Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Internet Access:
A cyber café is near Place Voltaire at 31 Rue Augustin Tardieu (daily,
tel. 04 90 18 87 40).
Baggage Storage and Bike Rental:
The recommended Hôtel Régence will store your
bags for €3 (daily 7:30-22:00 mid-March-mid-Nov, closed in winter, 5 Rue Marius
Jouveau).Theyalsorentbikes(€7/half-day,€14/day,one-wayrentalswithinProvence
possible, same hours as baggage storage) and may have electric bikes—ask. From
ArlesyoucanridetoLesBaux(20milesround-trip).It'sadarnsteepclimbgoinginto
Les Baux, so consider busing up there (regional buses have bike racks) and gliding
back. Those in great shape can consider biking into the Camargue (40 miles round-
trip, forget it in the wind).
Laundry:
Alaunderetteisat12RuePortagnel(daily7:00-21:30,youcanstaylatertofin-
ish if you're already inside, English instructions).
Car Rental: Avis
is at the train station (tel. 08 20 05 05 05);
Europcar
and
Hertz
are
downtown(Europcarisat61AvenuedeStalingrad,tel.0490932324;Hertziscloser
to Place Voltaire at 10 Boulevard Emile Combes, tel. 04 90 96 75 23).
Local Guides:
Charming
Agnes Barrier,
who knows Arles and nearby sights intimately,
enjoysherwork.HertourscoverVanGoghandRomanhistory(€130/3hours,mobile
06 11 23 03 73,
agnes.barrier@hotmail.fr
).
Alice Vallat
loves her native city and of-
fersavarietyofscheduledvisitsofitskeysights(€10/person,otherwise€120/3hours,
tel. 06 74 01 22 54 or 04 90 47 75 68,
www.guidearles.com
,
alice.vallat@voila.fr
).
English Book Exchange:
Asmallexchangeisavailableattherecommended
Soleileis
ice-
cream shop.
Public Pools:
Arles has three pools (indoor and outdoor). Ask at the TI or your hotel.
Boules:
The local “
boul
ing alley” is by the river on Place Lamartine. After their afternoon
naps, the old boys congregate here for a game of
pétanque
(see
here
for more on this
popular local pastime).
Updates to this Topic:
For news about changes to this topic's coverage since it was pub-
lished, see
www.ricksteves.com/update
.
Getting Around Arles
In this flat city, everything's within
walking
distance. Only the Ancient History Museum
requires a healthy walk (or you can take a taxi or bus). The elevated riverside promenade
providesRhôneviewsandadirectroutetotheAncientHistoryMuseum(tothesouthwest)
and the train station (to the northeast). Keep your head up for
Starry Night
memories, but
eyes down for decorations by dogs with poorly trained owners.