Guy86

Hi,
Some help regarding driving from Provence (St Remy) to Nice.

My partner and I will be catching a train from Paris to Provence on the 27th of August. From their we hope to get a rental car and drive through the small downs around the Provence region on the 27th, 28th and 29th before returning the car and catching a train to Nice for the 30th and 31st of August.
First time traveler to France so was wondering if it would be worthwhile keeping the car from the 27th to 31st and driving from Provence to Nice instead?
My main concern is the traffic and congestion everyone mentions during August.
From Nice we are hoping to fly out to Barcelona.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

StuDudley

I would keep the car.

Things start to die down on the 27th & 28th when the French start to return home - traveling north. However, a car is really not necessary in Nice. However, I think it would be more time consuming to return the car at someplace like the Avignon TGV station or the Aix TGV station and training to Nice, than just driving to Nice on your time schedule and returning the car at the Nice train station or elsewhere in Nice.

Stu Dudley

Guy86

Thanks Stu, I liked your previous thread on Luberon and saultt and will definitely look around through those regions when their. Would you by any chance have your Provence itinerary? I emailed your aol email.
Thanks.

StuDudley

I just sent the itinerary to a guy named Guy.

Stu Dudley

traveller1959

Yes, keep the car.

There will be traffic congestions on the autoroutes on 27th and 28th August, but only in east-west and south-north directions because of the returning holiday makers. After, 28th August peak season is gone and traffic will be much quieter on the Côte d'Azur.

Driving from Provence, leave the autoroute at Frejus and drive the incredibly scenic coastal road to Mandelieu, there go on the autoroute again.

Even if you stay IN Nice (which I would not recommend), keep the car for an additional day in order to explore the villages and the beaches in the area and to drive the scenic corniches between Nice and Monaco.

Underhill

FYI, Nice is IN Provence, the eastern part of that vast region.

traveller1959

Underhill, can it be that you are a retired teacher?

Guy86

Thank you for all the great information and Stu i received your itinerary, thank you so much its fantastic.

Our original plan is to be in St Remy and surrounds from the 27-30th and then leave on the 30th to Nice for 2 days.
However people have mentioned that the villages in Luberon and Saultt will be closed sun/mon before we leave for Nice. We want to really see Aix and the small villages when everything is open so we are now thinking of doing the opposite which is to go Nice first for the weekend and then head to St Remy and Luberon after so that we are their during the week when shops are open.
We want to see the small villages and shops around the lavender feilds.
Would it be worth doing Nice on the weekend and then St Remy and surrounds after? Or will it still be good to do st remy/aix and surrounds on sat/sun/monday?

Thanks

StCirq

The lavender will be long dead by the time you get there.

StuDudley

Shops will be closed in Aix on Sun & Monday morning. Shops in l'Isle sur la Sorgue will be open Sunday because that's their market day. Shops will be open in St Remy, Gordes, & Roussillon on Sunday - but those in the other Luberon villages will be closed. Do Nice first if you can.

Stu Dudley

Underhill

Nope, but I kinda wish I had been.