Place du Forum
Place du Forum
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This intimate town square was once the heart of the city in ancient Roman times.
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66 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
401 reviews
Excellent
114
Very good
176
Average
88
Poor
15
Terrible
8
Dimitris L
Sydney, Australia50,924 contributions
Aug 2019
Place du Forum is a lovely public space. There are many outdoor tables with seating for the numerous cafes and restaurants in the area. The Forum has quite a long history going back to the Roman times. The Forum used to be much bigger but today most of it has been built over. It is still a beautiful place to visit and have a great time.
Written July 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danielle S
Antwerp, Belgium162 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
Full of live, good restaurants, nice atmosphere. The place from the famous Yellow cafe from Vincent Van Gogh. So typical French.
Go there to drink a glass of rosé or eat some French speciality.
Go there to drink a glass of rosé or eat some French speciality.
Written July 14, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MikesWorld1111
Milan, Italy714 contributions
Aug 2020
We went a couple of times during our stay in Arles because there are several restaurants and the square provides a great background for a romantic dinner.
Written August 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan64602
Dublin, Ireland54 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
Not a must see in a town with many sites. A square where the forum once was full of open air cafes. We did not eat here so cannot comment on the quality.
Written May 31, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rhian D
Cardiff, UK15 contributions
Aug 2015 • Couples
Nice to see Vann Goughs inspiration for the cafe by night, but restraunts on this square were more expensive than those just a stone throw from the Amphitheatre.
Written September 8, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eli B
Sydney, Australia3,551 contributions
Nov 2013 • Couples
Arles is a seductive town. Its colourful houses flirt with the light that drifts over the landscape. the visions at evening time reveal why Vincent van Gogh,spent so much time here. the center of town is medieval with narrow,winding streets weaving between ancient buildings,with squares breaking the grid,offering splendid pause for gourmands and Roman architectural buffs.
The place du Forum is a central location to watch the locals and tourists do their thing,surrounded by quite a few good eateries to be savoured. Lots of lane- ways with houses tinted with colours of an artist's palette,yellow,lavender and pinks which clash with blues and greens. There is a good little market on Wednesdays and Saturdays selling local artisanal goodies,pungent cheeses,honey and spices the aromas of which will stick in your memory.
We returned to Arles by train,a second time and it felt like coming home. The sunshine,the air and the quiet is remarkable and therapeutic. Located on a low hill, where the huge Rhone branches into two tributaries on the way to the sea,its blessed with both scenery and spirit.
Vincent lived here and one night stopover will reveal where"starry starry night" came from, The bullfight excites efficianados ,as well as drawing condemnation. I am on Hemmingway's side on this aspect ,while my femme is against. You can feel the sense of life around. Its infectious.
One sunny day we grabbed some provisions from the market and headed down to the river bank,where the Romans first built the stony embankments. The staircase provided a spectacular alfresco lunch spot. there is a lovely park along the Boulevard des Lices for a stop to capture your breath.
If you are a Roman Era buff,there is heaps to investigate as well as, the superb archeological park on the other side of The Arenas. Our accommodation was the superb Hotel Lecalandel opposite Les Arenas,the enormous,two tiered amphitheatre that dominates the town. Sitting on our balcony in the mornings and evenings we watched the aerial manoeuvres of the swallows diving acrobatically through the arches. A delight beyond description.
You could have your bones interred at the cemetery which is a unique part of local history. Arles boasts more bistros than you could possibly try with many memorable eateries and a qiet in the evenings that's the most refreshing in France.
The place du Forum is a central location to watch the locals and tourists do their thing,surrounded by quite a few good eateries to be savoured. Lots of lane- ways with houses tinted with colours of an artist's palette,yellow,lavender and pinks which clash with blues and greens. There is a good little market on Wednesdays and Saturdays selling local artisanal goodies,pungent cheeses,honey and spices the aromas of which will stick in your memory.
We returned to Arles by train,a second time and it felt like coming home. The sunshine,the air and the quiet is remarkable and therapeutic. Located on a low hill, where the huge Rhone branches into two tributaries on the way to the sea,its blessed with both scenery and spirit.
Vincent lived here and one night stopover will reveal where"starry starry night" came from, The bullfight excites efficianados ,as well as drawing condemnation. I am on Hemmingway's side on this aspect ,while my femme is against. You can feel the sense of life around. Its infectious.
One sunny day we grabbed some provisions from the market and headed down to the river bank,where the Romans first built the stony embankments. The staircase provided a spectacular alfresco lunch spot. there is a lovely park along the Boulevard des Lices for a stop to capture your breath.
If you are a Roman Era buff,there is heaps to investigate as well as, the superb archeological park on the other side of The Arenas. Our accommodation was the superb Hotel Lecalandel opposite Les Arenas,the enormous,two tiered amphitheatre that dominates the town. Sitting on our balcony in the mornings and evenings we watched the aerial manoeuvres of the swallows diving acrobatically through the arches. A delight beyond description.
You could have your bones interred at the cemetery which is a unique part of local history. Arles boasts more bistros than you could possibly try with many memorable eateries and a qiet in the evenings that's the most refreshing in France.
Written June 14, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WhitePineLane
Plymouth, MN133 contributions
Jun 2012 • Family
We were in Arles the third week in June and were lucky enough to be there for two festivals - La fete de la musique and Les feux de la Saint-Jean. On one night as we sat in a cafe in the middle of the square eating dinner, music heard from all around the city, the most amazing thing came down the street. We called it the opera-mobile. It was like a float in a parade with an opera singer with a lit-up multi-colored bouffant at the helm. Steering and powering was a young woman dressed like a dance hall girl, peddling a bicycle that was about ten feet in the air! Another day as we sat in the place, crowds of young women dressed in traditional arlesienne costumes walked by. A French friend we were visiting had a constant stream of neighbors and friends walk by and wave hello or stop to chat. It was perfect late at night, and perfect for an early-morning coffee. All you hope for in a provencal town!
Written June 26, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
maryann f
34 contributions
Aug 2019
My husband and I were visiting Arles during a river cruise of the French Rivera. We were fortunate to have had an English-speaking local tour guide who provided us with the history of Arles and an opportunity to visit and photograph the area.
According to available literature, "Forum Square (Place du Forum) in Arles, France was made depicted in a famous painting of a bright yellow cafe done by Vincent Van Gogh. The square was originally the site of a Roman Forum that marked the center of political and social life in Arles.
"Now Place du Forum is filled with lively restaurant terraces under the shade of plane trees, and takes on extra meaning because Vincent van Gogh set his easel in northeast corner of the square to paint Cafe Terrace at Night in 1888. Come in the morning when the tables are empty to spend a moment with the statue of Frederic Mistral, the Nobel Prize winning author who lived and worked close to Arles."
This was a wonderful experience with amazing photographic opportunities. Don't miss this leisurely walk.
According to available literature, "Forum Square (Place du Forum) in Arles, France was made depicted in a famous painting of a bright yellow cafe done by Vincent Van Gogh. The square was originally the site of a Roman Forum that marked the center of political and social life in Arles.
"Now Place du Forum is filled with lively restaurant terraces under the shade of plane trees, and takes on extra meaning because Vincent van Gogh set his easel in northeast corner of the square to paint Cafe Terrace at Night in 1888. Come in the morning when the tables are empty to spend a moment with the statue of Frederic Mistral, the Nobel Prize winning author who lived and worked close to Arles."
This was a wonderful experience with amazing photographic opportunities. Don't miss this leisurely walk.
Written November 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ColinBern
Tonbridge, UK721 contributions
Oct 2019
The main reason for visiting this square is to see the 'Yellow Cafe', made famous by Van Gogh. There are a number of restaurants nearby, but of course everyone wants to stand where Van Gogh stood to paint the scene
Written October 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel K
Little Egg Harbor117 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
Many restaurants from which to choose. Most restaurants were very good although most travelers and some guides mentioned to avoid the "so-called famous cafe de la nuit" restaurants-named after VanGogh.
Written October 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Recherche un resto typique et traditionnel pour daube de taureau
Written November 18, 2016
Cherche un restaurant typique Arlésien pour manger une bonne gardiane de taureau
Written November 18, 2016
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