Travel: Arles

Today, artists still flock to capture the beauty of the French countryside, but one stands out from the rest: Vincent Van Gogh.

Accustomed to the grey skies of the Netherlands and the monochrome streets of Paris, Van Gogh arrived in Arles in 1888, and immediately intoxicated by the quality of light and vibrancy of the scenes he saw, quickly set about attempting to capture these in a frenzied preiod of creativity, during which his work became more colourful than ever.

But the people of Arles did not take to Van Gogh and it wasn't long before his torment reached a climax. His time in Provence is inextricably linked with that of the Parisian artist Paul Gauguin, who came to Arles at Van Gogh's request. The two men planned to form a utopian art colony but had a huge falling out, which resulted in Van Gogh's ear being cut off (some say by himself; others have more recently pinned the blame on Gauguin) and the Dutchman was carted off to an asylum in nearby St-Rmy, where he continued to paint.

Best hotel

Grand Htel Nord Pinus, Place du Forum, 13200 Arles (00 33 4 90 93 44 44, www.nord-pinus.com) The hotel boasts views of Place du Forum, where Van Gogh spent many hours relaxing and painting. One of the best in Arles, it has double rooms from 150.

Best Food

The Van Gogh Caf, Place du Forum, Arles (00 33 4 90 49 39 39)

Formerly Le Cafe De Nuit, this provided the inspiration for the artist's Caf Terrace at Night, and today it remains an exact match for the painting. Van Gogh and Gauguin used to drink and debate art and life here. Today, visitors and aspiring artists grab a table under the stars and sip wine just as the artists did more than a century ago. It's not cheap, as you might expect given its fame, but it is a lovely, lively spot to pass an evening.

Best place to start

The Visitors Centre, 43 Boulevard de Craponne, Arles Here you will find a tour map featuring ten paintings Van Gogh produced in the town, with directions to the spots where he sat down to paint. See also www.visitprovence.com.

Best place to learn about van gogh

The Centre d'Art Presence Van Gogh, Hotel Estrine, 8 Rue Estrine, St Rmy de Provence

Housed in an 18th-century hotel the centre is just 11 miles from Arles, and is well worth hiring a car or taking a bus to visit. Inside you'll find large reproductions of Van Gogh paintings (sadly, none of the originals remain on public view in Provence), letters to his brother Theo and an entertaining audio-visual show that discusses his inspiration. It also houses temporary exhibitions by other artists.

Off the beaten track

St Paul de Mausole, Avenue van Gogh, St Rmy (www.cloitresaintpaul-valetudo.com) The monastery of St Paul de Mausole, is the place to pay tribute to the artist. Surrounded by lavender and cypress-lined fields, this tranquil spot is where he lived from 1889 to 1890. St Paul still houses psychiatric patients but visitors are welcome to walk up the manicured path to the church and its Romanesque cloister where Van Gogh spent many hours in quiet contemplation. Dotted along the path through the grounds are the sites where he painted some of his landscapes. Stairs lead up to a memorial bust of Van Gogh and to a picture window that frames a view of the garden he loved and enjoyed painting. There is a mock-up of the room where he lived, furnished with an iron bed, desk, chair and easel.

Best place to understand Van Gogh's influence

The Vincent Van Gogh Foundation, 26 Rond-Point des Arnes, Arles (00 33 4 90 49 94 04, www.fondationvangogh-arles.org) This hosts a wide variety of artists, including David Hockney, Francis Bacon and Roy Lichtenstein, who have donated their own works, all inspired by the Dutch artist.

Best place to be inspired

L'Espace Van Gogh, Place du Docteur Flix-Rey, Arles (00 33 4 90 49 39 39) This is the former hospital where Van Gogh was taken immediately after he lost a portion of his ear (he was later transferred to St Paul de Mausole) and today the centre houses a bookshop and university departments.

The interior courtyard remains exactly as it was in Van Gogh's day and even features a reproduction of a painting he did to prove it.

To get an insight into why Van Gogh and his fellow artists felt so inspired by Provence, wander through St Rmy de Provence, which lies between Arles and Avignon. From the winding narrow streets to the idyllic surrounding countryside and brilliant blue skies overhead, it is not hard to see why the town inspired a number of his most famous masterpieces.

Van Gogh created more than half of his entire body of work during the last two years of his life here. It's fun to spend an afternoon walking at a leisurely pace while trying to spot scenes from his paintings.

This article was first published in Scotland on Sunday, April 11, 2010