Need suggestions for day trips in Provence
Apr 27th, 2015, 05:22 PM
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Need suggestions for day trips in Provence
We are leaving for France on May 11 for two weeks. I have planned most of our trip already. We will be visiting our daughter & son-in-law. They just moved to Senas (about half-way between Aix and Avignon, near Salon de Provence). We will spend several days visiting our daughter's in-laws, and then a week in the Dordogne. We have 3 days remaining for day trips from Senas, and we do have a car. We are thinking of the following:
1) Camarque & Aigues-Morte
2) Nimes
3) Pont du Gard
4) Abbbaye de Montmajour
5) Are Uzes and/or Montpelier within driving distance of Senas for day trips?
In the past we have been to Aix, Avignon, Marseilles, Cassis, Gordes, Rousillon, Arles & very briefly in St. Remy. Also have been to Loumarin & L'isle sur la Sorgue.
Thank you for any advice and suggestions!
1) Camarque & Aigues-Morte
2) Nimes
3) Pont du Gard
4) Abbbaye de Montmajour
5) Are Uzes and/or Montpelier within driving distance of Senas for day trips?
In the past we have been to Aix, Avignon, Marseilles, Cassis, Gordes, Rousillon, Arles & very briefly in St. Remy. Also have been to Loumarin & L'isle sur la Sorgue.
Thank you for any advice and suggestions!
Apr 28th, 2015, 03:28 AM
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If you tire of Nimes after a while, consider adding Sommieres, which is about 20 km further west - - a pretty, peaceful, small medieval town: http://www.gosouthfrance.com/best-so...formation.html
Apr 28th, 2015, 06:20 AM
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Agree with others about Uzes
How about the Vaison and the Cote du Rhone wine area??
This is from my Provence/Cote d'Azur itinerary - which you probably already have.
I think this area is almost as pretty as the Luberon, and not as touristy. The Dentelles Mountains provide a great backdrop, and there are several very nice perched villages. This is the famous Rhone wine-growing region and you can visit a winery or just sip wine from tasting rooms in some of the villages. If you choose to stay near Gordes for a few days and then move on to St Remy for several days, you can use this round-about route to get to St Remy – but expect it to take all day. If you plan on visiting Provence for more than 7 days, I would spend a few days/nights in this region. We had a very nice dinner at the Hotel Bellerive just south of Rasteau. It’s also a hotel, and has knock-out views of the Dentelles.
From Gordes, head toward L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Continue through l’Isle to Pernes on the D938 (not the D31). At the south end of Pernes, take the D28 east to St Didier – which is a cute town. Then take the scenic D39/D4A/D1 north to Mazan. One of our favorite restaurants in this region is the Chateau Mazan – excellent outside dining at the Chateau (it’s also a hotel). The town is interesting also. After Mazan, take the D163 north, and then the D55 to St Pierre, Modene, and Caromb. Caromb is a worthwhile town to visit if you like medieval villages that have not been over-restored. Find the tourist office, pick up a walking tour brochure, and visit this medieval village. The walking tour brochure was in English in ’07, but somehow the ’10 version was in French only. Grande Rue and Rue du Couvert are the most interesting streets. After Caromb, take the D21 west (as you circle through Caromb counter-clockwise, watch carefully for the D21 sign just in front of a Tabac with a blue awning) towards Beaumes de Venise. But when you hit the larger D938, turn right (north) towards Malaucene. You will see Chateau Barroux up on the mountain ledge. Continue on through Malaucene (mildly interesting – with lots of outdoor cafes) and then towards Vaison la Romaine. When you pass the D54, there is a good “seconds” cookware/pottery outlet (outdoors). Also near there is the town of Crestet, which is a good village to explore if you have the time & don’t mind climbing. When approaching Vaison from Crestet on the D938, do not take the branch into “centre ville” – instead take the road to “ville medieval”. It will pass a gravel pit and then you will get a fantastic view of the medieval village and castle perched on the side & on top of a cliff. The “newer” Vaison is across the river to your right. Just before the old bridge that goes across the river, park the car and get out the camera – lots of photo opportunities. Explore Vaison** - the vieux/medieval section of town uphill to your left, and the “newer” part with the Roman ruins across the bridge to your right. The medieval section is much more interesting. The “new” town has lots of shops (kinda touristy), and if you have never seen Roman ruins, then do so. I think the “theatre” has been over-restored. The Roman toilets are interesting. See if you can eavesdrop on an English tour of the ruins.
Now we’re off to wine country. See “Dentelles” in the green guide. Follow the route in the guide from Vaison to Seguret. Seguret* is the most interesting village in this region. Park the car & get out & explore the narrow streets. We’ve never dined in Seguret, but there is a very charming restaurant called Mesclun that was “complet” for lunch the last time we visited in ’07. This seems like it would be a great lunch spot (menu not interesting enough for dinner). After Seguret, drive through Sablet, and then to Gigondas. These are famous wine villages. This is a beautiful drive. There is a shop in Gigondas that will let you sample & buy many of the local wines. It’s in the square in the center of town, on the left side of the road. The store’s called “Caveau du Gigondas” and you can walk in & see the selections you can taste. After Gigondas, head to Vacqueyras then Beaumes des Venise. You can taste the sweet Muscat wine in many shops in this town. There is a co-op called “Vigurons de Beaumes de Venise” where you can taste & buy wine – it’s just west of town a little. The co-op is on the D7 at the round-about. (look for the large sculpture with two big hands in the center of the round-about)
After you have “circled” the Dentelles mountains by driving through the vineyards and wine villages east of the Dentelles, head off “through” the mountains. There are some spectacular views along the way. From Beaumes de Venise, head north on the D90 through Lafar, Suzette, and then back down to Malaucene. We took this drive in ’10 at about 5PM in late June, and the views were spectacular. As we passed through Suzette, I noticed a sign for a winery called Domaine St Amant ( http://www.domainesaintamant.com ) This is a wine that I enjoy at home in the US. We followed the signs up and up and up the small road to St Amant (well marked on the roadside), and the best views of the Dentelles and surrounding countryside were actually along this road to the Domaine St Amant. We purchased 4 bottles of their oak-aged Voigner (La Tabardonne) from the charming female winemaker – who speaks perfect English. The setting of St Amant was spectacular – it was difficult to leave.
Our favorite restaurant in the Dentelles region is l’Oustalet in Gigondas on the main square in the village. We’ve dined there 4 times – very nice setting both outside & inside – excellent food. We’ve had 2 excellent meals at the Michelin 1 star Le Grand Pre* in Roaix. It’s also a favorite restaurant of Patricia Wells – who lives in the area. Another restaurant we’ve enjoyed several times is les Florets, also in Gigondas but not in town – its farther east into the mountains – there are signs directing you to the hotel/restaurant. The outside setting is fabulous – lots of interesting flowers. I would only dine there if you could dine outside – inside isn’t particularly interesting and the food is not quite as good as the other restaurants mentioned above. We had a nice dinner at le Brin d’Oliver in Vaison. We dined at the Michelin 1 star le Moulin d’Huile in Vaison twice. It is a little pricey and the food is quite good but not really better than our other favorites in the region. I had a birthday dinner at Hotel Crillon le Brave, and it was very strange (long story). Len Pins just outside of Bedoin is another place we frequent – the menu is quite a bargain and very good. It is also a hotel. We’ve vacationed for 10 weeks in this region – trying many other restaurants – but these were our favorites (along with Mazan further southeast).
Chatteauneuf du Pape
If you want an excellent tour of one of the famous Chateauneuf du Pape wineries, book an English tour at Beaucastel – perhaps the most famous winery. Phone 04 90 70 70 60. As I remember, the tour is about 1½ hours and it’s quite informative. Book a couple of days (perhaps a week) ahead. Getting to Beaucastel is a little difficult. I’ve wandered back & forth a few times – even after getting there OK once. Beaucastel is just south & a little east of Orange. I think I got there by going to Jonquieres then traveling on the road that is a bridge over the A7 just to the west & near the freeway exit. Follow the signs to Beaucastel. Note – a friend visited Provence in June ’11, and informed me that Beaucastel is no longer offering tours or tastings. This might be temporary, however, so call them to verify.
After Beaucastel, head south on the D68 to Chateauneuf du Pape. If you didn’t visit Beaucastel, you can sample wine at any of the dozens of tasting rooms in town. It’s a little more intimidating than tasting in the Napa Valley, however. You sit down at a table and it’s more of a one-on-one event.
Stu Dudley
How about the Vaison and the Cote du Rhone wine area??
This is from my Provence/Cote d'Azur itinerary - which you probably already have.
I think this area is almost as pretty as the Luberon, and not as touristy. The Dentelles Mountains provide a great backdrop, and there are several very nice perched villages. This is the famous Rhone wine-growing region and you can visit a winery or just sip wine from tasting rooms in some of the villages. If you choose to stay near Gordes for a few days and then move on to St Remy for several days, you can use this round-about route to get to St Remy – but expect it to take all day. If you plan on visiting Provence for more than 7 days, I would spend a few days/nights in this region. We had a very nice dinner at the Hotel Bellerive just south of Rasteau. It’s also a hotel, and has knock-out views of the Dentelles.
From Gordes, head toward L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Continue through l’Isle to Pernes on the D938 (not the D31). At the south end of Pernes, take the D28 east to St Didier – which is a cute town. Then take the scenic D39/D4A/D1 north to Mazan. One of our favorite restaurants in this region is the Chateau Mazan – excellent outside dining at the Chateau (it’s also a hotel). The town is interesting also. After Mazan, take the D163 north, and then the D55 to St Pierre, Modene, and Caromb. Caromb is a worthwhile town to visit if you like medieval villages that have not been over-restored. Find the tourist office, pick up a walking tour brochure, and visit this medieval village. The walking tour brochure was in English in ’07, but somehow the ’10 version was in French only. Grande Rue and Rue du Couvert are the most interesting streets. After Caromb, take the D21 west (as you circle through Caromb counter-clockwise, watch carefully for the D21 sign just in front of a Tabac with a blue awning) towards Beaumes de Venise. But when you hit the larger D938, turn right (north) towards Malaucene. You will see Chateau Barroux up on the mountain ledge. Continue on through Malaucene (mildly interesting – with lots of outdoor cafes) and then towards Vaison la Romaine. When you pass the D54, there is a good “seconds” cookware/pottery outlet (outdoors). Also near there is the town of Crestet, which is a good village to explore if you have the time & don’t mind climbing. When approaching Vaison from Crestet on the D938, do not take the branch into “centre ville” – instead take the road to “ville medieval”. It will pass a gravel pit and then you will get a fantastic view of the medieval village and castle perched on the side & on top of a cliff. The “newer” Vaison is across the river to your right. Just before the old bridge that goes across the river, park the car and get out the camera – lots of photo opportunities. Explore Vaison** - the vieux/medieval section of town uphill to your left, and the “newer” part with the Roman ruins across the bridge to your right. The medieval section is much more interesting. The “new” town has lots of shops (kinda touristy), and if you have never seen Roman ruins, then do so. I think the “theatre” has been over-restored. The Roman toilets are interesting. See if you can eavesdrop on an English tour of the ruins.
Now we’re off to wine country. See “Dentelles” in the green guide. Follow the route in the guide from Vaison to Seguret. Seguret* is the most interesting village in this region. Park the car & get out & explore the narrow streets. We’ve never dined in Seguret, but there is a very charming restaurant called Mesclun that was “complet” for lunch the last time we visited in ’07. This seems like it would be a great lunch spot (menu not interesting enough for dinner). After Seguret, drive through Sablet, and then to Gigondas. These are famous wine villages. This is a beautiful drive. There is a shop in Gigondas that will let you sample & buy many of the local wines. It’s in the square in the center of town, on the left side of the road. The store’s called “Caveau du Gigondas” and you can walk in & see the selections you can taste. After Gigondas, head to Vacqueyras then Beaumes des Venise. You can taste the sweet Muscat wine in many shops in this town. There is a co-op called “Vigurons de Beaumes de Venise” where you can taste & buy wine – it’s just west of town a little. The co-op is on the D7 at the round-about. (look for the large sculpture with two big hands in the center of the round-about)
After you have “circled” the Dentelles mountains by driving through the vineyards and wine villages east of the Dentelles, head off “through” the mountains. There are some spectacular views along the way. From Beaumes de Venise, head north on the D90 through Lafar, Suzette, and then back down to Malaucene. We took this drive in ’10 at about 5PM in late June, and the views were spectacular. As we passed through Suzette, I noticed a sign for a winery called Domaine St Amant ( http://www.domainesaintamant.com ) This is a wine that I enjoy at home in the US. We followed the signs up and up and up the small road to St Amant (well marked on the roadside), and the best views of the Dentelles and surrounding countryside were actually along this road to the Domaine St Amant. We purchased 4 bottles of their oak-aged Voigner (La Tabardonne) from the charming female winemaker – who speaks perfect English. The setting of St Amant was spectacular – it was difficult to leave.
Our favorite restaurant in the Dentelles region is l’Oustalet in Gigondas on the main square in the village. We’ve dined there 4 times – very nice setting both outside & inside – excellent food. We’ve had 2 excellent meals at the Michelin 1 star Le Grand Pre* in Roaix. It’s also a favorite restaurant of Patricia Wells – who lives in the area. Another restaurant we’ve enjoyed several times is les Florets, also in Gigondas but not in town – its farther east into the mountains – there are signs directing you to the hotel/restaurant. The outside setting is fabulous – lots of interesting flowers. I would only dine there if you could dine outside – inside isn’t particularly interesting and the food is not quite as good as the other restaurants mentioned above. We had a nice dinner at le Brin d’Oliver in Vaison. We dined at the Michelin 1 star le Moulin d’Huile in Vaison twice. It is a little pricey and the food is quite good but not really better than our other favorites in the region. I had a birthday dinner at Hotel Crillon le Brave, and it was very strange (long story). Len Pins just outside of Bedoin is another place we frequent – the menu is quite a bargain and very good. It is also a hotel. We’ve vacationed for 10 weeks in this region – trying many other restaurants – but these were our favorites (along with Mazan further southeast).
Chatteauneuf du Pape
If you want an excellent tour of one of the famous Chateauneuf du Pape wineries, book an English tour at Beaucastel – perhaps the most famous winery. Phone 04 90 70 70 60. As I remember, the tour is about 1½ hours and it’s quite informative. Book a couple of days (perhaps a week) ahead. Getting to Beaucastel is a little difficult. I’ve wandered back & forth a few times – even after getting there OK once. Beaucastel is just south & a little east of Orange. I think I got there by going to Jonquieres then traveling on the road that is a bridge over the A7 just to the west & near the freeway exit. Follow the signs to Beaucastel. Note – a friend visited Provence in June ’11, and informed me that Beaucastel is no longer offering tours or tastings. This might be temporary, however, so call them to verify.
After Beaucastel, head south on the D68 to Chateauneuf du Pape. If you didn’t visit Beaucastel, you can sample wine at any of the dozens of tasting rooms in town. It’s a little more intimidating than tasting in the Napa Valley, however. You sit down at a table and it’s more of a one-on-one event.
Stu Dudley
Apr 28th, 2015, 06:36 AM
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I would definitely add Les Baux-de-Provence to your day trips - especially the Dead City up top of this plateau from which you can see for miles over a rather dry and desolate-looking Provence.
https://www.google.com/search?q=les+...w=1455&bih=977
https://www.google.com/search?q=les+...w=1455&bih=977
Apr 28th, 2015, 07:07 AM
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Third Les Baux and be sure to check this out - unlike anything I have ever seen:
http://www.carrieres-lumieres.com/en
http://www.carrieres-lumieres.com/en
Apr 28th, 2015, 07:11 AM
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In the Camargue we enjoyed taking the ubiquitous horse trips from any of many Mas - farms that organize treks into the wild part of the Camargue to see the famous wild horses - we just popped by in August - no reservations needed and quite a memory.
Apr 28th, 2015, 07:13 AM
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Glanum, near St Remy, and if you haven't been St. Paul de Mausolee, Van Gough's asylum, the grounds are lovely - you often see painters out and about and you will recognize the spots where many paintings were done, do the tour as well.
A drive up to Mont Ventoux
A boat ride to the Calanques from Cassis or hike the route across the cliff tops. After, drive ‘Route des Cretes’
Vaison La Romaine
A drive up to Mont Ventoux
A boat ride to the Calanques from Cassis or hike the route across the cliff tops. After, drive ‘Route des Cretes’
Vaison La Romaine
Apr 28th, 2015, 04:48 PM
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Thank you everyone! and especially to Stu for such a detailed response. I forgot to mention that we have been to Les Beaux, and we did take a boat ride to the Calanques from Cassis. We attempted to drive on the Route des Cretes, but we were turned back by the police because of strong winds!
I love everyone's suggestions. Van Gogh's asylum sounds great! It will be hard to decide. I think Camarque is a definite because it sounds so unique.
I love everyone's suggestions. Van Gogh's asylum sounds great! It will be hard to decide. I think Camarque is a definite because it sounds so unique.
Apr 28th, 2015, 08:31 PM
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Do you have my 31 page Provence & Cote d'Azur itinerary?? We've vacationed for over 40 weeks in these regions. I've sent the itinerary to over 3,000 people on Fodors - about 4-8 each day. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach one to the reply e-mail.
Stu Dudley
Stu Dudley
May 1st, 2015, 04:09 AM
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Karen
We drove to the Camargue. It was a bird watching trip we planned specifically to see the flamingos so there was a lot of trying to find them kind of thing but we ended up following the pink feathers along the roadside!
We drove to the Camargue. It was a bird watching trip we planned specifically to see the flamingos so there was a lot of trying to find them kind of thing but we ended up following the pink feathers along the roadside!
May 1st, 2015, 04:23 AM
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I agree with St. Paul de Mausolee, Van Gough's asylum. We visited in April and the grounds were all in bloom and full of iris. Somehow we had missed it in the past.
An actual hospital is next door so be sure to find the correct entrance from the parking area.
Mid April in Provence is so beautiful and green, not the brown of summer. There are lavender fields everywhere this year. If visiting this summer it'll be in abundance.
An actual hospital is next door so be sure to find the correct entrance from the parking area.
Mid April in Provence is so beautiful and green, not the brown of summer. There are lavender fields everywhere this year. If visiting this summer it'll be in abundance.
