sugarmaple

Hi everyone

We land at 1:00 pm in Marseille on a Friday in September, our weekly rental starts on Saturday in St. Remy, then a week in Bedoin, and then a few nights in Nice. So excited that all accommodations are booked, except the first Friday night.

Our thought is to pick up the car at the airport and amble along the D5 to St. Remy. We'd like to stop in a town where we can have dinner, poke around a bit, and have an early night.

Is the D5 scenic, or is there a nicer route.

Any recommendations for a nice town to stop in for the night, big enough to spend a few hours exploring. Of course, there's always the option of heading straight to St. Remy, but it will be a good opportunity to experience somewhere else, if only for one night.

D5 is only an idea, we have no problem with other routes to accommodate an interesting town.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Merci

macanimals

We've done the same plan on prior trips. Consider Arles for an overnight stop. Plenty to see and do with many restaurant options. There is a nice village market on Saturday morning and we have used it along with a trip to a grocery store to stock our apartment on the Saturday entry day.

cigalechanta

I also suggest Arles. Besides the Amphitheater
, which dates back to the 1st century Ad.
The Museum Arletan,founded by Mistral displays all aspects of life in Arles in the past century.

Christina

D roads are smaller roads, not big highways, about as scenic as you can get. D5 isn't very long, though, so you can't be using D5 the entire way, you have to get to it somehow from the airport. At least that way you have to go through the Alpilles. Otherwise, you'd just be going up to Cavaillon and then west on D99 or something.

Maussane-les-Alpilles is pretty much were the D5 starts, I believe, although it doesn't have much of a center like some places and I suspect it may not be like what you are envisioning as I don't know about lots of exploring there.

I'd suggest Eyegalieres as a place worth doing some sightseeing where you could stay the night and eat, and explore some. It's not on the D5, though, but you could always get there, none of these places are that far apart (St Remy is only about one hour from the airport to begin with).

Here's a good website for into on the various towns and villages in that area
http://www.beyond.fr/villages/eygalieres.html

Friday is actually the big market day in Eygalieres, so parking could be tough but by the time you get there, may be okay.

cigalechanta

P.S. for dining, L' Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabinal,
7 rue de Calmes. He now has rooms to stay.

macanimals

Eygalieres is a very small village just a few (10-12) km east of St Remy. Its definitely worth a look around during your stay but the services available in the village are very limited--we stayed nearby for a couple of weeks.

L'Atelier Rabanel is a huge dining experience--many, many courses all beautifully presented. Its in Arles and demands a reservation --prices now begin at 125 euro for dinner. Probably not what your in the mood for after landing in Marseilles at 1300. There are many more casual options available.

PalenQ

Aix-en-Provence is a great stop perhaps not on the direct route but a sweet old town with pizzazz from many students there - if you like bigger towns rather than small villages I thought Aix was exceptional and then to Avignon you could hit some famous place like Vaison la Romaine and its Roman remains such as a largre theatre where performances are given many a night.

cigalechanta

Maussane has MANY restaurants and shops enjoyed staying there one year it has my favorite olive oil mill.
Eygalieres has a few excellent restaurants> stayed there
for my vacation 15 years until the hotel was sold and is now a private home. The café across the street where we stopped for a pastis has also ben sold and is now upscale.

DebitNM

I'd stay in Les Baux

We really enjoyed Carrières de Lumières in Les Baux.

http://www.lesbauxdeprovence.com/en/...es-de-lumieres

Also - Glanum.
http://mobile.monuments-nationaux.fr...e/bdd/monum/91

sugarmaple

Wow, thanks for the suggestions!

We had planned on day trips from St Remy to both Arles and Les Baux, but I like the idea of actually spending the night in either of them. That way we can do a bit of exploring Friday night and Saturday before checking in, freeing up time for other things.

I'd love to see the carriers de lumiere, but not the night we arrive - I expect we'll be out for the count by 8:30!

Are there any accommodation recommendations for about €90 - €100?

I saw recently a Karen Brown recommendation for Fontvielle for about €95, begins with an"R", but if I leave the page here, all will be lost

Aix might be a bit bigger than we'd considered, but it's worth a look, than you. I understand parking and traffic is difficult there, not a good way to start a trip...

DebitNM

The first link I posted has accommodation suggestions for hotels and B&B's.

PalenQ

Take the train to Aix and be sans car - save a day on car rental and pick up car outsiede of Aix at the TGV station - constant shuttled from city centre.

cigalechanta

is it Regilardo?

sugarmaple

It is.

I'm thinking Arles would be good because we'll be in town for the Saturday market.

Christina

I certainly would not drive to Aix your first day as a sideline. I got lost driving in Aix when I tried that (coming from Marseille) and had to get out and ask for directions twice (luckily, I speak French). The problem was my inn was on the NW side and somehow my map made it look like I could go through some street/road I couldn't and trying to get out of the maze of central Aix to find the road I needed was not easy. SO I probably spent about 2 extra hours than I should have before I arrived at my inn.

But PalenQ's idea isn't bad at all, actually, I might go for that. No driving the first day at all needed.

Underhill

I believe the Musée Arleton is closed for refurbishment.