In Van Gogh’s Provence

In Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the day begins just outside the village at the Monastère Saint-Paul de Mausole, a former monastery that housed the psychiatric institution where Van Gogh stayed from 1889 to 1890. Here, the fields, olive groves, and cypress trees are not distant scenery but the same subjects he painted again and again, within walking distance of his room. The visit stays grounded in this close relationship between the artist and the landscape that shaped his work. After lunch, you continue to Arles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that opens onto a very different setting. The route follows the city through its main landmarks, from the Amphitheatre and the Théâtre Antique to Place du Forum, Saint-Trophime Cathedral, Hôtel de Ville, and the Hôtel Dieu garden, passing through streets and squares along the way. Roman remains, later buildings, and places linked to Van Gogh are all part of this urban fabric, seen through a continuous narrative rather than as isolated monuments.

The experience brings together two places that marked consecutive chapters in Van Gogh’s life in Provence. In Arles, you encounter the city where he arrived in 1888, drawn by its light, its streets, the intensity of urban life, and where he produced some of his most important work. In Saint-Rémy, you enter the quieter landscape that followed at the Monastère Saint-Paul de Mausole in 1889, a secluded world of olive groves, cypress trees, and fields. The contrast is not only between city and countryside, but between two conditions of work. Arles carries the pace of streets, cafés, Roman ruins, and public squares. Saint-Rémy has stillness, routine, and a landscape seen at close range from the grounds of the institution where he stayed. By bringing these places together in a single day, the experience shows Provence as Van Gogh knew it across two linked periods of his life. Together, they give a clearer sense of how place shaped the rhythm of his days and the evolution of his work.

You will be guided by Christopher or Laurent, licensed guides based in Marseille. They have been guiding travelers across Provence for more than eight years, building on more than twenty-five years of personal familiarity with the region’s landscapes, towns, and cultural rhythms. Their work draws on long observation of Provence’s varied terrain and everyday life, allowing them to share both well-known sites and the lesser-noticed stories that make the region distinctive. Christopher is originally from England and Laurent is French. Both spent many years in London before relocating to Marseille in 2013, traveling widely during that time and developing a deep curiosity about place and culture. In 2018 they launched their guiding venture together, bringing their passion for connection and cultural exchange to experiences across Provence. Their approach unfolds at an easy pace with space for conversation, close observation, and pleasure of shared time.

Comfortable walking shoes. Sunscreen and a hat. A camera or SmartPhone to record the occasion.