We spent our last day in France in Arles (pronounced “Arl”). The morning started with a walking tour featuring diverse ancient architectural highlights. Arles is the site of some impressive Roman ruins, including Les Arènes, an arena that seats 20,000 and is still in use. Vincent Van Gogh spent time in Arles and many of his famous paintings were created there. Sadly, today none of his originals remain in Arles.
 The Arena |  |
 Statue of Vincent Van Gogh |  Restaurant that Van Gogh painted in "Café Terrace on the Place du Forum" |
In the afternoon several of us took an optional tour to see a remarkable multimedia art installation in a former quarry near Les Baux. The white limestone from this cave was used to build parts of Les Baux and other surrounding villages. Today, it is a stunning venue for art shows; 2016’s innovative exhibits are devoted to Marc Chagall and the imaginary world of Alice in Wonderland. I can't begin to describe, much less photograph this amazing display. Click on this link if you're intersted in seeing what we experienced - Carrières de Lumières.
The hills near Les Baux
| We then meandered into Les Baux to explore this picturesque village with it's dramatic and hilly cobblestone lanes. Beautiful sites and lots of shops. I "scored" a great pair of espadrilles! The drive to and from took us through the bucolic Provençal countryside, where we viewing olive groves and rice fields. |  |
