Vincent Van Gogh spent barely more than a year in the French town of Arles but it proved to be his most productive time artistically. He completed about 200 paintings during this time as well as around 100 drawings and watercolours. Like other well known painters, Van Gogh was entranced by the colours of the landscape and the lifestyle in the south of France.
Trains go hourly from Marseille to Arles and the journey takes around 50 minutes. I had heard that the Tourist Information Centre in Arles sells a brochure outlining a ‘Van Gogh Walking Trail’ for one Euro so I took myself off there recently to walk in Vincent’s footsteps.
The city of Arles dates back to around 800BC and was, for a time, part of the Roman Empire. The Roman influence, unsurprisingly, resulted in spectacular architecture, much of which is still evident.
The Van Gogh trail is mostly centred around the Place du Forum but a few sites are located in quieter areas of town. There are paving stones to follow if you struggle with maps. I’m sure you don’t, that’s just me who struggles with maps.
Number 8 on the Van Gogh walking trail is Le Garden Public and it’s the closest thing to the Info Centre so I headed there first. It’s a lovely, leafy haven on a hot, Provençal day with shaded benches to rest your legs and a drinking fountain to top up your water bottle.
There’s a sculpture dedicated to Vincent and a few other bits of art dotted about. I found it a nice way to ‘get into the zone’ ready for the walking trail.
‘The Café Terrace at Night’ was painted in 1888 and is one of Van Gogh’s most well know paintings. It’s number 1 on the walking trail and it’s located in the Place du Forum, not far from the public park. The subject of the painting is still there and still functioning as a café. And it’s still yellow.
An information board marks the spot with a reproduction of a letter from Vincent to his sister, Wilhelmine, written in September 1888.
A number of letters from Vincent to his sister and also to his younger brother, Theo, feature on the information boards, outlining some of the artist’s personal thoughts and theories on art.
‘Le Jardin de la Maison de Sante’ was my next step, number 9 on the trail. The arcades featured in the painting are still in place and the garden bears some similarity to it’s original version. There’s also a pond, but I suspect it is a modern addition to the garden. It’s very clean and the algae looks like it has grown recently!
‘Les Arènes’ is number 5 on the trail and not far from the Place du Forum. Painted in October 1888, it depicts a colourful and excited crowd gathered near the colosseum-style Arena where ‘bull games’ were staged in ancient Arles.
Number 10, ‘Le Pont de Langlois aux Lavandières’, proved too elusive and I gave up after walking along the Canal d’Arles for 40 minutes in the hot sun. Saw a few interesting canal boats moored along the edge of the canal though. With letterboxes on the bank nearby.
My next stop was number 2; ‘L’escalier du Pont de Trinquetaille’. The original bridge, according to the painting, had a cage-like structure over it. The stone arch to the right of the bridge is still there and easily recognisable.
I found ‘Nuit étoilée sur le Rhône’ just along the river, number 3 on the trail. Sadly there were no stars, since I was there mid-afternoon, but I got the general idea. The information board showed an excerpt of a letter to brother Theo where Van Gogh described capturing the sparkling colors of the night sky as well as the artificial lighting that was new to this period.
Although there are ten ‘sites’ listed on this trail, I managed only seven. The sun was hot and it was time for a refreshing drink. There are lots of good, small bars in the Place du Forum and also a few that overlook Les Arènes. My drink of choice that day was a Pastis, the anise-flavoured spirit made in Provence, with lots of ice and water. Essential on a hot afternoon in the south of France.
My last stop, number 4, was conveniently located on the way back to the train station. ‘La Maison Jaune’ was painted in September 1888 and depicted the house where Vincent lived, for a time, with fellow artist Paul Gauguin. I’ve read that Vincent wanted to establish a community of artists, for a bit of arty-networking, I guess, and that he invited Paul to share a house. The arrangement did not last long, however, and did not end well.
Although the yellow house is no longer, the building behind it is still in existence and the stone arch over the adjacent road is certainly still standing. Probably built by Romans. They were good at arches.
I really enjoyed the trail and felt inspired to learn more about the life and art of Vincent Van Gogh.
There’s a beautiful movie, made with oil-painted animations, entitled Loving Vincent. It’s due for release soon and tells the story of Vincent’s life, art, relationships and his mysterious death in July 1890 at just 37 years old.
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