Welcome to Arles

With its pink flamingos, black bulls, long stretches of sand that seem to reach the horizon and its rice and salt production, the Camargue is one of France's most original regions. An originality that has also bestowed its culture of bullfighting. Although often controversial, bullfighting is a real institution in Arles, with bright colors, folklore and passion. At the end of March, Arles becomes Spanish as it celebrates the Féria de Pâques, and the whole town comes alive amidst a frenzy of bright colors, Andalusian music and Iberian flavors. Guaranteed entertainment!

But the city has another side. Arles has some impressive museums to its name, like the Van Gogh Foundation and the museum of ancient art, famous for its exhibit of a bust of Julius Caesar, an exceptional discovery uncovered during excavations of the Rhône River. The Reattu museum is also quite unmissable, housed in the former Grand Priory, and devoted to photography and painting with a strong leaning towards contemporary art. If you get the opportunity, try and make it to Rencontres d'Arles, an annual summer festival of photography where you'll be able to enjoy exhibitions with an international impact, made up, for the most part, of material that has never been seen before.