his stay here that he will achieve some of his most famous paintings including the starry night.

Arrive in Saint Remy de Provence, one of the prettiest villages of the area. The village is known to be a summer hot spot for chic parisians, yet it is still possible to find some quiet areas within the village, as there are many small squares scattered all over. After the visit, free time for personal discovery and lunch. For your information, there is a beautiful Provence Market on Wednesdays.

Les Baux de Provence

Drive to the Alpilles mountain region that is famous for its vineyards and olive trees. Reach the medieval hilltop village of les Baux-de-Provence built on a rocky spur and from where you will have a breathtaking view of the surrounding Provence Countryside. Enjoy some free time to stroll and explore the narrow streets, Art galleries and the remains of a 10th century fortress.

Visit the Carrières de Lumières, a unique light and sound show in Europe located in an ancient limestone quarry (entrance ticket can be purchased during the booking process) where the natural 14 meter high limestone walls act like giant screens.

In the historic site of Les Baux de Provence in the heart of the Alpilles, the former quarries dug out by the hands of man since the Roman era today offer the visitor a magical world of entrancing images and music.

From these quarries was extracted the white limestone used to build Les Baux and its citadel. In the 19th century, industrial development increased the demand for building stone and des Baux exploited a large number of quarries, including the Grands Fonds, today the Carrières de Lumières.

After the visit of Les Baux de Provence village, we will return to Marseille and that will be the end of our services.