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Arles / Port-St-Louis-du-Rhône ViaRhôna

Description Reviews and personal stories (1)

Seaside, Nature

51,69 Km

3 h 26 min

I begin / Family

3.5

Arles

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Port Saint Louis du Rhône

51,69 km cycling route from Arles to Port Saint Louis du Rhône

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.

Elevation of the stage

10 m 0 m

Waytypes of the stage

Cycle path: 50,94 km By road: 0,75 km

Surface of the stage

Smooth: 31,71 km Unknown: 19,98 km

The route

A part of the ViaRhôna stage has been set up from south of Arles, from the Pont Van Gogh. Beyond the bridge, there’s a fine tarmacked cycle track lasting 6km, as far as the Pont du Mas de la Ville. Then the track is made of compact sand that is not always that well maintained for the time being, going up to the Fos lock. At the end of this track (marked by wind turbines), follow the canal up to the D 35 road where the route comes to an end. Be aware, the D 35 is a very busy road in to Port-Saint-Louis, so take very great care along it.
At the entrance to Port-Saint-Louis, take the cycle track 250m after the intersection with the D 268 road. Follow a stretch of sandy track, then a tarmacked piece leading you up to a drawbridge. Note that it is complicated to take your bike through the restrictive access control measures in place here. After the bridge, take the first right and join the cycle track along Route de Napoléon, the road leading to the beach.

Liaison

From the bridge at Mas-Thibert, there’s a lovely tarmacked link taking you along to reach the Marais du Vigueirat marshes (2.5km). It’s worth the detour.

SNCF train services

Arles train station :

Line 8 : Marseille > Arles > Tarascon > Avignon
Line TER Avignon > Tarascon > Nîmes > Montpellier
Line TER 10 : Marseille > Avignon > Orange > Valence > Lyon
Line TGV : Paris Gare de Lyon (4 hours)
Buses to Marseille, Les Saintes-Maries de la Mer, Les Salins de Giraud

Fos-sur-Mer train station

Line TER Miramas > Marseille St Charles

Buses

Car Treize

Line 21: Port Saint Louis > Arles par Mas Thibert
Line 34: Martigues > Marseille par Fos sur Mer, Port de Bouc, Martigues, Chateauneuf les Martigues, Gignac

Download the network map

Tourist Offices :

Arles Tel : 04 90 18 41 20
Port Saint Louis du Rhône Tel : 04 42 86 01 21
Salin-de-Giraud Tél : 04 42 86 89 77

Accommodation on the stage

Travellers’ reviews

on Arles / Port-St-Louis-du-Rhône

Ratings from internet users (1) 3,5

Sécurité

5,0/5

Signposting

4,0/5

Intérêt

4,0/5

Services

1,0/5

Martin

star star star star_half star_border

(Wed 30/07/2025 - 11:42)

5 /5

Sécurité

4 /5

Signposting

4 /5

Intérêt

1 /5

Services

Arles - Port-Saint-Louis

Well worth visiting Marshes Nature Reserve Vigueirat, allow 1-2 hours, they have shade for picnic, cold drinks and ice cream. Pick up lunch in Arles for this section as nothing until Port-Saint-Louis. I would recommend cycling back to Arles for the train, even if into the wind. Cycling to Fos-mer a nightmare of heavy industrial roads and pollution. You might be able to get a bus that takes bikes otherwise. Wind, the Mistral, tends to blow behind you going South which also cools you. Fast final route on good paths.

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