milestogoneedadvice

\We will start with an afternoon in Albi after driving from Figeac.

Option A: Tuesday afternoon and evening in Albi.
Wednesday all day in Albi
Thursday morning drive to Carcassonne, a brief walk around, then drive to St.
Remy. ( This is the only part of the trip that we are just driving to simply get to the
next stop. We had to make choices. Next time?!)

Option B: Tuesday afternoon and evening in Albi.
Wednesday in Albi. Michelin says it is about 2 hours to Carcassonne. We could
leave Albi in time to get to Carcassonne, check in and see the city at dusk, which I
understand is the prettiest time. Then spend the night in Carcassonne and start
the drive to St. Remy. This would give us a longer day to drive to St. Remy.

I know this part is jammed up, but please help me make the best of it. We had to
make choices.

Let's start here and get the best way to approach this leg of the journey!

StCirq

You don't need more than half a day in Albi, though it's a great place. Same for Carcassonne. Dusk is good in Carcassonne. There are lots and lots of small towns around there that are really interesting but it seems you won't have time for them on this trip, which is fine.

milestogoneedadvice

Perfect! Tuesday:
We will drive from Figeac to Albi. We will hope to see Pech Merle on the way and then come through Najac. Michelin times the drive for 3 hours and 20 minutes. That should get us to Albi to check in, walk around and explore, have dinner and check out Albi.

(Recognizing that even with plans you have to be flexible. It is possible that on one of our days in the Figeac area we may have time for Pech Merle. That would give us more time in Albi on this dive day. And I'm sure it will all be good regardless of how things play out!)

Wednesday:
We can have breakfast, walk around a bit in Albi or start to Carcassonne. I found an itinerary on the forum that sounded good.

Albi ----Gaillac---Graulhet---Puylaurens---Castelnaudary---Carcassonne
This is a 2 hour and 48 min. drive according to Michelin.

We could have a little morning time in Albi. Then drive to Carcassonne, arriving late afternoon. I think on arrival in Carcassonne, we could walk around, explore, have dinner and enjoy Carcassonne at dusk.

Actually, I have no idea if this will work. Comments on the drive or perhaps a better drive.

Thanks!

StCirq

It's a great drive, and one that's I've often recommended. But you should try to time it so you can have cassoulet for lunch in Castelnaudary. Revel's a nice little place as well. Just don't go to/through Mazamet whatever you do!

milestogoneedadvice

I have read some about the cassoulet, thanks for that suggestion! I've added Revel to the map itinerary.

Thursday:
We will depart Carcassonne this morning for the drive to St. Remy. I have read several ideas about this but I'm not sure how to view it. At first I thought this would be a great drive, skirting the coast, and just seeing more. But so far the routes have been described as hellish, nothing to see, and pretty much not good reviews.

So does it become find the fastest route and take it? Or is there a pleasant way to do this.

Once in St. Remy we will have 2 1/2 days in this area , yes, another area that needs more time. But we will do our best.

Arriving, Thursday afternoon.

In St. Remy Friday, Saturday, departing Sunday morning.

Sunday we will be driving to Nimes, It is only an hour drive, so we could include a stop along the way. ( I feel like I need to explain the jaunt to Nimes. We will drop our rental car there and take the TGV back to Paris. If we get there by late afternoon we can walk around, have dinner and enjoy an evening in Nimes!)

Can you help me get started on an itinerary for our stay in St. Remy? One thing we considered adding is a Wine tour. We really haven't included anything like that and thought it might be a nice way to see some of the area and taste French wines with a driver! I saw this somewhere, that gave me the idea.

This chapter of our adventure starts with the drive from Carcassonne, there appears to be different routes. I thought we would spend most of the day driving, but maybe not. We might could come through Les Baux , probably not enough time for Arles. Or even go up and see the Pont du Gard that day. Geez, I hate to say anything because I need direction (no pun intended) to get started.

Many thanks!

milestogoneedadvice

I haven't been able to log into the website since yesterday. Back on track.

I have been trying to find suggestions for a driving route from Carcassonne to St. Remy. We can leave from Carcassonne early on Thursday morning.

I read some ideas and then plugged them into the Michelin route planner. It says that this route is a 5 hour drive. Do you think that would be true for July?

Carcassonne
Narbonne
Grande Motte
Sete
Aigues Mortes
St. Remy

Is there a better route, or stops along the way that we should not miss?

We can literally make this an all day drive. Or would it make more sense to take the shortest and most direct route, If we did that we would have time to do something in the Arles/St. Remy area.

Michelin gives the best route at 2 hours and 45 minutes. It bypasses Sete and Aigues-Mortes.
This route would give us 1/2 in the Arles area.

StCirq

Michelin times are optimistic for July. I wouldn't miss Aigues-Mortes, but you're going to want to stop and look around for a bit. I could skip Sète and especially Grande Motte. There are loads of things along the way that you are missing, but you've planned a rushed trip, so that's going to happen. You have to take what you can.

milestogoneedadvice

So, if we take the whole day for the drive.....Do you think Aigues- Mortes is the only place we will have time to stop?

Bypassing Sete, only listing Aigues-Mortes as a stop, Michelin says 3 hours and 18 minutes (probably more as you said.)

Maybe we could have one more walk around stop? We could list the idea for a stop in our itinerary and if time, stop. If traffic or circumstances make the drive longer we would just continue on to Aigues-Mortes.

StCirq

Well, if it were me I'd be stopping for a swim at Bouzigues followed by a plateful of bulots or mussels at a seaside shack. But you could also do that in Sète.

milestogoneedadvice

Are you kidding? Mercy that sounds fabulous. If we have to leave extra early or get there extra late, I see that stop in our future. I actually had looked up Bouzigues in some of my research and have read a little. That is perfect. Will you please share where exactly that special stop would be? Or you can direct me some place to read and learn more. I'm putting it in the MIchelin itinerary right now.

I have to confess to you. I had to look up the word bulots. And in any language they are yummy! Thank you for yet another lesson.

Neither of us speak French. I have been trying to learn a little. I would love to be able to speak and understand at least a few phrases. Duolingo, has been teaching me some basics. I'm sure I will be so excited and nervous I won't remember a thing. It is a beautiful language, I should have started many years ago!

Thank you again!

StCirq

Any place along the Avenue Louis Tudesq is bound to be good. I like to eat on or near the beach at the inexpensive places, but you'll have more choices than you can imagine, and all the shellfish is outstanding. Just head for the beach!

milestogoneedadvice

Are you kidding? Mercy that sounds fabulous. If we have to leave extra early or get there extra late, I see that stop in our future. I actually had looked up Bouzigues in some of my research and have read a little. That is perfect. Will you please share where exactly that special stop would be? Or you can direct me some place to read and learn more. I'm putting it in the MIchelin itinerary right now.

I have to confess to you. I had to look up the word bulots. And in any language they are yummy! Thank you for yet another lesson.

Neither of us speak French. I have been trying to learn a little. I would love to be able to speak and understand at least a few phrases. Duolingo, has been teaching me some basics. I'm sure I will be so excited and nervous I won't remember a thing. It is a beautiful language, I should have started many years ago!

Thank you again!

milestogoneedadvice

Only because of the incredible Fodorites we have now devised a plan bringing us to Provence! We will arrive in Saint Remy on a Thursday evening. After a long beautiful drive we should arrive in St. Remy, check in, find a nice place for a glass of wine and dinner..... a day in France! oh my!

We will have 3 full days basing from St. Remy. Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Monday we will drive to Nimes where we will drop our rental car and take the TGV to Paris.
On the Monday drive to Nimes possibly we could take the morning to stop at Les Baux, spend the morning and have a picnic lunch.

That leaves Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for exploring. The market in Apt on Saturday morning is listed as the place to be, as iIsle-sur-la-Sorgue on Sunday. I think we could take a day for driving through part of the Luberon villages. Maybe one day would include Pont du Gard and Arles. I will continue to read, looking at just enjoying the area around us, and trying not to do too much, and not miss anything. oops, that's not possible!

We are on the edge of the end of lavender and too early for the festival in Sault. But there is a lavender festival in Digne, probably a stretch as it is about 2 1/2 hours from St. Remy.

StCirq

If it interests you and you have time, you might want to make a stop here for some treats: http://www.moulin-cornille.com/v2/index.html

I knew them when they were just starting out with a bunch of trees and a shack where they sold oil; last year (and maybe the year before they won the Médaille d'Or for French olive oil). And the owners are delightful!

milestogoneedadvice

That is wonderful Beyond a doubt another experience for us. I love to cook. i have come to appreciate the lovely olive oils and what their simplicity or is it their complexity brings to food. We were recently in a nice olive oil shop in St. Augustine, Florida. We had so much fun tasting. As we talked to the owner she shared recipes, where basically the olive oils and balsamics simply enhanced everything. What a treat now it will be, to see where they start!

Do you have any suggestions of a stop to swim or where to eat in Bouzigues? I read some more about it last night.

We will have 3 full days basing from St. Remy. Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Monday we will drive to Nimes where we will drop our rental car and take the TGV to Paris.
On the Monday drive to Nimes possibly we could take the morning to stop at Les Baux, spend the morning and have a picnic lunch.

That leaves Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for exploring. The market in Apt on Saturday morning is listed as the place to be, as iIsle-sur-la-Sorgue on Sunday. I think we could take a day for driving through part of the Luberon villages. Maybe one day would include Pont du Gard and Arles. I will continue to read, looking at just enjoying the area around us, and trying not to do too much, and not miss anything. oops, that's not possible!

We are on the edge of the end of lavender and too early for the festival in Sault. But there is a lavender festival in Digne, probably a stretch as it is about 2 1/2 hours from St. Remy.

StCirq

I have never been to Apt for the market, so can't comment on that. As for Bouzigues, it's a tiny place, so just head down the main street to the beach, look around, and figure out where you'd most like to swim. You can't get lost or turned around.

As I said, look at menus at the many places along the Avenue Louis Tudesq and pick one that looks appealing, or buy from a shack on the beach. No need at all to plan ahead.

Try to include Uz`es in your Pont-du-Gard/Arles day. Lovely town.

milestogoneedadvice

Would this work?

I'm reading that Sunday is not a good day to go through the Luberon.

Friday:
St. Remy to Gordes - Roussillon - (that area, not sure on stops or specifics), but spend the morning have lunch in the area, then to Avignon (Michelin says about 90 min. from Roussillon). Spend the afternoon in Avignon (dinner)? and back to St. Remy.

Saturday:
Start early at Pont du Gard (spend the morning and lunch? or lunch at Uzes?), up to Uzes for while and end the day in Arles.

Sunday:
Market at Isle -Sur- Sorgue I think we are missing the lavender, although harvest varies. This will be the first week of August. Should we drive to Sault? If so, this would be a good day. If not we could have more time in Arles. Or perhaps there is something else we should see in the area??

Monday:
We will go to Les Baux, spend the morning on our way to Nimes. We would stop for the olive oil tasting on our way to Nimes. They are open on Sunday, but only have tours on Tuesday and Thursday.