Arles (France)

Arles (port locode FRARL) is a Rhone River cruise port in the Provence province (Bouches-du-Rhone department), and part of southern France's Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region.

As a cruise port, Arles serves as homeport (embarkation/debarkation port) for ships from the fleets of Europe's largest river cruise companies and travel brands, including AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Viking, Luftner-Amadeus, Scylla (Viva, Nicko), Scenic, Arosa,

Port Arles, linking the Rhone with the Mediterranean Sea, has ist railway and road connections. The river, navigable as far upstream as Lyon, is an important waterway for shipping cargoes and passengers.

The Rhone River forks into a pair of branches upstream of Arles, forming the Camargue Delta - France's largest wetlands.

The train station Gare d'Arles links to Avignon, Nimes, Marseille, Paris, and Bordeaux. The nearest airport is Marseille Provence (~1 hour drive distance). By Arles passes the toll highway A54 (linking Salon-de-Provence with Nimes), which is part of E80 route.

The city was the largest in the Roman Empire's Gallia Narbonensis province. In 1981, most of the Roman monuments were listed as UNESCO sites, including the Amphitheatre, Alyscamps (necropolis), the Thermae of Constantine, the cryptoporticus, the Obelisk, the Barbegal aqueduct and mill.

The city is also famous for the Cathedrale Saint-Trophime d'Arles - the Church of St Trophimus (built between the 12th and 15th century), considered one of the finest examples of Romanesque sculpture. The Musee de l'Arles et de la Provence displays antiques, including a large collection of Roman sarcophagi.