Place du Forum

Many Arles walking tours pass through Place du Forum, which is a great place to learn the town's history. Commentary either focuses on Arles in Roman times, when the square served as the town’s political and social center, or on Vincent van Gogh, who set up his easel here to paint.

While the square is small, it’s home to a few must-sees: the Van Gogh Café (Le Café de Nuit), the Frederic Mistral Statue, and the luxury Nord-Pinus Grand Hotel—past guests include Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.

• The Place du Forum is a great place to sit with a coffee, people-watch, and listen to music. In summer, there’s often live music at night.

• There are no public restrooms in Place du Forum, although some are nearby, between Arles Town Hall and St. Anne’s Chapel (Église Sainte-Anne d’Arles).

• The square is smooth and pedestrianized, so it should be manageable for wheelchair users.

The Place du Forum is in the heart of Arles’ old town and is easy for tourists to find. Public buses stop at the Antonelle stop, less than a 5-minute walk from the square. Cars aren’t allowed in the pedestrianized old town, but drivers can find nearby parking lots in the Parking des Lices or the Parc du Center.

The square is a public space free to visit at any time. It's lively in the day and at night. Art lovers might want to check out Place du Forum after dark to see the site of Vincent van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night. Although the recognizable yellow cafe (Café la Nuit) is a different place than it was in Van Gogh’s day, it’s worth seeing at night to compare the painting with reality.

Many associate Arles with Van Gogh, but the city has another famous son who was lauded for his words rather than his art. The writer Frédéric Mistral was born just outside the city and became noted for his writing in Occitan—the Provencal language spoken in the early 21st century. Visitors today can’t miss his statue in the Place du Forum.