03 | June | 2012 | schwingeninswitzerland

After our whirlwind tour of France’s Côte d’Azur (Cannes, Antibes, Villefranche, Nice, Eze, the Grande Corniche, St. Paul-de-Vence, and Vence), we headed back from the coast to Provence. Arles was a cultural and religious centre during the late Roman Empire. During the dark ages, it fell under the control of the Muslim Saracens, the Franks and even experienced Viking raids. The turbulence didn’t last and the town regained political and economic prominence. For centuries Arles was a major port on the Rhône. With the advent of the railroad in the 19th century, Arles became something of a backwater while nearby Marseille (with it’s seaport) exploded. Today, Arles is gently loved and its decay is part of its charm.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Arles is that even though it is filled with old, even ancient buildings and surrounded by history, it doesn’t stay rooted in the past. It isn’t, nor does it want to be, a time capsule. The ancient buildings house very current shops restaurants and exhibitions. Arles is vibrant. It manages to be lively and active without being stressful. We loved its relaxed vibe. After having been in the Cote d’Azur, it was a nice change to visit a town that had more locals than tourists.

We weren’t the only ones who fell under Arles’ spell. Our friend, Hokie, at The Swiss Watch Blog, recommended it. The movie Ronin was partially filmed in Arles. It stars Jean Reno (an iconic French actor who you probably know from The Da Vinci Code, Mission: Impossible, and Hotel Rwanda) and Robert De Niro. This caper film has wonderful cinematography an unforgettable car chase. John Frankenheimer filmed Ronin’s shoot-out in Arles. Vincent Van Gogh lived, painted, drank and cut off an ear here. There are placards all over the city at sites where Arles appears in his paintings. Who hasn’t seen the painting Cafe Terrace at Night which the cafe below?

We walked along the Rhone River from the Roman Museum into town before losing ourselves in its history and narrow alleyways. Thanks for the recommendation Hokie. We loved Arles.