Merindol near Avignon.
Jun 2nd, 2005, 01:22 AM
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Merindol near Avignon.
Hi, will be staying last week of June in Merindol with husband and two teenage girls. My reading on the area has overwhelmed with choices and I would like to ask for advice on the "must sees" please. We arrive Sunday am and leave Saturday, is there a particular "not to be missed market" we should plan for? The girls are very into shopping on a budget for jewellery, clothes knick knacks etc.Is it feasible to drive to the coast and if so, Nice, Monte Carlo etc or are there smaller less populated equally beautiful spots?
Has anyone been horse riding in this area?
Does anyone know Merindol? BTW we also plan some "drinking local wine, relaxing by the pool" time!
Thanks.
Has anyone been horse riding in this area?
Does anyone know Merindol? BTW we also plan some "drinking local wine, relaxing by the pool" time!
Thanks.
Jun 2nd, 2005, 05:49 AM
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ozgirl, I had to look Mérindol up on the map, and I thought I knew the area reasonably well. (For anyone else wondering, the town is on the Durance, between Cadenet and Cavaillon.)
Here are a few ideas for you:
- You can easily make day trips into the Luberon area. Just drive east to Cadenet, then north on D943. That road takes you to Lourmarin (a pretty village with a several artists' shops), and then through a deep gorge towards Bonnieux. At that point, the entire Luberon valley is at your feet. In addition to Bonnieux itself, take a look at Lacoste, Goult, Roussilon, and Gordes. All are pretty perched villages.
- The Abbaye de Sénanque is just outside Gordes. It is an excellent example of Cistercian architecture, beautifully nestled in a deep valley. There are guided tours (in French only, if I recollect properly) every hour or so.
- Mérindol is very close to another Cistercian abby at Silvacane. There are no guided tours there; you can happily wander around.
- You are also within a reasonable drive of les Alpilles, a striking chain of hills southeast of Cavaillon, les Baux-de-Provence, and St-Rémy-de-Provence. All three are well worth the trip. Les Baux gets very crowded during the day; you might plan your expedition so that you arrrive in the late afternoon. It will be a bit cooler, and you'll find parking easier.
- There is a very good market in St-Rémy, but I can't remember what day it is. I hope someone else will fill that in. Markets were a big magnet for our daughter when she was 15.
I hope someone else will chime in on the idea of an excursion to the Côte d'Azur. It's feasible, but it strikes me that you'd spend a lot of time in the car.
Riding ... possibly in the Camargue, which is also within a reasonable drive of where you'll be staying.
Anselm
Here are a few ideas for you:
- You can easily make day trips into the Luberon area. Just drive east to Cadenet, then north on D943. That road takes you to Lourmarin (a pretty village with a several artists' shops), and then through a deep gorge towards Bonnieux. At that point, the entire Luberon valley is at your feet. In addition to Bonnieux itself, take a look at Lacoste, Goult, Roussilon, and Gordes. All are pretty perched villages.
- The Abbaye de Sénanque is just outside Gordes. It is an excellent example of Cistercian architecture, beautifully nestled in a deep valley. There are guided tours (in French only, if I recollect properly) every hour or so.
- Mérindol is very close to another Cistercian abby at Silvacane. There are no guided tours there; you can happily wander around.
- You are also within a reasonable drive of les Alpilles, a striking chain of hills southeast of Cavaillon, les Baux-de-Provence, and St-Rémy-de-Provence. All three are well worth the trip. Les Baux gets very crowded during the day; you might plan your expedition so that you arrrive in the late afternoon. It will be a bit cooler, and you'll find parking easier.
- There is a very good market in St-Rémy, but I can't remember what day it is. I hope someone else will fill that in. Markets were a big magnet for our daughter when she was 15.
I hope someone else will chime in on the idea of an excursion to the Côte d'Azur. It's feasible, but it strikes me that you'd spend a lot of time in the car.
Riding ... possibly in the Camargue, which is also within a reasonable drive of where you'll be staying.
Anselm
Jun 2nd, 2005, 03:49 PM
#5
There are alot of horse backing available at B&Bs in Provence. There's one in the village where we stay (Egyalieres) If you google Haras, Provence you'll find listings. I believe a Haras is a stud farm.
Jun 2nd, 2005, 04:31 PM
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Found the website for the Eygalieres horse riding but unfortunately my high school French is not up to the task! Will have to check it out when we get there I guess. Did you actually go horse riding?
Jun 2nd, 2005, 04:57 PM
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Hi oz, these days I sit at the café with my pastis and watch the riders gallop by. Check in at any tourist office for you and they will be able to tell you the nearest. Some B&Bs have only horses for guests. others like in the Camargue have a looser arrangement.
Jun 3rd, 2005, 04:57 AM
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Hello again, ozgirl. "<i>My husband thinks sitting in the cafe with anything is preferable to riding horses ...</i>" I'd have to agree with him!
Parking: all the towns in Provence have public parking. In addition to regular street parking, you'll find municipal lots. Drive in towards the centre of town and follow the blue signs with a white letter "P".
Popular towns, such as St-Rémy and Roussillon, charge for parking. To confirm that you have to pay, look for signs that say "Parking Payant" (sometimes spray-painted on the pavement) or that show a symbol for a parking meter. Once you park, look around for an automated ticket dispenser, which is called an "horodateur." Feed in some coins and it will display the time of day your ticket will be valid to. Push the green button to print your ticket and place it on the dashboard (do you say fascia?) of your car.
There will be a little sign on the horodateur telling you the parking rates and when you have to pay. From my experience, parking is usually free over the lunch period, Sundays, and public holidays ("jours fériés"
.
Some towns don't charge. There are two free parking lots in Goult, for example, and I think we parked for free in Bonnieux when we were last there.
It can be a challenge to park on market days. Market towns prohibit parking on certain streets on market days because that is where vendors set up their stalls. Other available places fill up quickly. My best advice is to arrive early and stow your car in the first available place you see. You might have to walk a bit farther, but it will be less frustrating than creeping along in slow traffic looking for a free spot.
While food is the centre-piece of the markets, you will find stalls selling jewellry, ceramics, and hand-made clothing. I am not familiar with the market at St-Rémy, but if it is anything like the Saturday market in Uzès, you will also find stalls selling flea-market goods, such as inexpensive sunglasses, knives, watches, clothing, and knick-knacks.
Anselm
Parking: all the towns in Provence have public parking. In addition to regular street parking, you'll find municipal lots. Drive in towards the centre of town and follow the blue signs with a white letter "P".
Popular towns, such as St-Rémy and Roussillon, charge for parking. To confirm that you have to pay, look for signs that say "Parking Payant" (sometimes spray-painted on the pavement) or that show a symbol for a parking meter. Once you park, look around for an automated ticket dispenser, which is called an "horodateur." Feed in some coins and it will display the time of day your ticket will be valid to. Push the green button to print your ticket and place it on the dashboard (do you say fascia?) of your car.
There will be a little sign on the horodateur telling you the parking rates and when you have to pay. From my experience, parking is usually free over the lunch period, Sundays, and public holidays ("jours fériés"
.Some towns don't charge. There are two free parking lots in Goult, for example, and I think we parked for free in Bonnieux when we were last there.
It can be a challenge to park on market days. Market towns prohibit parking on certain streets on market days because that is where vendors set up their stalls. Other available places fill up quickly. My best advice is to arrive early and stow your car in the first available place you see. You might have to walk a bit farther, but it will be less frustrating than creeping along in slow traffic looking for a free spot.
While food is the centre-piece of the markets, you will find stalls selling jewellry, ceramics, and hand-made clothing. I am not familiar with the market at St-Rémy, but if it is anything like the Saturday market in Uzès, you will also find stalls selling flea-market goods, such as inexpensive sunglasses, knives, watches, clothing, and knick-knacks.
Anselm
Jun 3rd, 2005, 05:08 AM
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Anselm, I can't believe I've managed to travel a reasonable amount previously without finding this site!!! This level of detail is unbelievably reassuring to us prior to setting out, thankyou again!
Jun 3rd, 2005, 10:08 AM
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ozgirl, I've been thinking about your question on driving from Mérindol to Nice or Monaco. I am less familiar with the Côte d'Azur, having only been to the St-Tropez area, so I looked it up on ViaMichelin. (It's at www.viamichelin.com; you can get maps and driving directions without registering, and hotel and restaurant recommendations if you do register.) It says that Mérindol to Nice is about 215 kilometres, of which 171 would be on 4-lane toll highways. They quote tolls at €14.30 each way and estimate the driving time to be about 2 hours 26 minutes. (I have found their driving times to be a bit understated.)
So, it's feasible, but you would be facing at least five hours in the car. cigalechanta's suggestion of Cassis is much closer: 90 kilometres and an estimated 1 hour and 7 minutes.
I hope this helps.
Anselm
So, it's feasible, but you would be facing at least five hours in the car. cigalechanta's suggestion of Cassis is much closer: 90 kilometres and an estimated 1 hour and 7 minutes.
I hope this helps.
Anselm
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