125 Years of Inspiration

Vincent Van Gogh

This July 29th marks the 125th anniversary of the death of Vincent Van Gogh, one of the

greatest Post-Impressionism artists of all time. To commemorate his timeless paintings,

this year the Van Gogh Europe Foundation is organizing many activities at museums and

heritage sites worldwide under the theme of “125 Years of Inspiration.” Join the

celebration by visiting places in France where Van Gogh traveled and worked with a

relaxing river cruise from AmaWaterways.

Introduction

In the late 1880s, Vincent Van

Gogh lived in Arles, France,

and became inspired by the

light and colors of Provence.

Less than thirty minutes from

Arles, your AmaWaterways

cruise includes an excursion to

the sunny village of Les Baux.

The region features excellent

Mediterranean sightseeing,

including olive groves and

vineyards, and just inside the

entrance to the village,

tourists can enjoy narrow

cobblestone streets complete

with terrace cafés and

souvenir shops.

Provence & Spain: Les Baux

On the “Impressionist Experience”

tour offered by AmaWaterways,

visitors will explore the Saint Paul

de Mausole Asylum, where Van

Gogh once lived and painted his

famous works The Irises and The

Starry Night.

After, you’ll continue to celebrate

Van Gogh’s life and the

significance of Arles in art history

by visiting the Carrieres de

Lumieres, a stone quarry that

projects European artwork on its

walls, including many of Van

Gogh’s well-known paintings.

As part of the excursion, you’ll

also enjoy a city walking tour to

the Romanesque cathedral and

the Roman Amphitheater.

Provence & Spain: Impressionist Experience Tour

As a self-admitted patient at

the Saint Paul de Mausole

Asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-

Provence, Van Gogh carried out

over 140 oil paintings and more

than 100 drawings in the span

of just a little over a year.

During his stay at the asylum

(since renamed Clinique Van

Gogh), he made several

paintings of the asylum gardens

as well as the enclosed wheat

field that he could see from his

room, and also completed a

few portraits of other patients.

Learn more about Van Gogh’s

life and death with a stopover

at this landmark during your

walking tour of Arles.

Provence & Spain: Saint Paul de Mausole Asylum

Also known as “the village of Van Gogh,” Auvers-sur-Oise is a commune located in the

suburbs of Paris. The village is home to Auberge Ravoux, the inn where Van Gogh spent his

final days. During your Paris & Normandy cruise from AmaWaterways, you’ll disembark in

Conflans and find yourself within the scenes of many of Van Gogh’s famous paintings on an

"Artists Walk" tour through the village’s gardens and streets.

Paris & Normandy: Auvers-sur-Oise

Located in the heart of Auvers-

sur-Oise, Auberge Ravoux was

once a popular destination for

artists during the late-

nineteenth century.

The inn housed important

painters such as Daubigny and

Cézanne, and was the site of

Van Gogh’s tragic death in 1890.

Today, Auberge Ravoux is a

popular tourist destination for

fans of the artist. Visitors can

tour Van Gogh's room, which has

been restored to its original

condition, or enjoy a meal

inspired by nineteenth-century

regional cuisine in the inn’s

dining room.

Paris & Normandy: Auberge Ravoux

Before his death in 1890, Van Gogh traveled

to Auvers-sur-Oise to be in the care of Doctor

Paul Ferdinand Gachet. The doctor’s charming

home, the Maison du Docteur Gachet, is now

an educational museum open to the public.

On your visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, be sure to

see the house and beautiful gardens, which

are featured in several of Van Gogh’s works.

Paris & Normandy: Maison du Docteur Gachet

On your last stopover in

Paris, your AmaWaterways

itinerary will take you to

the Musée d'Orsay. Once a

grandiose train station, the

Musée d'Orsay now draws

impressive crowds as one of

Paris’ most popular

museums. Their permanent

collection is perfect for the

last stop of your “125 Years

of Inspiration” celebration,

as the museum boasts 25

paintings by Van Gogh,

including Starry Night Over

the Rhone, Vincent’s

Bedroom in Arles, Self-

Portrait, and The Church at

Auvers—just to name a few.

Paris & Normandy: Musée d’Orsay

AmaWaterways is a river cruise line offering vacations on the waterways of Europe,

Asia, and Africa. The company was founded in 2002 and is one of river cruising’s

pioneers, having introduced the modern-day river cruise concept to the market. For

more information about river cruises in France, Spain, and beyond, call 1-800-626-0126

or visit http://www.amawaterways.com/.

About AmaWaterways

Slide 8:

Doctor Gachet’s Garden in Auvers by Vincent van Gogh [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Marguerite Gachet in the Garden by Vincent van Gogh [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Image Attributions