Arelate Festival – Roman Days August 18 – 23, 2025

Get a taste of Arles’ ancient Roman heritage with this festival that enables you to don a toga, step back in time and enjoy tours, shows and other activities created with the help of historians, archaeologists and educators.

“Arelate” presents an eclectic week of discovery of the Roman world for all audiences. Animations and reconstructions that are both entertaining and educational bring the past to life in the monumental complex listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an exceptional archaeological museum (Departmental Museum Arles antique). Every evening, the Peplum Film Festival invites festival-goers to the incomparable setting of ancient theater. Not to mention the theatrical visits, shows, and other animations or reconstructions that punctuate the day. In short, archaeologists, historians, professionals, and enthusiasts are increasingly providing the public with the keys to this Roman era that has shaped Arles for millennia!

The festival has been able to establish its audience and firmly establish itself within the cultural fabric of the city. This success confirms what was anticipated during the inaugural editions: Romanity is a genuine catalyst for animating the city’s heritage.

While in other countries, fanaticism and obscurantism attempt to erase any trace of a past that they wish to deny, we humbly endeavor to make it more prominent and more vibrant. 

The South of France is bursting with rich culture, punctuated every summer by a host of festivals throughout Provence. If you choose to explore the region consider these river cruise itineraries Colors of Provence or Essence of Burgundy & Provence on AmaWaterways.