Arles or Nîmes? The two Roman arenas compared, by someone from Arles
Side by side
| Arles | Nîmes | |
|---|---|---|
| Built | c. 90 AD | c. 70–100 AD |
| Length × width | 136 × 107 m | 133 × 101 m |
| Height | 21 m | 21 m |
| Arches | Two tiers of 60; attic storey lost | Two storeys of 60; complete |
| Original capacity | About 21,000 | About 24,000 |
| Rows of seats | About 34 | 34 |
| Arena floor | — | 68 × 38 m |
| Medieval additions | Three surviving towers, one climbable | None standing |
| UNESCO | Yes, since 1981 | No |
| Bullring category | First category | First category |
| Roman theatre next door | Yes, 200 m | No |
| Town | About 51,000 people, walkable centre | A city; the arena is one stop among many |
What Nîmes has that Arles does not
Completeness. Nîmes kept its whole outer wall and its top storey, so from the street it looks like the drawing in a schoolbook; Arles lost its attic and shows you two storeys where there were three. Inside, Nîmes has the 68 by 38 m floor and the full ring of 34 rows without the medieval interruptions, and it is generally called the best-preserved Roman amphitheatre anywhere. I do not argue with that. If you have one afternoon and you want to understand what a Roman amphitheatre was as a machine for seating 24,000 people, Nîmes explains it better.
What Arles has that Nîmes does not
Age, by a whisker, and 3 m of length. The towers, which are the visible proof that the building spent a thousand years as a fortress with a town inside it, and one of which you can climb for the view to the Rhône; the whole story is on the history page. The UNESCO inscription of 1981, which covers the amphitheatre with the theatre, the cryptoportiques, the baths, the Alyscamps and Saint-Trophime, so that the arena is one stop on a walk rather than an island. And the Théâtre antique 200 m away, which Nîmes simply does not have. Arles is also smaller and lower, and the arena sits at the top of the old town with cafes on the rond-point; you drift into it rather than cross a boulevard to reach it.
The bullfighting question
Both are first-category bullrings, two of the seven in France, and both close to sightseers on spectacle days. If you are travelling at Easter or in September, check both calendars before you choose; the Arles dates are on the feria page. Arles also has the course camarguaise, the bloodless local game, and the Cocarde d’Or in July, which Nîmes does not host.
My verdict
Do both. Take the train: Arles to Nîmes is 18 to 30 minutes depending on the service, and it is the same line that goes on to Montpellier. Give Nîmes the morning, since the arena is the one thing there you must not miss, and Arles the afternoon and evening, because Arles is the better town to eat and sleep in. If it really has to be one, and you are a Roman-architecture person, Nîmes. If you are a Van Gogh person, a photography person or a person who likes towns that fit in a morning, Arles, and you will get the theatre, Saint-Trophime and the Saturday market thrown in. Is Arles worth visiting makes that case at length; the most beautiful arenas in France ranks the pair against Béziers and the rest.
Buy the Arles combined arena-and-theatre ticket rather than the arena alone; the theatre is the thing Nîmes cannot offer and it is empty at nine. Tickets are explained on the tickets page.
Seeing Arles as part of a day out
None of the tours sold through this site goes to Nîmes; they pair Arles with Les Baux and Saint-Rémy instead, which is the more scenic combination if you are based in Aix, Marseille or Avignon. The Aix departure is the most booked and has 111 reviews; see how it spends its 90 minutes in Arles on the day tours page.
Frequently asked questions
Which is older, the arena at Arles or at Nîmes?
Arles, by a whisker: about 90 AD against a date usually given as 70 to 100 AD for Nîmes. Both came a decade or two after the Colosseum. The full timeline is on the history page.
Which is bigger, Arles or Nîmes?
Arles is longer, 136 m against 133 m, and wider, 107 m against 101 m. Nîmes held more people, about 24,000 against about 21,000, and has kept its whole outer wall. See the most beautiful arenas in France for how the two rank nationally.
Can you see both arenas in one day?
Easily. The train between Arles and Nîmes takes 18 to 30 minutes and runs all day. Do Nîmes in the morning and Arles in the afternoon, when the arena stays open until 19:00 in summer; the seasonal hours are on the opening hours page.
Is Nîmes a UNESCO site like Arles?
No. Arles was inscribed in 1981 as a group of Roman and Romanesque monuments; Nîmes is not on the list. The six Arles sites, in walking order, are on what to see in Arles.