Busy day in prospect today, what with Arles (Amphitheatre, van Gogh) AND the Pond du Gard (Roman Aqueduct), together with a 230 km round trip in yet another hot day (boring, boring…..).
I’d seen on TripAdvisor that the carpark at the SNCF station was a tourist favourite, being free – but get there early…. Too right, I got what must’ve been the last space and that was before nine o’clock. Anyway a bit of a walk into town wouldn’t do me any harm.
Found the information Office (follow the signs everywhere) and purchased a walking tour guide – well worth the 2 Euro’s. The guide had 5 “themes” (eg world heritage, van Gogh, contemporary Arles, etc), so I decided to do sections of two tours, to include some van Gogh stuff as well as the Roman side of Arles. Not enough time to do everything, so more of a “sampler” day rather than anything else.
Sensibly, the authorities have placed copies of the various well known van Gogh paintings adjacent to where he is purported to have taken his inspiration. So you can get almost a “hands on” idea behind the painting. Very useful for an art heathen such as myself………
So here we are at the “Entrance to the public park in Arles”.
Next to the Roman Theatre, which hadn’t opened to the public yet, so I couldn’t go in. It was built before the Amphitheatre and still performs its original function by having shows during the summer season.
On to the Amphitheatre itself. IT”S HUGE !!!!!
Still very much in use today, particularly for bull fights. I’m not sure I like the modern interior scaffolding stands, but I suppose you have to cater for a 12,500 audience in relative safety somehow.
The day of my visit, there were several parties of schoolchildren learning about things Roman – good use of facilities (as they say….).
Great view of the city from the top as well. Mr vG did a painting there as well, appropriately called “The Arena at Arles”.
Next on the route were the Baths of Constantine, not seemingly very open to the public. Shame, it could’ve been interesting.
And so to the “Trinquetaille bridge staircase”. Very popular with photographers, this one.
And to my giggle of the day. On the way back into town, I came across this – a genuine French pissoir !!!!! The facilities were fully used by yours truly.
Then it was off to the hospital gardens. Since it ceased to be a hospital, a few businesses have sprung up within the grounds, but they have re-created the way the garden was laid out at the time of the painting. Sorry about the rubbish photo of the painting, but you get the idea.
So ended my culture “fix” in Arles. Hardly scraped the surface, needs a few days really. Now off to the Pont Du Gard, a mere 40km up the road.
From what I can remember from the past, it was possible to get to the bridge quite easily and park very close to the structure. The area has become a bit more “theme park-ey”, with restaurants, picnic areas and a huge visitor centre
It was added to the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1985, but because of its popularity it created major traffic congestion and was cluttered with illegally built structures and tourist shops lining the river banks.
The authorities decided to “go big”, making the entire area around the bridge pedestrianised. The only problem is that it’s a long walk from the car parks to the actual bridge itself. By the end of the afternoon, my poor little legs were getting somewhat weary…….
The new visitor centre on the North bank is truly impressive, with good depictions of some of the methods used to build the aqueduct, together with information on how the water was used by the people of Nimes. The cinema would not be out of place in Leicester Square !
I guess the redevelopment has definitely made the area around the Pont du Gard much quieter by removing the vehicle traffic.
I know the above sound a bit like and avert, but it has all been upgraded very sympathetically to the bridge and its surroundings. Very impressive.
Another good day, but happy to see my tent again and some of that cool white from the fridge