Playlist | In the heart of Arles

The city of Arles, © Chensiyuan via Wikipedia

Arles, the eternal fluid

Between the Rhône and the light, Arles unfolds its ancient remains like a picture book: each stone whispers, each alleyway resonates with a thousand-year-old past. The largest commune in France, it is not a city: it is a palimpsest, a dream inhabited by history.

Here, time doesn't tick by, it overlaps. The Roman arenas still vibrate with the clamors of antiquity, while the Rencontres de la photographie capture fleeting moments. Arles is a threshold, a crossing. We walk in the footsteps of emperors, shepherds, Van Gogh—and today's travelers.

The city rises without ever weighing down. It glides fluidly between the centuries. Galleries follow cloisters, contemporary foundations nestle within the ruins, and art is never frozen: it breathes, it converses, it begins again. Luma, like a vessel of steel and glass, reflects the clouds as an extension of the sky, while the Van Gogh Foundation opens like a personal diary.

In Arles, every look is a frame. Every walk, a scene. Here, art doesn't just cling to the walls: it seeps into the stones, into the Camargue winds, into the white light at the end of the day. There's something organic about this city, a continuity between the gestures of men and the shape of the places.

The ArtMajeur playlist by YourArt

For Arles, we needed music that flows. Rhythms that remember, sonic textures that intertwine like memories. This playlist accompanies the eye and the heart—from the Place de la République to the Langlois Bridge, from the Parc des Ateliers to the banks of the Rhône. Let each piece carry you: to a city that can't be visited… but experienced.

Are you also passionate about photography? Let yourself be inspired by our selection! Every summer, Arles establishes itself as the world capital of photography. To mark the occasion, ArtMajeur by YourArt is highlighting 17 artists with a unique perspective, whose works, ranging from poetic realism to intimate worlds, offer a striking exploration of our times.
Discover our selection

9 pieces to visit Arles

Place de la République, opposite the sculpted portal of Saint-Trophime

Nils Frahm – Says - In the heart of Arles, the Place de la République opens like a calm scene where history still breathes. Around it, the town hall, the ancient obelisk and the austere façade of Saint-Anne trace a sober, almost solemn decor. But it is the portal of Saint-Trophime that captures all eyes: a Romanesque masterpiece where Christ in Majesty , surrounded by the Tetramorph — the winged symbols of the four evangelists — sits enthroned in a mandorla sculpted with dizzying precision. Beneath its fixed gaze, time seems suspended. The stone tells of faith, power, beauty — and sets the tone for what the Arlesian stroll will be: a constant dialogue between matter and mystery.

The Réattu Museum

Radiohead – Everything in Its Right Place - A stone's throw from the banks of the Rhône, nestled in the former Grand Priory of the Order of Malta, the Réattu Museum is a haven of stone and light. Its thick walls preserve the memory of the Arlesian painter Jacques Réattu, as well as that of the centuries that preceded him. In the almost monastic rooms, art circulates freely—drawings, sculptures, photographs, and even a room dedicated to Picasso. Here, each window frames a fragment of Arles, each work resonates with the silence of the place. The museum imposes nothing: it welcomes, it soothes. It is that inner pause where one comes not to see everything, but to better feel.

The Saint-Martin du Méjan chapel

Arooj Aftab - Mohabbat - Nestled against the Rhône, the Saint-Martin du Méjan chapel stands apart from the crowds, in the mineral calm of the former Méjan priory. Sober and refined, this former Romanesque chapel, converted into an exhibition space, exudes a silent spirituality. Here, light glides along the light walls, the works interact with the stone, and time seems to stand still. Beneath its modest but elegant vaults, contemporary art finds a setting of rare precision. The chapel does not seek to impress—it gently touches with its intimacy and the quiet strength it exudes.

Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation

Bon Iver - 8 (circle) - Located at 18 rue de la Calade, in the Hôtel Blain, the Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation presents itself as a bridge between Arles and the world. Since its creation in 2010, it has supported documentary photography and film, particularly those that give voice to minorities, the forgotten, and territories at the heart of crises. Every summer, alongside the Rencontres de la photographie, its exhibitions explore strong themes: human rights, migration, ecology, spirituality — as demonstrated by its program Sortilèges en 2025, which questions mystery, the sacred, and the invisible.

Sheltered by its vaults, the foundation offers a sober and powerful setting: filtered natural light, intimate spaces on two levels, a monumental staircase—a setting that matches the voice given to the image. Visitors move through it almost in confidence, traversing visual narratives that shake up, question, and move. This foundation is not simply an exhibition space: it is a place for free viewing, engaged reflection, and sensitive encounters. An invitation to everyone, here in Arles, to question our certainties and to hear what the world whispers where the image allows us to listen.

Vincent van Gogh Foundation

James Blake – Retrograde - Located since 2014 in the imposing Hôtel Léautaud-de-Donines, the Fondation Vincent van Gogh Arles embodies the very spirit of the painter: a place of creation and exchange in the heart of Arles. Spanning over 1,000 m², the spaces combine historic architecture with contemporary interventions – from Bertrand Lavier's sculptural portal to Raphael Hefti's prismatic glass roof – direct drawings of the Provençal sun on ancient stone.

The Foundation doesn't limit itself to Van Gogh: it resonates with him. It regularly presents one or more of the master's original paintings, loaned for the occasion, but above all allows contemporary creation to dialogue with his work and his thoughts. Under the watchful eye of the city, the Foundation guides the tour in a loop—from the lobby to the roof terrace, passing through rooms bathed in zenithal light, to a panorama of Arles, the Rhône, and Montmajour, places that Van Gogh cherished. Here, light and history intersect, cut out moments, and nourish creation: a lively, sensitive southern studio that continues the painter's words in a renewed present.

The Arena and the Ancient Theatre of Arles

Mickey 3D – Matador - In the heart of Arles, the Arena stands out as a nearly intact Roman amphitheater, a majestic circle of stone where shadow and light, past and present, mingle. Built in the 1st century, this monument still hosts shows and events today, making the thousand-year-old stones vibrate to modern cheers. Each stone tells the story of Roman grandeur, each step echoing gladiators and cheering crowds.

Not far from there, the Roman Theatre of Arles unfolds its tiers in a semicircle, providing a delicate setting for contemporary performances. Built during the same period, it bears witness to the intense cultural life of the ancient city, with its imposing stage wall and mysterious underground galleries. The air still echoes with the voices of yesterday, and history is read like a living theater.

These two monuments are not just vestiges: they are the tangible link between Arles and its origins, an invitation to walk in the footsteps of the Romans while living in the present moment, vibrating to the rhythm of a city that blends history and modernity with rare grace.

Let's continue the tour, a little outside the city center, but still just as exciting

Museum of Ancient Arles

Moses Sumney – Doomed - Located just steps from the ancient ruins, the Museum of Ancient Arles offers a fascinating insight into the Roman grandeur that shaped the city. Spanning nearly 8,000 m², it brings together sculptures, mosaics, everyday objects, and architectural fragments, revealing the wealth and vibrant life of the ancient city.

Among its treasures, the famous Bust of Augustus shines with striking realism, while the monumental model of Roman Arles allows visitors to visualize the scale of this ancient metropolis. The museum's luminous and fluid journey invites visitors to understand the life, rituals, and skills that have survived through the centuries. This museum is more than just a collection: it is a dialogue between past and present, an invitation to walk in the footsteps of the people of Arles two millennia ago, at the heart of a history that continues to vibrate beneath the stones.

The Langlois Bridge (The Van Gogh Bridge)

Rosalía - Catalina - The Van Gogh Bridge , formerly known as the Langlois Bridge , is an iconic structure located south of Arles, on the Arles-Bouc Canal. Built in the 19th century, it is a typical example of the drawbridges with arrows used to allow the passage of boats while facilitating road traffic.

This bridge gained worldwide fame thanks to the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh , who immortalized it in several of his works in 1888. He notably painted it in paintings such as The Langlois Bridge at Arles and The Langlois Bridge with Women Washing Clothes , thus capturing the beauty and tranquility of the Provençal scene

The LUMA Foundation

Air – La Femme d'Argent - To conclude the visit, the LUMA Foundation and the Parc des Ateliers present themselves as a final, unmissable stop, a true showcase of innovation and creativity in the heart of Arles. The LUMA Tower, an architectural masterpiece by Frank Gehry, rises with its facades of corrugated aluminum plates that capture the sunlight, offering a play of changing reflections throughout the day. Around it, the former industrial workshops have been rehabilitated to host exhibitions, artist residencies, research spaces, and cultural gatherings. This harmonious dialogue between industrial heritage and artistic avant-garde perfectly embodies the spirit of Arles, a city where the ancient past and modernity combine to nourish a dynamic and globally open art scene. A vibrant conclusion that invites you to extend your discovery beyond the centuries, in a place where contemporary creation resonates intensely.