Since last night, I’ve been in Arles. I’m staying with Mrs. Myriam Van Reeth, who has been living in Arles for nearly two years now. She lived in Brussels for a long time and is originally from Antwerp. She bought a house in Arles after her husband's death and converted part of it into an apartment where she can accommodate a maximum of two pilgrims with a "credential" or letter of introduction. There’s a spacious bedroom with two beds, a small kitchen to prepare your own meals, a bathroom, and toilet, and a cozy little living room with a large statue of a saint, around whose arm is the Wi-Fi code. Myriam is a member of the local Compostela society and proves once again that hospitality (even though you pay what you wish) still works.
Myriam Van Reeth and her cozy guest accommodation
I really struck gold here. As soon as I arrived, there was a refreshing drink of mint water or licorice water, and time to chat together. Magda’s grandmother was also a Van Reeth from Antwerp, so we’re now searching for possible family connections. Myriam’s grandparents were coffee traders, and Magda’s grandparents were coffee roasters. We can’t figure it out, so Myriam gives me the family tree, which I’ll send to Magda, her sister Hilde, and her brother Eric. They might be able to find something; I still have an hour before dinner, which Myriam prepares for pilgrims. She lives near the Roman arena, where operas are performed every year. The Roman theater is also nearby, as is the Place de la République with the unique Romanesque St. Trophime church, named after the first bishop of this part of France.
A coffee spoon from Magda's great-grandparents' coffee roasting business. Arles: Roman theater and arena
The sun shines directly on the west side as it’s around 6 p.m., and all the statues and groups are beautifully lit with little shadow. It’s truly a piece of the Bible, especially the New Testament, carved in marble, with among them some reused Roman columns. There are also fewer tourists out and about, making it more pleasant.
I get back just in time for dinner at 7 p.m. I’m sharing the room with a Canadian pilgrim from Quebec, who will walk the Via Tolosana from Arles to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port and then fly back home. It’s a cozy evening with a delicious pilgrim’s meal with lots of greens and ice cream with fresh fruit. I brought a bottle of chilled white wine from the Greek Orthodox monastery of Solan, and we drink it together. At 9 p.m., we go to bed. I’m tired, and Michel, the Canadian, will start walking at sunrise tomorrow.
Arles: Tympanum and statues of the portal of St Trophime
Michel leaves early around 6 a.m., and at 7 a.m. sharp, I have a simple breakfast in our small kitchen. Then I work for three hours since I’m three days behind with my blog reports, and then I head out. First, I go to the edge of the city to Les Alyscamps, a necropolis from pre-Roman times. Later, the abbey of St. Honorat was also built here. Then I walk around the city to discover the old part with the 14th-century Église des Frères Prêcheurs or the Dominicans, which was divided into apartments during the revolutions: probably a wonderful place to live. Then to the Notre Dame Majeure. Further on to the Fondation Van Gogh, which you come across everywhere here, and finally to the cloister of St. Trophime, where I can enter for free as a pilgrim.
Arles: central square, church of the Dominicans, entrance to the Roman theatre
A beautiful cloister with incredibly rich sculptures that remind me of the cloister of Santo Domingo de Silos just outside Burgos, which I visited on the Camino Francès two years ago. Half of the cloister of St. Trophime is Romanesque, and the other half is Gothic. Then back to my lodging, and I pass the Roman theater and arena again. Left and right, you frequently see parts of other old Roman buildings that are incorporated into other houses. Arles is a maze of streets, as is the case in many old French towns. There are far too many people, too many restaurants, and too many shops, but it is high season, and tomorrow is August 15.
Cloister of St Trophime
Tonight, I’m having dinner again at Myriam Van Reeth’s since I booked half-board with her. So far, it’s one of the nicest places to stay. An old and therefore cool house, beautifully renovated with privacy in the part for two pilgrims, and in the evening, space to dine outside and have extensive discussions on many subjects. Her late husband worked for the Aga Khan. He bought companies for him and made them profitable again. Unfortunately, he died too early of lung cancer as a heavy smoker. It may not be family, but I definitely feel very much at home here.
This afternoon, Myriam was also kind enough to make an appointment with her doctor. My buttock isn’t infected, but it’s chafed from sitting on the saddle for so long, even with a special padded shorts. The doctor gave me antibiotics in case it gets infected. I also have to apply ointment and disinfect it. I feel much more at ease, and so does Magda. Now, I’m going for a short walk around the arena, then dinner, and early to bed. Tomorrow, I have a short ride, 40 km, but I want to take the time to visit the Romanesque church of St. Gilles. Tomorrow, I’ll be staying in a sort of pilgrim hostel. We’ll see; a new experience awaits me.
Arles: Beautiful capital in tye cloister of St Trophime
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