Every image-maker will know there isn't a more exciting time of the year to travel to Arles than July, when Les Rencontres d'Arles, one of the foremost photography festivals in the world, gathers over 100,000 visitors from all corners of the globe over a three-month-long program of exhibitions, book launches, and portfolio reviews, panel discussions and awards.
The event, which returned to the city this Monday and continues through early October 5, is likely the main reason why this coastal commune in southern France, situated in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region and expanding across 759 square kilometers, is high on the travel bucket list of most visual storytellers, who look forward to it as one of the best things to do in Arles. Other people, though, including habitués of the best Paris hotels and die-hard lovers of French style decor, might not have heard much about it before.
