Arles day trips compared: Aix, Marseille or Avignon to Les Baux and Saint-Rémy
What the three have in common
All three use a minibus of at most eight, run in English and French, and put Arles, Les Baux and Saint-Rémy in the same day. None is suitable for children under four or for anyone with a mobility impairment; Les Baux is a village “carved out of the side of a hill”, as Jonathan from the United States described it, and the walking is real. All three can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before. Where they differ is who drives, which direction the loop runs, how much of the day is guided, and what is bundled in.
From Aix-en-Provence: the most-booked
Eight and a half hours. Meet outside the Aix-en-Provence Tourist Information Center, 75 minutes in the van, then Saint-Rémy for an hour and a half (Wednesday is market day, and Elina from the United States timed it for that), Les Baux for a photo stop and two hours (the Carrières de Lumières are optional and paid on the spot), Arles for an hour and a half, and an hour back. The driver-guide briefs you before each stop and then you are on your own, which reviewers either love or mind. Susan from the United States “would have liked more guidance and local information”; Jonathan liked being briefed and let go; Daryn got the best meal of his trip in Les Baux from a tip by Remy. 4.8 from 111 reviews, sub-scores 4.8 guide, 4.8 transport, 4.6 value. Minimum two passengers; solo travellers are offered another date if nobody else books.
From Marseille: the long version
Ten and a half hours from outside the Radisson Blu at 38 quai Rive Neuve on the Vieux-Port. Same three towns in the same order, with a stop at Les Antiques, the Roman monuments outside Saint-Rémy, and Saint-Paul-de-Mausole optional. Some days the van passes through Aix to collect passengers, which is worth knowing if you are a poor sleeper on the road. The Carrières de Lumières may be closed in winter. 4.8 from 46 reviews; guide 4.9, transport 4.8, value 4.5. Betül from Turkey found Les Baux the surprise of the day; Nicola from Italy thought “Van Gogh lovers will really enjoy Saint-Rémy”; Louise from Canada gave four stars and called the villages magnificent.
From Avignon: Arnaud’s day with a picnic
Six and a half to seven and a half hours with hotel pickup in Avignon. Forty-five minutes in the van, then a 75-minute guided walk through Arles: the cathedral and cloister, the town hall, Van Gogh’s café, Constantine’s baths, the port, the amphitheatre and the Théâtre antique from outside, and the Espace Van Gogh. Then the Moulin Castelas olive mill with a guided visit and a tasting, an hour of picnic under fig trees with eggs, tapenade, fresh goat cheese and fruit from local farms, the Carrières de Lumières with entry included, ten minutes at the Les Baux viewpoint and an hour of free time in Saint-Rémy. Mill and picnic run April to October only, and the day can be cancelled for weather. 4.8 from 16 reviews, with guide and transport at 5.0 and value at 4.2. Adrian from Poland summed up the honest minus: “guide great, programme didn’t grab me.” Patricia from Brazil and a Canadian family both called the Carrières the highlight. A new vehicle from March 2026.
Side by side
| From Marseille: Arles, Les Baux & Saint-Rémy Full-Day Tour | Most bookedFrom Aix-en-Provence: Arles, Les Baux & Saint-Rémy Full-Day | From Avignon: Arles, Les Baux de Provence & St Rémy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 10.5 hours | 8.5 hours | 6.5–7.5 hours |
| Departs from | Marseille Vieux-Port | Aix tourist office | Your Avignon hotel |
| Route | Saint-Rémy, Les Baux, Arles | Saint-Rémy, Les Baux, Arles | Arles, olive mill, Les Baux, Saint-Rémy |
| Time in Arles | Free time | 1.5 h free time | 75-min guided walk |
| Guided or free | Briefed, then free | Briefed, then free | Guided most of the day |
| Entries included | None | None | Carrières de Lumières |
| Lunch | On your own | On your own | Picnic, April–October |
| Rating | 4.8 · 46 | 4.8 · 111 | 4.8 · 16 |
| Best for | Marseille-based, a long day | Aix-based, market days | A guided day with food |
| View → | Book this → | View → |
How much of Arles you get
Be honest with yourself about this one. From Aix and from Marseille, Arles is an hour and a half of free time at the end of a long day, and if you spend it on the Saturday market you will not see the arena. Buying a ticket at the door and going straight in takes 45 to 60 minutes, so it can be done, but not with the theatre as well. Arnaud’s walk is guided and covers more ground, but goes into nothing; his 75 minutes show you where everything is so that you can come back. If the amphitheatre itself is the reason for the trip, I would take the train to Arles for a day instead (the how to get there page has the timings) and treat these tours as a Provence day that happens to pass through. The ticket page explains what to buy at the door.
Who each one suits
- Based in Aix, want the three-town loop, happy to explore each stop on your own: Aix.
- Based in Marseille and able to face a ten-hour day: Marseille.
- Want to be talked to all day, eat well and see the light show: Arnaud from Avignon, April to October.
- Want Van Gogh: neither loop includes the guided Van Gogh walk. The half day from Avignon does.
Pick a Wednesday from Aix or Marseille for the Saint-Rémy market, or a Saturday for the Arles one, and eat lunch where the driver-guide tells you to. Every guide named in the reviews, Remy, Marion, Audrey and Thomas among them, got a mention for a restaurant tip.
The Provence loop from Aix
Saint-Rémy, Les Baux and Arles in a minibus of eight, briefed at each stop and then left to explore. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The three day trips
Most bookedFrom Aix-en-Provence: Arles, Les Baux & Saint-Rémy Full-Day
From MarseilleFrom Marseille: Arles, Les Baux & Saint-Rémy Full-Day Tour
With picnicFrom Avignon: Arles, Les Baux de Provence & St Rémy
Each has a full write-up: the Aix day trip review, the Marseille review and Arnaud’s tour reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
Does any day trip include the amphitheatre ticket?
No. The Aix and Marseille tours leave the monuments to you during free time, and Arnaud’s walk passes the arena from outside. Buy a ticket at the door; the ticket page explains the options and the closed days.
Which day trip spends the most time in Arles?
The Aix and Marseille loops give an hour and a half of free time; Arnaud’s tour from Avignon gives a 75-minute guided walk that covers more ground but enters nothing. The Avignon tour review lists every stop on that walk in order.
Is there a day trip to Arles from Nîmes?
Not among these six. Nîmes is 18 to 30 minutes from Arles by train, so a tour would be pointless; take the train and see both amphitheatres in a day. The Arles or Nîmes page compares the two buildings.
What if my date is a feria day?
The tours run, but the arena is closed to sightseers from 3 to 6 April 2026, on 6 July and from 11 to 13 September, and the town is full. Check the feria calendar and the best time to visit page before you pick a date.