A Van Gogh Tour of Provence: Follow the Painter’s Footsteps Across Arles, Saint-Rémy & Beyond - Only Provence

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A Van Gogh Tour of Provence: Follow the Painter’s Footsteps Across Arles, Saint-Rémy & Beyond

Trace the light, landscapes, and longing that shaped Vincent van Gogh’s most luminous years—from the sunflower fields of Arles to the cypress-studded hills of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

The Light That Changed Everything

When Vincent van Gogh arrived in Arles in February 1888, he was chasing light—the kind that could turn color into emotion. What he found in Provence was more than he imagined: skies that burned gold, shadows that danced violet, fields that shimmered with possibility.

In just fifteen months, he created more than 300 works, each one a dialogue between painter and place. And though his time here ended abruptly, the landscapes he painted still breathe with his vision. To follow his trail is to see Provence not as a museum, but as a living canvas—sun-drenched, soulful, eternal.

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1. Arles: The City of Sunflowers

Where to Begin: The Fondation Vincent van Gogh Arles anchors any Van Gogh itinerary. This elegant museum bridges his legacy with contemporary art, echoing the color, tension, and emotion he brought to life.

Don’t Miss:

  •  Place Lamartine, once home to the Yellow House, where Van Gogh lived and painted with Gauguin. Though the house was destroyed during WWII, a plaque marks the site—an understated yet powerful stop.
  •  Pont de Langlois (Pont Van Gogh), the drawbridge immortalized in his Langlois Bridge at Arles series. Stand here at sunset and you’ll feel his precision for light’s fleeting warmth.
  •  Arles Amphitheater & Café Terrace at Night Site: Visit Café Van Gogh on Place du Forum, its yellow façade glowing exactly as he painted it.

  • Espace Van Gogh (Former Hôtel-Dieu): The restored hospital courtyard where Van Gogh painted The Courtyard of the Hospital at Arles while recovering in 1889. Today, its clipped gardens and pale arcades remain a quiet, contemplative pause in the city.

A Moment to Reflect: Walk through the narrow streets of the historic center early in the morning. The cobblestones still hold echoes of his footsteps—and the same Provençal light spills across the stone.

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2. The Alyscamps: Beauty Among Ruins

A short walk from the heart of Arles lies Les Alyscamps, the Roman necropolis where Van Gogh painted Les Alyscamps (Autumn Alley) alongside Gauguin. Cypress trees, weathered tombs, and filtered light lend the path an almost spiritual calm.

Tip: Arrive mid-morning, when the sun slants through the plane trees and the air hums with cicadas. The colors—mossy green and burnished gold—are pure Van Gogh.

3. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: Healing Through Color

After his mental health crisis in Arles, Van Gogh voluntarily entered Saint-Paul-de-Mausole Monastery in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence in May 1889. It was here, in the quiet of olive groves and gardens, that he painted more than 150 works—including The Starry Night, Irises, and Wheatfield with Cypresses.

Walk the Van Gogh Trail: A self-guided path from the monastery into the surrounding fields mirrors the landscapes of his paintings. Panels along the route display reproductions of his works beside the very scenes that inspired them—rolling hills, cypress silhouettes, and swirling clouds.

Visit Nearby:

  •   Glanum Roman Ruins, whose columns and arches feature in several sketches.
  •   Musée Estrine, celebrating both Van Gogh’s influence and contemporary Provençal artists.

Many Only Provence villas sit within minutes of Saint-Rémy—ideal bases for travelers who want to rise with the same morning light that shaped his genius.

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4. Les Baux-de-Provence: Light in the Stone

In the limestone cliffs of Les Baux, the Carrières des Lumières transforms art into living light. Each year, vast projections of masterworks fill the cavern walls; Van Gogh’s oeuvre often takes center stage. Standing inside his swirling skies and golden fields is as close as one can come to walking inside his mind.

Insider Note: Combine your visit with a stop in the village above for sweeping valley views—the same vistas that once drew him south from Paris.

5. The Alpilles Countryside: Between Olive and Sky

Between Eygalières, Maussane, and Saint-Rémy, the Alpilles landscape remains nearly unchanged since Van Gogh’s day—groves of silver-green olive trees, undulating wheat fields, and mountain ridges blushing in twilight.

Pack a sketchbook or camera and follow the small farm lanes; each turn reveals another composition worthy of a frame. This is where the artist’s brush met the Provençal wind.

Following Van Gogh Beyond the Canvas

Tracing Van Gogh’s footsteps isn’t simply about geography—it’s about perception.

He saw what others overlooked: the divine in the ordinary, the sacred in shadow. Traveling his path is an invitation to slow down, to look again, to notice how light moves across the simplest things—a field, a café, a cypress tree.

In Provence, that light still endures. It changes every hour, but never loses its tenderness.

The Van Gogh Way of Travel

To see Provence as Van Gogh did is to linger. Stay longer in fewer places. Let the land paint itself in your memory.

Your Only Provence villa becomes part of that rhythm—shutters thrown open to the sunrise, olive trees murmuring in the breeze, a bottle of local rosé waiting as the sky turns violet. This is where art, nature, and rest meet.

Plan your Van Gogh-inspired stay with a Villa Rental Specialist today.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Following Van Gogh in Provence

Begin in Arles, exploring the city’s Van Gogh sites and Fondation Van Gogh, then drive north to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence to walk the Van Gogh Trail and visit Saint-Paul-de-Mausole. End at Les Baux-de-Provence for the Carrières des Lumières immersive experience.

Spring and early summer (April–June) mirror the colors Van Gogh loved—yellow wheat, violet irises, and clear Provençal skies. Autumn offers softer light and fewer crowds, ideal for contemplative travel.

Remarkably, yes. Many of the scenes painted in 1888–89 remain nearly unchanged, particularly the olive groves and hills around Saint-Rémy and the bridges and fields near Arles.

Absolutely. Most Only Provence villas in the Alpilles region are within a short drive of every major Van Gogh site, allowing guests to explore by day and unwind in privacy each evening.

Cézanne, Picasso, and contemporary masters all drew inspiration from this region’s light. Visiting Aix, Arles, and Les Baux creates a panoramic view of Provence’s enduring influence on modern art.

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Jumping the Picket Fence Light Through the Cracks

Only Provence co-founder Lydia Dean writes about their experiences raising a family, building a business in Provence, and later combining the love of travel with giving back in "Jumping the Picket Fence”. In 2021, she published “Light Through the Cracks,” a continuation of her journey, much of which has been based in Provence. Both books are available Amazon, Amazon.uk, and Amazon.Fr.