Carrières de Lumiéres — Attraction in Arles

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Carrières des Lumières near Les Baux de Provence, and I must say it was an incredible experience. This unique art exhibition takes place in an old quarry, where stunning visual projections bring famous artworks to life on the cavernous walls.

The moment I stepped into Carrières des Lumières, I was immediately captivated by the immersive atmosphere. The combination of mesmerizing music, dynamic lighting, and larger-than-life artwork created a truly magical ambiance. It felt like I was stepping into the paintings themselves, surrounded by colors, shapes, and emotions.

The selection of artwork showcased at Carrières des Lumières is diverse and thoughtfully curated. From the works of Van Gogh to Monet, from Picasso to Dali, there is a wide range of artists and artistic movements represented. Each exhibition tells a unique story, allowing visitors to explore and appreciate the beauty and significance of each piece.

What impressed me the most was the seamless integration of technology and art. The high-definition projections and synchronized sound effects added an extra layer of depth and immersion to the experience. It was truly awe-inspiring to witness the art come to life in such a dynamic and engaging way.

The staff at Carrières des Lumières were friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about the exhibitions. They were always available to answer questions and provide additional insights, enhancing my understanding and appreciation of the artwork.

I highly recommend visiting Carrières des Lumières to anyone who appreciates art, history, and innovation. It is a truly unique and unforgettable experience that will leave you inspired and in awe. Whether you are an art enthusiast or simply looking for an extraordinary cultural experience, Carrières des Lumières is a must-visit destination near Les Baux...

Carrieres des lumieres is a spectacular technical achievement. In an enormous old high-ceilinged quarry, high-tech cameras project images on the 50 to 60 foot tall walls, floor, ceiling and columns of the quarry while immersive sound is played into the space.

The current offering in April 2023 was the artists Van Gogh and Vermeer with an additional look at Mondrian and glimpses of Rembrandt and other Dutch artists of his time. A movie featuring the artistic life of Jean Cocteau, played in a separate space in the quarry.

Why only 4 stars? First, the projected images are almost constantly in motion. Different images with parts of recognizable artistic works appear on adjacent and opposite walls and columns. Images portraying a portion of a specific work tend to be short in length. I found this distracting. I would have preferred a larger number of longer interludes with a single, immobile image -- not an entire painting or a museum visit but less hyper. Second, the art is without context.

In all, the experience is one of a certain admirable technical mastery and more about that than it is the art. In fairness to Carrieres de Lumieres, they don't represent anything different. The experience is totally immersive.

Parking at the site is very limited compared with the numbers of people arriving in private autos, about the only way to get to the site. There is a great deal of additional parking nearby the site and even more some substantial walking distance away from the site. Walking to the entrance requires traversing some steep uphill pitches but there were plenty of strollers about and the site is...

Very disappointed in our latest visit! We have been coming here for over 20 years and it has been by far one of my favorite activities ever. This summer they are running two different shows, not back to back like they’d done in the past. As regular customers we don’t read the fine print on the site before coming because we know what to expect, but this time we had to wait an hour to get in to watch the show we did not come for. In the past you walk in anytime and are immersed in the amazing setting, in the dark with beautiful art all around you. It’s such a pleasure to bring people for the first time and see the wonder on their faces when they discover where they are. This time we had to wait an hour for the start of the second show, something ridiculous especially since their cafe and bathroom are beyond the experience so nowhere for old folks to sit or anyone to use the bathroom, and when we finally got in it was all lit up and the show hadn’t started! It totally ruins the charm and atmosphere. They need to please return to the old format because this was a terrible experience and would have been really disappointing had we brought someone to surprise them with this like we sometimes do. As I said this is my favorite activity and I have loved this my whole life so I really hope they can return to the better system of being able to walk in anytime and run their shows back to back on a loop without stopping. I’m giving two stars instead of one because it has been a five star experience all my life and I’m hoping they fix the error they are making, because it was a huge let down...