Expedition Details
Step into a Provençal tableau of sculpted hills, Roman ruins, and vibrant towns that once inspired Vincent van Gogh. A small city on the banks of the Rhône, Arles is home to the celebrated Rencontres photo festival — and our home for six nights. From your base at the elegant Hôtel d'Arlatan, explore the lovely grounds of Clinique de St. Paul and the adjacent Roman archaeological site of Glanum. On visits to Saint-Rémy, Les Baux, Fontvieille, the Camargue, and Nîmes, capture ancient architecture, lively cafés, outdoor markets, and gardens bursting with color. Photography talks and daily critiques round out this adventure. The workshop includes four specially arranged dinners featuring fine French cuisine, one group lunch, and all breakfasts.
This is the planned itinerary; however, the schedule is flexible to allow for spontaneous photographic opportunities.
Itinerary - 7 Days
Day 1 — Arles, France
Upon arrival in Arles, settle into the elegant Hotel d'Arlatan, our home for the next six nights. This evening, gather for a welcome poolside reception and dinner with your instructors.
Hotel d'Arlatan (D)
Day 2 — Arles
After breakfast, attend a lecture on photographic technique by our National Geographic instructor before leaving for Arles' colorful outdoor market, where a myriad of photo opportunities awaits. Capture images of the market, the Roman ruins, locals playing boules, and possibly even a wedding. Pick-up lunch as you wander the market before returning to the hotel for an afternoon critique.
(B)
Day 3 — Abbey du Montmajour and Les Baux
After morning presentations and a critique of the previous day's images, travel to Fontvieille for lunch at the famous La Regalido. Following lunch, wind through a typically Provençal landscape of olive groves and vineyards before stopping in at the Abbey du Montmajour—the location for the film "The Lion in Winter." Our afternoon journey to Les Baux takes us through the spectacular rocky landscape of the Alpilles and includes a stop at Caves du Sarragan and a lovely view of Les Baux. Arrive in Les Baux in time for the magical early evening light and visit the old village above the town. Return to photograph the twilight in Arles and have dinner on your own.
(B,L)
Day 4 — Avignon
Spend the morning in a critique and instruction session and then enjoy lunch on your own in Arles. Set out for Avignon, famous for its Palace of the Popes and lovely gardens. We'll spend the late afternoon people watching and photographing along the Place de l'Horloge. Enjoy dinner tonight at Bistrot du Paradou.
(B,D)
Day 5 — Arles
Join your instructors for a full morning session. Then explore Arles on your own, photographing street life and architectural details as you follow the footsteps of Van Gogh. Gather for a mid-afternoon critique and lecture before dinner together in Arles.
(B,D)
Day 6 — St. Remy
This morning depart for St. Rémy and the nearby Clinique de St Paul where Van Gogh resided and where he painted "Starry Night" as well as other famous works. Wander through the gardens and olive groves that appeared often in his later paintings. Then visit the Roman archeological site of Glanum, located just across the road. Mid morning visit St Remy, a charming village with cobblestone streets and ivy-covered stone buildings. Take advantage of time at leisure to explore the town, wander the colorful Wednesday market and enjoy lunch on your own. We'll return to Arles for an afternoon critique. This evening, celebrate our Provençal photo workshop with a festive farewell dinner and our "Best of the Week" image presentation.
(B,D)
Day 7 — Arles
After breakfast, gather for a final recap of the week with your instructors. The workshop ends by noon.
(B)
For questions on this workshop, please call 1-866-797-4686.
Related Trips
National Geographic Expert
Catherine Karnow
Born and raised in Hong Kong, photographer Catherine Karnow has photographed everything from Australian Aborigines and Bombay film stars to the victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam. She shot the cover story "Inside Provence" for National Geographic Traveler's April 2006 issue and captured rare images of Prince Charles for her May 2006 National Geographic magazine feature, "Not Your Typical Radical." Catherine's film Brooklyn Bridge premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in 1984.
Catherine will join the following departure:
Oct 09 - 15, 2009Expedition Dates 
Expedition Costs
What To Expect
All workshops are geared toward amateur and serious digital photographers, and include an overview of downloading, archiving, sizing, and adjusting your images on the computer. All workshop participants must bring a digital SLR camera, a laptop computer, and software for organizing and presenting images. Each workshop is limited to 25 participants.
