Van Gogh Walking tour/Arles
 

I have heard so much about this but can't seem to find out how to go on this tour?

Pam, as I recall there is not an organized tour. The Van Gogh walking tour is described in a brochure on sale at the Tourist Office. You can follow this marked trail at your own rhythm to visit some of the sites in Arles painted by Van Gogh.

On my Rick Steves' tour, a local lady by the name of Jacklene (sp?) took us on a nice Van Gogh tour. It took about two hours.

I'm not sure the Arles tourist office offers an actual walking tour with a guide, unless they started it since May 2007, when I was there. At that point they had a brochure for a self-guided tour; there are plaques throughout the town marking important places and providing information. The tourist office is on the Boulevard des Lices, near the carousel. No doubt there are private guides but I wouldn't know where to find them. The tourist office probably keeps a list.

The Saint-Remy tourist office DOES offer a van Gogh walking tour Tues, Thurs, and Fri at 10 am, from mid-April to mid-September. However, you must reserve ahead of time since they only do the tours if people have signed up. I found this out the hard way when I called the day before, and learned there would be no tour because no one had called yet. I got the feeling they would like you to call a few days in advance. You have to pay in advance at the Saint Remy tourist office before proceeding to the meeting-point. Since I didn't get to do this, I don't know how good it is. However, Saint Remy has plaques everyplace for a self-guided tour and a map in the tourist office. The guided tour doesn't include inside the asylum, I do know that. The asylum you visit separately (and is well worth it).

It's been 10 years since I visited Arles, so I am cloudy on the details. However, I just wanted to say that the Van Gogh tour is something I still remember well. It was well worth the time and I remember almost all the details...except how we actually arranged the tour. I *think* we booked through the tourist office.

How long are you in Arles, and what time of the year? If you have more than one day, and the weather is nice for walking, I don't think you need a tour, unless you like tours in general. I was there last summer, and had read quite a bit about Van Gogh's life prior- but, I'm the type who finds the pre- trip planning and research part of the joy. I think you could just ask at the TI when you arrive.

For example, you most likely will enter the city right through the remaining Roman wall where he first entered, too! Sprinkled all around the city are metal canvases that show his actual piece in front of the place where you yourself are standing. There are great explanations in both French and English, right next to these.

My original plan had been to try to find them all (some are outside the city), but I enjoyed just stumbling across some of them as I roamed on my own. Eventually I came across most of them, anyway- it's not that big- with a detailed map you'll have no problem!

Going to St. Remy was amazing- to the asylum and to take the path between there and the town- many more of the canvases.

We will be spending 2 weeks in Provence, specifically in Isle sur la Sorgue. We will have a car and plan to do alot of exploring. I am especially excited that we have decided to fly through Amsterdam and spend a couple days there before we arrive in Marseille. So any Van Gogh information is welcome.