Philip

My wife and I plus another couple are heading to France next year. We use frequent flyer miles (and want to get our first choice of hotels) so we make reservations early. We usually stay at 3/4 star "country unique inns". We are foodies and appreciate fine (and house for that matter) wines. Enjoy scenery, antiques, markets, castles, history, etc. The other wife is an acclaimed artist. She will take 500-1000 photographs during the trip. With this brief background, would appreciate your thoughts about:

Currently thinking:
a. Three nights Riviera after landing Nice from USA.
b. Visit Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo (Eze area?).
c. One night Aix and stay Hotel Le Pigonnet.
d. Drive to Isle Sur La Sorgue on a Sunday for the market.
e. Continue to St. Remy and stay Chateau des Alpilles.
f. Four nights St. Remy
g. Visit Avignon, Pont du Gard, Les Baux, Gordes, Chateauneuf du Pape.
h. Market Wednesday in St. Remy
I. Don't really have list of "must eat" restaurants (Alain Assaud in St. Remy)
J. Avignon TGV train to Paris.
K. Three nights Paris and stay at the Hotel Relais Bosquet.
L. 11 nights totall actually in country plus travel days. Return to USA from CDG.


1. July v. October. Lavender blooming in July. I generally prefer early Oct. for so many obvious reasons. Is the Lavender bloom spectacular?
2. Prefer to not rent car until ready to depart the Riviera for Provence.
3. Use public transportation/taxi to visit Nice, Cannes and Monte Carlo.
4. Generally, where am I weak on itinerary, hotels, etc.
5. Restaurant suggestions?

Thanks.

Christina

I think it's basically okay. I personally would not visit Monte Carlo and Cannes and Eze during your 3 day Nice stay. If you must go to one, okay, but that is immediately upon arrival so I suspect you may be a bit out of it and that leaves you doing nothing but traveling around to see other places your first 3 days. Nice is quite a nice city on its own, surely you could spend some time there? Do you actually have zero interest in Nice itself?

rest seems okay. I'd spend more than 1 night in Aix myself, but whatever....

Christina

oh, as for the lavender ... well, sure, it is nice to see in a region known for it, but I wouldn't change my vacation based on seeing one particular plant if you really want to go in October. It won't be as hot in October, so that's one plus, and should be fewer tourists.

DebitNM

We did Sept/October last year in Provence and Paris. We thought the weather was perfect. While we didn't see the lavender in bloom, we thought the trade off for cooler temps and less traffic and crowds was well worth it.

I too would pass on Monte Carlo.

Here is a trip report I did, it is 90% done. Once of these days...

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ugh-france.cfm

Underhill

Lavender in Provence generally blooms from late June through early to mid-August, when it is harvested. So in October, nope.

Skip Monte Carlo and Cannes; instead, visit Antibes and Vence, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, possibly Biot. Allow at least a full day for Nice a magical city.

kismetchimera

Nice is all right.. I went there many times.

Monaco, Montecarlo would be perfect for a day trip..Is pretty close to Nice and you can take the train..

Also Pont du Gard is very close to both Uzes and Nimes.. it would be a shame to miss these historics places.Uzes, is a very old medieval city,lots of history also the outdoor market is big and is a lots of fun.

Nimes is a very old well preserved Ancient Roman city...and is very close to Pont du Gard..
I would ski Aix

Have fun and enjoy La Provence and le Gard region.

September is actually the best time to go South of France.

I will be also in Avignon during that month to visit my favourite French cousin that lives there.

kismetchimera

Sorry..I was going to delete....I would skip Aix en Provence...

Gretchen

Count me in on Xing Aix. And MOnte Carlo. Not very long in Paris? Been there?

Philip

Thanks for quick responses.

Gretchen ~ I agree not very long in Paris. We have visited Paris several times including as late as last October (visiting Niece).

We will talk about advantages of going Sept/Oct period with the other couple. I like y'all's logic above.

Really have not seen Nice. I think may do as y'all suggested and minimize the multiple cities along Riviera and pick say one other.

Thanks for challenge ~ will start research on Antibes, et. al.

LynFrance

Interesting how differently people see things!

My husband and I have vacationed in France for more than 50 years, and have spent extended periods of time on the Riviera and in Provence during every month except August and March.
In our opinion, mid June to mid-July is far and away the best time to be in that area for the following reasons:
The lavender fields and sunflower fields are in bloom . As an artist and photographer myself,
I can tell you that driving through the lavender fields of Provence is not simply "seeing a plant",
and if you have never seen it, how would you know that it is worth the trade off for "cool temps".
These fields of flowers in bloom are one of the things that, over the years,have attracted so
many of the worlds great artists to this area! I don't think you will see anything like this anywhere
else. We never have.
By October most of the greenery in the area is dried out and burned up ...not a particularly appealing thing to photograph or paint.
As "foodies", you would particularly appreciate the fruit that becomes available in July.
It's fruit that is grown for taste rather than shelf life. Fruit the likes of which we don't have anymore, at least not here in Connecticut.

You will probably be driving a car with AC and staying in hotels with AC, so why give up this visual feast for cooler temps? This year,in fact, we had to put the heat on at night in Provence in early July.
I would give up Aix too. You will really only have two days of sightseeing on the Riviera, since you won't be doing much the day you land. It's really not enough time,which is kind of a shame since I expect that your artist friend might really enjoy Antibes and the Picasso museum and the Maeght Museum in St. Paul de Vence. Just two of the many, many art related activities in the area.

Also, unlike many people on this board, I have always found Monaco entertaining for a day, as did my kids.

Anyway,whenever you go,it will be great!