Arles well

Arles is a deeply historical city, with strong ties to Roman civilization. Its distinctive light and buildings can be found in the paintings of van Gogh, who, in the late 19th century, made its streets, even the house he lived in, his subjects. But now, Arles is back once again in the public eye and this time the focus isn't on the past, but rather the present. Its culture and cuisine have emerged as a new draw.

Arles is growing, population-wise. It's becoming a hip city, full of artists and musicians and folks who want the Provençal lifestyle in a city, not the remote countryside made popular by Peter Mayle's books.

Situated near the mouth of the Rhône river, the city offers an inviting few days of enjoyment and respite. There can be no doubt about the Roman influence: It can be found in the thermes (baths); an oval, ancient racecourse; an amphitheatre and, most imposingly, a spectacular arena (now under restoration) where bullfighting happens every summer. Close to the larger Avignon to the north and, to the south, the wilds of La Camargue, a nature preserve at the edge of the Mediterranean, Arles has a storied past, even apart from the Romans.

IF YOU GO

From Paris, the TGV is approximately €180 ($260) return for first class, less for economy, and takes 31/2 hours at a minimum.

Where to Stay

The Grand Hôtel Nord-Pinus in Place du Forum has original bullfighting posters and newly renovated rooms, some overlooking the square.

Hard to beat the old Roman columns built right into the structure.

From €190 a night in low season. nord-pinus.com

Next door, the mid-range Hôtel du Forum also offers views of the square. Simple, lovely rooms. From €60 a night for a single bed. hotelduforum.com

The Hôtel du Musée, near the Réattu, has a pretty courtyard and is inside the city walls. From €60. hoteldumusee.com

Where to Dine

Paris Popup (in the Grand Hôtel Nord-Pinus) and Chardon are a must. 37 rue des Arènes; hellochardon.strikingly.com

Le Galoubet (also a hotel) offers locally-sourced Provençal fare in a rustic setting. Don’t be fooled by the pink neon sign over the bar. 18 rue du Dr Fanton

Just off the square, the Baràvin is a good alternative for a lighter dinner. Locals seem to congregate here late into the evening. 40 rue des Arènes

– Stephen Grant

In 1888, Vincent van Gogh moved here and painted the yellow Café Terrace at Night (still standing – but those in the know don't dine there), The Yellow House and his not-so-yellow bedroom. It was also in Arles that he cut off his ear, shortly before his death in Auvers-sur-Oise outside of Paris in 1890.

His paintings – of which there is an exhibition this summer, van Gogh in Provence: Modernizing Tradition at Arles's Fondation Vincent van Gogh – evoke the spectacular beauty of the area in his inimitable brushstrokes and hues. The exhibit includes one of his self-portraits; a number of the 31 works are on loan from the van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

But art here extends beyond van Gogh. In an almost deserted old house, you can find the Musée Réattu, featuring paintings of the 19th-century local artist Jacques Réattu along with some modern works – an Ossip Zadkine Cubist sculpture, for instance. And in July, the city hosts a famous photography festival that draws ambitious and seasoned artists alike.

Just outside the city centre, there is an amazing market on Saturdays. Along with clothes, tchotchkes and the like, the food stands go on for at least a kilometre. When I was there, strawberries from one vendor occupied three tables. Some were from Valence, some were gariguettes (though I noted there weren't any fraises des bois, those tiny, woodland strawberries that taste like the essence of the fruit). A dozen varieties of nougat, a regional specialty (some from nearby Montélimar) occupied another stall. To make the city even more accommodating, Arlésiens are building a cultural park, dwarfed by a Bosch-like spiral tower with glass rotunda to house multimedia facilities, designed by none other than the Toronto-born architect, Frank Gehry. The Gehry Tower, as it is currently known, can be spotted widely from various places throughout the city, and is expected to fuel a Bilbao-like resurgence of visitors.

Gehry, however, is not the only Canadian reason Arles is worth a special visit. That would be a thirtysomething sommelier from Quebec. Her name is Laura Vidal, and she and her life and business partner, Harry Cummins, are injecting new life into Arles's dining scene. Formerly of Montreal, Vidal has garnered good press for her various endeavours, including a stint at Frenchie, a highly acclaimed Paris restaurant where, in 2011, she met Cummins, an English chef with incredible culinary chops.

The two decided Paris needed a culinary boost especially to showcase younger chefs, and so Paris Popup was born. The business occupies empty restaurants on their closing days, bringing in its own chefs and staff and cooking from a limited-run menu. The first pop-up, in December, 2012, was beyond a success, with a guest list that included many other young Parisian chefs, restaurateurs and the like.

This prompted them to take the show on the road. Off they went to Spain, Morocco, Japan and now Arles, which they are revisiting for a second season.

They hold their pop-up (with new partner, Julia Mitton, from Halifax) at the lovely Grand Hôtel Nord-Pinus on the Place du Forum.

A seasonal menu reflecting fresh ingredients – monkfish in a spring pea broth and freshly-made ricotta tortellini – was on offer the days I was there. As a way of offering other chefs the opportunity they had, they've just opened Chardon, a stylish restaurant just off the square, much more modern than anything in the area. With a terrace, bar and restaurant seating, Chardon will be helmed by life and business partners Oliver Truesdale-Jutras and Phoebe Oviedo, both from Ottawa, until the end of September. Torontonian chef Haan Palcu-Chang takes over for the month of October. Sommelier Josee Yeomans (formerly of Bar Isabel in Toronto) is in charge of service and wine for the season. Les Canadiens sont arrivés. Do yourself a favour. Find yourself there this summer, one way or another.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story included a photo of an arena in Nîmes, France – not the Arles arena. The incorrect photo has been removed.

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