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Van Gogh’s Arles sketching route: the bridge, the café and the abbey

The Langlois Bridge, the café terrace on the Place du Forum and the rocks by Montmajour Abbey: three places in Arles drawn in 1888

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The Langlois Bridge, Vincent van Gogh1 · The Langlois BridgeCafé Terrace, Arles, Vincent van Gogh2 · Café Terrace, ArlesRocks at Montmajour, Vincent van Gogh3 · Rocks at Montmajour
The Langlois Bridge, Vincent van Gogh, March 1888
The Langlois Bridge
1

The Langlois Bridge

Vincent van Gogh · March 1888 · Canal near Arles

The drawbridge on the canal near Arles, to which Van Gogh returned in the spring of 1888.

Try thisDraw the long horizontal of the bank first, then the bridge on top of it.

Public domain · Source · More about this sketch

Café Terrace, Arles, Vincent van Gogh, September 1888
Café Terrace, Arles
2

Café Terrace, Arles

Vincent van Gogh · September 1888 · Place du Forum, Arles

Place du Forum in reed pen: the same subject as the night painting of 1888.

Try thisPick one table or lamp near you and draw it small. Then add the street behind it.

Public domain · Source · More about this sketch

Rocks at Montmajour, Vincent van Gogh, July 1888
Rocks at Montmajour
3

Rocks at Montmajour

Vincent van Gogh · July 1888 · Montmajour Abbey, Arles

A pine on limestone near Montmajour Abbey, where Van Gogh drew in the summer of 1888.

Try thisRocks are easier than buildings: draw the big light and dark shapes first, details last.

Public domain · Source · More about this sketch

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Arles route at a glance

StopWorkArtistDateCoordinates
1The Langlois BridgeVincent van GoghMarch 188843.6535, 4.6190
2Café Terrace, ArlesVincent van GoghSeptember 188843.6783, 4.6280
3Rocks at MontmajourVincent van GoghJuly 188843.7085, 4.6637

On the map of places: Arles and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France. Artists on this route: Vincent van Gogh.

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Questions about the Arles route

Where does the Arles sketching route start and end?

It starts at “The Langlois Bridge” and ends at “Rocks at Montmajour”: 3 stops, about 7.3 km apart measured in straight lines. Streets and paths wind, so the real walk is longer, and you will want time to sit and draw at each stop.

Who drew the sketches on the Arles route?

The sketches are by Vincent van Gogh, made in 1888. Each one is shown on the map at the place where it was drawn, with its source and licence.

Is there an app for following a sketching route?

Yes. SketchMap Atlas is a free app for Android and the web where every sketch is pinned to the place and date it was made. Open this route in SketchMap Atlas to see all 3 stops on a map, then add your own sketch next to them.

Can I build my own sketching route in SketchMap Atlas?

Yes. In SketchMap Atlas you pick two to ten sketches on the map, put them in order, name the route and share it as a link.

Do I need an account to follow the route?

No. You can open any SketchMap Atlas route and look at every sketch without signing up. You need an account only to publish your own work.

Updated 28 October 2026