margot55

HELP!!! Following our 6 days in which we'll anchored in Nice, we will be staying in Arles for the final 3.5 day leg of our trip (total trip goes from 9/23-10/3). After looking at both Michelin's Green Guide and Fodors Guide, I think I am probably trying to cram in too much, but thought I'd put it out there to you fine Fodorites anyhow...

Specifically, we will be in Arles from Thurs. late afternoon 9/29 until we head back to Nice to catch our plane on Mon., 10/3. In that space of time, I'd like us to be able to take in Arles, Les Baux, St. Remy, Avignon, Isle sur la Sorgue, and the Luberon (to include Gordes, Bonnieux and Rousselon, among others). Naturally, we would want to be at Isle sur la Sorgue on Sunday for the market. First question - if we get there early, walk around and then stay for lunch, is there any other do-able destination of interest that we could fit in and do justice to for the rest of the day? Would exploring the Luberon require an entire day? Is it unrealistic for us to also consider adding Nimes and Pont du Gordes to the 3.5 day itinerary? If so, what do you think could/should be sacrificed to make it a more realistic but enjoyable and rewarding itinerary? (I know, I know...as Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say, "for a girl from New Jersey, you sure ask a lotta questions!" )

I really do appreciate your help1 (I will probably have a separate post for the Cote d'Azur part of the trip...)

Judy

I would think you could see Avignon on Sunday afternoon. That would leave a day for Arles, Les Baux & St. Remy and a day for either the Luberon or Pont du Gard & Nimes.
I don't think you have enough time to see everything you'd like to see. You'll just have to make a second trip...then a third, fourth...

StuDudley

The Sunday market (get there by 9, at the very latest) and then exploring the Luberon would be a wonderful Sunday - we've done it several times. Most shops will be open in Gordes, and many in Roussillon also. Fewer, if any, in Bonnieux. Visit Saignon, Oppede-le Vieux, Menerbes, and Goult also. However, make sur you don't just village hop - the countryside there is fantastic (skip Fontaine de Vaucluse on Sunday).

Since you are staying in Arles, you really don't need to allocate any time to visit it - you'll see all you want to see in the morning before you head out on trips, and in the evening when you return - in fact, you will probably finish with it on Thursday. Actually, I would recommend that you visit Les Baux on Thursday late afternoon. It gets quite crowded mid-day, but in the late afternoon it is very pleasent and the views are actually better then.

On Friday, I would suggest that you head out early and visit Uzes, and the Pont du Gard. If you enjoy leisurly lunches, have lunch in Uzes in the main square (can't do this on Sat - which is market day). If you want to see as much stuff as possible in your short 3 days, I would visit Uzes first - getting there at 9:30. Then head to the Pont around noon, have lunch at the cafeteria style place there, explore the very interesting museum, and then go visit the Pont. If you have time left in the day (which you probably will), stop in Avignon on the way back if it's before 3:30 or so. If it's after 3:30, visit St Remy instead of Avignon.

On Saturday, visit St Remy or Avignon (whichever you didn't see yesterday), and then head out towards Vaison and tour the Dentelles. See the Michelin Green Guide for a driving itinerary. I actually prefer this area over the Alpilles.

Somewhere in this schedule, try to fit in a drive from Les Baux to Maussane, then east & north to Eygalieres (explore), then back to St Remy.

I would skip Nimes - very similar to Avignon & Arles & getting into town is a little difficult (so is Avignon).

Stu Dudley

margot55

Judy and Stu - you've both been very helpful already! This is putting my mind at ease and it's good to know that Nimes is "skippable" and that Arles can be seen in our daily in and out excursions. Stu, I particularly appreciate your detailed itinerary suggestions! BTW - could you e-mail me that "lavender route" I've seen described on this board???

Any must-do restaurants that go along with your suggestions? Merci!

margot55

Anyone else?

StuDudley

>>Anyone else?<<

Try posting or topping on Monday - when everyone is back at work and has time to answer travel questions!!!

Stu Dudley

margot55

Thanks Stu -will do!

margot55

OK - it's Monday, so...TTT!

Thanks,
Margot

Bigal

That Nimes ïs accepted by you as "skipable" also would mean the same for Pont du Garde since one almost goes with the other in proximity.

Diz01

Our favourite way of spending Sunday is to go Iles sur la Sorgue market (do get their early) and shop for a picnic which we take by the river at Fontaine de Vacluese on the way into the village. The rest of it is very touristy but that is a nice setting and its enjoyable shopping for food on the market.

You could easily spend all your time in the Luberon if you chose. It may be better to limit yourself to 2 or 3 villages so you can explore them without getting sensory overload.

Underhill

Pont du Gard, oui; Nîmes, non, especially if the weather is not, when the city is very dusty.

Underhill

Re Isle sur la Sorgue: good pre-reading is Peter Mayle's novel "Hôtel Pastis."

Christina

I agree with most of what Stu says, but not all. I do think that one day for Isle sur la Sorgue and the Luberon is a nice idea.

I do not agree that you can see everything about Arles just by driving in and out every day. It seems like you have a fondness for Roman ruins by some of your detinations, and it takes a while to see those properly in Arles. I loved their museum (founded by Mistral, I think) for Arles' folklore, artifacts, costumes, etc. You can't see all those things just by driving in and out every day.

I agree you can skip Nimes, but I would also skip the Pont du Gard if I were really pressed for time. I found Les Baux much more interesting and pleasant to visit (I was there in June in the morning and it wasn't that crowded, either). Uzes is nice enough, but nothing so special that you have to make a point of going there since you will be in lots of other small towns, anyway. I'd rather spend a full day in Avignon than a day in Uzes and Pont du Gard, for example.

donco

Topping so I can add to my Provence info. Is that an ok thing to do-I'm somewhat new.

margot55

Works for me, donco!

chicagolori

I was at the Pont Du Gard in May and it was undergoing some maintenance/renovation. There was a huge crane in the middle and it was all blocked off - meaning you were unable to cross from one side to the other.

You might want to check if the work is still underway. I preferred other areas over Pont Du Gard as well - more of the luberon towns, Les Baux, St Remy, and the like.

Good luck.

margot55

Thanks, Fodorites - although I still have some work to do on this part of our itinerary, I do know that on Sunday, 10/2 we will go to Isle sur la Sorgue and do the Luberon towns of Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, and possibly Menerbes. I do have a question re: dinner that day - ideally, we would like to have dinner at Le Fournil in Bonnieux, but is this unrealistic in terms of getting back safely to Arles, where we are staying, as I hear that the nighttime driving can be a challenge?

Also, please continue to offer suggestions on the Friday and Saturday itineraries, keeping in mind that we would like to dine at L'Ousteau de la Baumiere in Les Baux and Lou Marques in Arles...and, where exactly is La Chassagnette, which I've seen so many rave about? Is that an appropriate dinner spot as well?

The above named restaurants are not set in stone, so I'm still open to suggestions for both itineraries and restaurants! Thanks!!!

StuDudley

>>Le Fournil in Bonnieux, but is this unrealistic in terms of getting back safely to Arles, where we are staying, as I hear that the nighttime driving can be a challenge?<<

That's much too far for me to drive. Getting out of Bonniwux can be a little difficult, and driving through Carpentras isn't that hard, but not that pleasent. I don't know what mappy or viamichelin says, but I' guessing it's a 1 1/2 hr drive at night with 10 mins added because you took the wrong exit out of Bonnieux.

Although I'm not a big fan of la Fournil, it seems like it would be better on Sunday afternoon for you. You will have a better chance of dining outside, and I think it's a more enjoyable setting than anyplace you will find in l'Isle sur la Sorgue. Usually, by 11:00, I'm read to leave l'Isle sur la Sorgue anyway - unless my wife wants to do some serious antique shopping - in which case I'm ready to leave by 9:30.

In the 5 weeks we've vacationed in the Luberon, I've seen about 3 accidents on the N100 that were probably injury accidents.

Stu Dudley

rlbplf

We just returned from a visit to Provence where we went to the markets in Arles and Isle sur la Sorque. It seemed to us that the same vendors were present in both markets but because of the smallness of Isle sur la Sorque vs. Arles, it seemed much more crowded. Has anyone else observed this? If so, maybe you could do the market in Arles and skip the one in Isle sur la Sorque. I can't remember the day we went to the Arles market but someone can help with this info. We really didn't care much for Arles, but preferred the smaller villages such as Les Baux, Gordes and some others. This was our second trip to the area and this time used St. Remy as our base. Nice town as well.

JackOneill

My random thoughts:
1) it takes longer to drive up to Gordes than it does to "see" the town.
2) Les Baux is very nice, but is quite touristy.
3) St Remy is the nicest town I have ever been to in France.