Piste cyclable à Arles
F. Tijou
Pont Van Gogh à Arles
F. Tijou

Arles

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Provençal Arles has been a major city of culture, heritage, history and art since Roman times. Thanks to its location beside the Rhône, for so long the major transport route between the Mediterranean and northwest Europe.

The whole city feels like an open-air museum. The ancient Roman legacy is stupendous, with the theatre, amphitheatre, forum and baths still so visible. As to the Musée de l’Arles Antique, it presents an amazing collection of classical objects. In more recent times, the people of Arles have remained proud of their traditions and folklore, following in the footsteps of a great 19th-century defender of Provençal culture, Frédéric Mistral, who founded the Museon Arlaten. Today, traditional festivals and feria mark the annual calendar. In summer, the city hosts a prestigious international photographic festival. Arles celebrates both its history and the present with gusto!

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Beaucaire / Arles

Beaucaire / Arles

19 km
1 h 17 min
I begin / Family
This stretch links two towns packed with fascinating history and monuments. At Beaucaire, the river port reaches into the heart of the old town, a place to enjoy many discoveries. Arles, with splendid Roman and medieval monuments, boasts an exceptionally rich heritage. From Beaucaire Marina, the route crosses the southern suburbs of the town before rejoining the cycle path along the Rhône embankments as far as Fourques. It enters Arles from the north-west of the city.
Arles / Port-St-Louis-du-Rhône

Arles / Port-St-Louis-du-Rhône

52 km
3 h 26 min
I begin / Family
3.5 / 5
The historic town of Arles stands just north of the Camargue. Famed for its Roman monuments, the whole place is steeped in history and packed with art treasures. Leaving town via the Pont Van Gogh (this bridge’s name recalling the time the great Dutch Impressionist spent in Arles), ViaRhôna leads you towards the Rhône Delta along a pretty greenway running beside the Canal d’Arles à Fos. Be aware that the way has not been thoroughly maintained in recent times and can be dangerous between the Fos lock and Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône. From the latter, a cycle path leads you to the sea and the possibility of a well-deserved swim at beautiful Plage Napoléon. En route, visit the Marais Vigueirat marshes by Mas-Thibert.
Beaucaire / St-Gilles

Beaucaire / St-Gilles

29 km
2 h 08 min
I cycle often
Leaving Beaucaire, you'll cycle along a new greenway linking the marinas of Beaucaire and Saint-Gilles. The route follows the towpath of the Rhône–Sète Canal almost all the way, making for an easy, enjoyable ride where cyclists and passing boaters exchange friendly greetings. Bellegarde's marina is a welcome place to stop before continuing along the canal to Saint-Gilles, nestled at the foot of the Costières hills, with its medieval centre and abbey church.