Provence: Saint Remy or l'Isle sur la Sorgue as a base?
Feb 6th, 2010, 10:06 AM
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Provence: Saint Remy or l'Isle sur la Sorgue as a base?
My friend and I will travel to Provence from May 9 to May 21.
Please comment on our travel plans: we will fly into CDG and take the fast train to Avignon. We plan to spend two nights in Avignon recovering from jet lag and seeing some sights before we depart to a vacation rental where we would like to rent a car for a week and base ourselves for eight days. I have located two rentals--one in the heart of Saint Remy and the other on the river in the center of l'Isle sur la Sorgue. We then will return to CDG by train and stay overnight at the Marriott nearby. Would one of these places be a better base than the other if we wanted to see locations nearby both of these areas? Would staying in the center of Saint Remy or the center of l'Ilse sur la Sorgue be safe and advisable for two middle-aged women? Would we be able to rent a car at either of these places instead of Avignon?
Thank you so much! I have already gotten such wonderful information from this forum and Stu Dudley's itinerary!
Please comment on our travel plans: we will fly into CDG and take the fast train to Avignon. We plan to spend two nights in Avignon recovering from jet lag and seeing some sights before we depart to a vacation rental where we would like to rent a car for a week and base ourselves for eight days. I have located two rentals--one in the heart of Saint Remy and the other on the river in the center of l'Isle sur la Sorgue. We then will return to CDG by train and stay overnight at the Marriott nearby. Would one of these places be a better base than the other if we wanted to see locations nearby both of these areas? Would staying in the center of Saint Remy or the center of l'Ilse sur la Sorgue be safe and advisable for two middle-aged women? Would we be able to rent a car at either of these places instead of Avignon?
Thank you so much! I have already gotten such wonderful information from this forum and Stu Dudley's itinerary!
Feb 6th, 2010, 10:24 AM
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Both would be good locations. There will probably be more US tourists in St Remy than in l'Isle sur la Sorgue (except on Sunday, of course). Both are perfectly safe.
Rent the car in Avignon.
Stu Dudley
Rent the car in Avignon.
Stu Dudley
Feb 6th, 2010, 10:33 AM
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My wife and I were in St Remy and Isle sur la Sorgue in September. Both very pretty towns. I can't comment on the safety, but St Remy seemed to be less busy than Isle sur la Sorgue. Since you will have a vehicle it shouldn't matter which town you choose.
A woman friend - in her 60,s - used St Remy as a base for a week and loved the location. The area is beautiful and we found a fantastic bakery in the center of town.
Jeff
A woman friend - in her 60,s - used St Remy as a base for a week and loved the location. The area is beautiful and we found a fantastic bakery in the center of town.
Jeff
Feb 6th, 2010, 10:43 AM
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they are both perfectly safe. If you don't care about using the train, either would do. I don't think Isle sur la Sorgue has the greatest restaurant selection, and I think St Remy might be more centrally located if you wanted to visit Nimes, Arles or some places like that. However, St Remy does not have a train station and ISLS does -- you won't go directly any place, except maybe Avignon, I imagine, but you can go places by train if you want.
If you are more interested in visiting some places more north, like the Vaucluse, Vaison-la-Romaine, Nyons, then choose Isle sur la Sorgue. It's a convenient locaiton for driving being on a main road.
If you are more interested in visiting some places more north, like the Vaucluse, Vaison-la-Romaine, Nyons, then choose Isle sur la Sorgue. It's a convenient locaiton for driving being on a main road.
Feb 6th, 2010, 11:18 AM
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I concur that there aren't great places to eat in Isle sur la Sorgue. The greatest advantage of staying there is walking to the Sunday market first thing in the morning, before the crowds, with no parking issues. My husband and I also took a great (and super easy) kayaking trip down the Sorgue River from there.
Are you sure you want to do a rental instead of a B&B? I'm just wondering because it can be a real bonus enjoying the personal attention of B&B hosts who know the area and getting travel tips from other guests at breakfast.
Are you sure you want to do a rental instead of a B&B? I'm just wondering because it can be a real bonus enjoying the personal attention of B&B hosts who know the area and getting travel tips from other guests at breakfast.
Feb 6th, 2010, 04:31 PM
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Thank you all so much for your responses. Abbydog, I appreciate your suggestion about considering a B&B and know that the travel tips often shared at breakfast can be valuable, but having done vacation rentals in other cities, I like the freedom of having a kitchen for a light breakfast or late dessert purchased earlier in the day at a wonderful bakery or market, a living room to relax in and my own bedroom when traveling for nights that I am having trouble sleeping. A vacation rental with two bedrooms is typically much less costly than two rooms at a B&B. I have found that the owners of the vacation rental are more than happy and usually very able to provide travel tips by phone and internet. And, besides, I will have read and taken notes on all of the wealth of information available on this and other sites! Thanks!
Feb 6th, 2010, 04:41 PM
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I have been to Provence for the last six years and I would prefer St. Remy over Isle sur la Sorgue no question. Isle sur la Sorgue is a lot of fun for the antiques (although it is very crowded during the market) but St. Remy is really great all through the week. I also prefer the market in St. Remy because it has a bit of everything. Remy has wonderful restaurants, too.
