Arles and Camargue full-day tour from Marseille: private guide

Arles, Van Gogh's streets, and the wild Camargue in one day

A private full-day tour from Marseille covers Arles (a UNESCO World Heritage site with Roman arenas and medieval churches), the Camargue wetlands and wildlife reserve, and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer with its 12th-century church. Your English-speaking driver picks you up from your accommodation, handles all driving, and includes bottled water and an air-conditioned Mercedes V Class throughout the 8-hour route. The itinerary is fixed, so the day holds together without building it yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Arles and Camargue region

• Visit Roman ruins in Arles
• Walk cobblestone streets and landmarks
• See Van Gogh inspiration sites
• Explore Camargue wildlife and landscapes
• Choose horseback riding or birdwatching
• Visit Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer village
• Tour Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer Church
• Return to accommodation

The Experience

Arles opens the day: you'll walk the narrow cobblestone streets past the Roman arenas and St. Trophime's church with its 12th-century cloister, then stand at the locations where Van Gogh painted some of his most recognizable work. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the driver narrates the Roman and medieval layers as you move through it. This is not a museum tour — you're moving through the streets themselves, seeing the architecture and the light that drew the painter.

From Arles, the route turns into the Camargue, the Rhone Delta and Europe's largest river delta, where the landscape flattens into marshes and the horizon opens to the sea. This is a nature reserve, not a park: the wildlife here — pink flamingos, wild horses, black bulls — moves through the landscape on its own schedule. The driver can point out what's visible from the road, and the itinerary offers a choice of how to spend time in the reserve: horseback riding, a bicycle tour, a 4x4 adventure through the marshes, or a visit to Pont de Gau's Ornithological Park if birdwatching is the draw. You decide which activity suits the day; the driver arranges it.

The final stop is Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, a village built around the 12th-century Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer Church, which sits on a platform with panoramic views across the Camargue. The church marks the arrival of three saints to these shores and holds the statue of Saint Sara, the patroness of the Gypsies. After that, the driver takes you back to your accommodation in Provence. The whole day is eight hours door-to-door, with the driver handling every kilometer.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned Mercedes V Class with English-speaking driver.
• hotel pickup and return to your Marseille or Aix accommodation.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• all driving and route planning for the eight-hour itinerary.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcomeNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by LUXURY PROVENCE TOURS

Is this one for you?Departing from Marseille or Aix without a rental car, you get a driver who knows the route and handles all the navigation, so a full day across two regions — the city, the delta, the village — stays manageable and doesn't splinter into logistics. The fixed schedule and included transport settle the day before you leave your hotel.

Top questions

What is there to see in Arles on this tour?

Arles holds the Roman arenas, the 12th-century St. Trophime's Church with its cloister, and the narrow streets where Van Gogh lived and painted. The tour walks you through these landmarks and explains the Roman and medieval history as you move through the city.

Can I choose what to do in the Camargue, or is the itinerary fixed?

The route through the Camargue is set, but you can choose your activity once you arrive: horseback riding, a bicycle tour, a 4x4 adventure through the marshes, or a visit to Pont de Gau's Ornithological Park for birdwatching. The driver arranges whichever you pick.

What wildlife might I see in the Camargue?

The Camargue is home to pink flamingos, wild horses, and black bulls that roam the marshes and delta landscape. What you see depends on the season and the time of day, but the reserve is active year-round.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes, the driver picks you up from your accommodation in Marseille or Aix and returns you there at the end of the day. The pickup is included in the price.

How long is the full tour?

The tour runs eight hours total, including all driving, stops in Arles, time in the Camargue, and the visit to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.

What's included in the price?

The private Mercedes V Class with driver, all driving and transport, bottled water, air conditioning, and hotel pickup and return are included. Food and drinks beyond the water, and gratuities for the driver, are separate.