Espace Van Gogh

The Espace Van Gogh, the former Hôtel-Dieu

The Arles audio-guided tour leads you to the heart of the Espace Van Gogh, a green setting surrounded by flowers and colourful arcades. You would think yourself in a painting by the artist: the spirit of Van Gogh is everywhere, even though the place is not, strictly speaking, dedicated to his work.

From the Hôtel-Dieu to a place of memory

You are in the former cloister of the Hôtel-Dieu, built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In 1542, the archbishop of Arles decided to close the many charitable establishments of the city to bring them together in one large hospital. It was in this Hôtel-Dieu that Van Gogh was cared for after the episode of his ear. The painter depicted the garden there, immortalising the place in his work.

What there is to see

The garden has been restored according to the colours and composition of the painting made by Van Gogh, with its flowered beds and its arcades. The place now houses a media library and cultural spaces. It is one of the most photographed places in Arles, where you concretely find the painter's mark on the city.

Practical information

The Espace Van Gogh is in the centre of Arles, in the former Hôtel-Dieu. The courtyard and the garden are freely accessible during opening hours and on the level; the cultural spaces keep their own hours. The garden is best discovered by day.

What was the Espace Van Gogh in the past?

It was the Hôtel-Dieu of Arles, a hospital built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, where Van Gogh was cared for. The cloister garden inspired one of his paintings.

Does the garden resemble Van Gogh's painting?

Yes, the garden has been restored according to the colours and composition of the painting that Van Gogh made here, which makes it a much-photographed place.