Private walking tour: Arles Roman sites and Camargue wildlife

Roman stones, Van Gogh's footsteps, and a wild delta in one day

A private walking tour of the Roman city of Arles followed by a guided drive through Camargue's wetlands and wildlife reserves. You walk the amphitheater and the streets Van Gogh painted, then spend the afternoon spotting flamingos, bulls and white horses in the Pont de Gau Ornithological Park and the wider Camargue region. The guide speaks English, Spanish or French and adjusts the itinerary to your interests; hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Arles and Camargue region

• Drive 1 hour to Arles
• Visit Roman city of Arles
• Walk footsteps of Van Gogh
• Coffee break at Cafe Van Gogh
• Visit Roman Amphitheatre
• Discover Camargue region wildlife
• Visit Pont de Gau Ornithological Park
• Free time and lunch in Saintes Maries de la Mer

The Experience

The day starts with a one-hour drive from your hotel to Arles, where you walk the Roman city on foot. The amphitheater—built two thousand years ago—stands intact enough to picture the crowds that once filled it; you'll see it up close before heading to the Café Van Gogh, the actual café where Van Gogh sat and painted. You can stop for coffee there and watch the square the way he did, or move through at your own pace depending on what holds your attention.

After Arles, the route turns south into Camargue, a region of wetlands, salt marshes and open grassland where the landscape shifts entirely. The Pont de Gau Ornithological Park is the main stop—a reserve where hundreds of flamingos live alongside storks, beavers and coypu. You walk the park's paths and watch the birds without the crowds you'd find at a standard tourist site. The wider Camargue region spreads beyond it: white horses and black bulls graze in the open, and the light flattens across the water in a way that feels removed from anywhere else in Provence.

The tour includes free time in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the main town in the delta, where you can eat lunch and walk on your own. Because this is a private tour, you and your guide set the rhythm—if the amphitheater absorbs an extra hour, the schedule shifts; if the flamingos aren't where you expected, you move to find them. The eight-hour day is approximate, and the stops can be reordered or extended depending on what you came to see.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your hotel and back.
• a guide who speaks English, Spanish or French and adjusts the route to your interests.
• access to walk the Roman amphitheater and the streets of Arles where Van Gogh painted.
• time at the Café Van Gogh for a coffee break.
• free time in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer for lunch.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Provence Guide Nathalie

Is this one for you?Choose this private tour if you want to set your own pace across Arles and the Camargue—linger at the amphitheater or spend extra time with the flamingos—rather than follow a group's fixed itinerary.

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Top questions

What is the Roman amphitheater in Arles actually like when you walk inside it?

The amphitheater is a two-thousand-year-old structure that still stands largely intact, so you can walk through the actual stone tiers and passages where crowds once sat. It's not a ruin you view from a distance; you move through the space itself and get a sense of the scale and engineering.

Can I choose to skip the ornithological park and spend more time in Arles instead?

Yes. Because this is a private tour, the itinerary can be modified to match what interests you. If you want to linger in Arles or adjust the balance between the city and Camargue, your guide will work with that preference.

Is entrance to the Pont de Gau Ornithological Park included in the tour price?

Entrance to the park is available as an add-on at checkout; it is not included in the base tour price. Your guide can tell you what to expect there and help you decide whether to add it.

What wildlife will I actually see in Camargue—is it guaranteed?

Flamingos, white horses and black bulls live in the Camargue region year-round, so you will see them. The ornithological park is a reserve where hundreds of flamingos gather, and the wider delta is home to the horses and bulls; your guide knows where they congregate and will take you to find them.

How much of the day is spent driving versus walking?

The drive to Arles takes about one hour. Once there, you walk the Roman city on foot. After Arles, you drive into Camargue and walk the ornithological park and the town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. The balance shifts between driving and walking depending on where you choose to linger.

What language will my guide speak?

Your guide speaks English, Spanish or French. You choose the language when you book, and the same guide leads the entire tour.