Trip Report - Provence & Paris - June 2012
Jul 16th, 2012, 01:19 PM
#1
Original Poster
Trip Report - Provence & Paris - June 2012
Another excellent European trip.
I would like to thank the following:
- The Fodorite (I’m sorry, I can’t remember who it was) who brought TGV Prem train fares to my attention.
- Those who reassured me that we could go on a good trip to Provence using public transportation.
- Those who responded to questions (both mine and those of others)
- DebitNM for the research into Chip & PIN credit cards
Major Transportation
I used AA air miles to book the trip many months in advance. We were to fly Miami – Barcelona – Marseille and arrive at 11:30 AM. We were somewhat flexible so even though we didn’t book anywhere near 330 days in advance we were able to get the flights.
In mid-April I decided to call and arrange seat assignments. At that time I was informed there was a problem with my reservation. Their partner, Iberia, had cancelled the Barcelona to Marseille flight and they would have to rebook us to fly Miami – Madrid – Marseille. No problem except that the flight would arrive at 6:30 PM and we would lose our first day.
I quickly checked the schedules and noticed that Iberia had a flight from Madrid to Marseille that arrived at 11:30AM. This would be better than even my original itinerary. However, I was told that there were no air miles seats available. I was then told that if I wanted they would move my travel date one day earlier to give us an additional day. Although this would add one night of hotels we decided to add the day to the end of the trip to give us an additional day in Paris (4 instead of 3).
The next day I decided I wasn’t satisfied. I called American and asked about that better flight. Again I was told there were no air miles seats. I asked when they knew the Iberia flight had been cancelled and I was told it was mid-January. That’s three months earlier !!!! I complained that had they told me immediately it’s possible I may have been able to make other arrangements. The sales clerk immediately told me he would try to get us on the earlier flight. The next day my itinerary was updated to arrive in Marseille at 11:30 AM.
To travel from Avignon to Paris we had Prem TGV tickets. We selected a departure of 6:15PM. This didn’t cut into our last day in Avignon but still arrived well in advance of sunset.
Local Transportation
We briefly considered renting a car for part of the Provence portion of the trip. We weighed the ability to visit nooks and crannies and going on our own schedule against not having to navigate, drive and park. In the end public transportation won out and it worked very well for us.
Except for one mini-van tour to Gordes, Roussillon and Les Baux all local transportation was by bus or train.
Granted there are a few places we could not visit using public transportation and we were subject to bus and train schedules. However, with some planning it worked well and we had no problems.
If I had to do it over again
The only thing I would probably do differently would be to avoid all town markets. While they all vary in size they all appeared to have the same types of items for sale. The markets only served to block the view of the towns. Isle-sur-la-Sorgue was overrun by people until early afternoon.
Lodging
Aix-en-Provence - Hotel Des Augustins
Excellent location. Spotless hotel, room and bathroom. New bathroom. Room was very small. Very quiet. Fine for a one night stay.
Avignon – Hotel Bristol
Excellent location to see the city as well as proximity to the train and bus stations. Nice hotel. Spotless room and new bathroom. Very quiet room. Since we were staying for more than a week we took a larger room. Whoever designed the hotel never planned on staying there as there were a few stairs in too many places even with the elevator. Only an issue when checking in or out. We would stay there again.
Paris – Hotel Clement
The hotel, room and bathroom were spotless. Bathroom was new. I requested an inside room (no view) due to the location across the street from Saint-Germain Market. Very quiet room. The room was small but adequate and efficient. We would stay there again. Take care with checkout. They charged my card in US dollars (at a high rate) instead of Euros. Their bank refunded me 150% of the overcharge after I noticed it and emailed the hotel.
Meals
In all cases there was a breakfast café within a block of our hotels. A good start to each day with croissants and pain au chocolate while we enjoyed picnic lunches in parks and city/town squares.
There was no shortage of good neighborhood bistros for dinner that never disappointed. Crepes on Rue de la Harpe was another meal we thoroughly enjoyed.
Itinerary
A fair amount of care had to be taken as bus schedules for winter, spring and summer differ.
Aix-en-Provence (Day 0 and 1)
Our flight arrived in Marseille at 11:30 AM and we immediately took a shuttle bus to Aix-en-Provence. By 1:30 PM we were out walking the streets of this beautiful town. Winding streets, squares and fountains. Just the right number of tourists. An excellent start to the trip.
Avignon (Day 2 – 8)
Avignon is pleasant enough to wander around. However, I figured that it wouldn’t have enough to keep us busy for complete days so I planned day trips for every day with Avignon taking up either the early or late part of the day. On our last day we walked across the bridge to Villeneuve-les-Avignon. This is a beautiful area and worth the time and effort.
Saint Remy
Probably our least favorite town. Arriving early in the lunch period didn’t help either as it had an abandoned feel. Eventually people began to walk the streets but its main claim to fame appeared to be its proximity to the Roman ruins at Glanum and the hospital that housed Van Gogh. After wandering around the town for a few hours we came across our high point of the day - hearing the organ at Saint-Martin.
Pont du Gard
I had previously been to the aqueduct at Segovia. However, the setting and size of Pont du Gard is amazing. One of the “don’t miss” sights.
Uzes
I read a little about Uzes on Fodors so it was added as the bus schedule fit very well following Pont du Gard. My only regret is that we were there on market day and the main square was not at its best for viewing most of the day.
We enjoyed wandering the streets of this town with its immaculate cobblestone streets and winding pathways.
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
A truly beautiful setting of canals, waterwheels, and flower boxes. Unfortunately, I planned this day for the market and seeing the best of L’Isle was an effort. I was tempted to return for a few hours on our last day in Provence to see it without the market.
Arles
A bit of a surprise. I expected a town of Roman ruins and while it surely has them, Arles turned out to be a very pleasant wandering town as well.
Of course, I had to walk to the Van Gogh bridge. Had I known how far it is I might have thought better of that idea.
Hill Villages (Gordes, Roussillon & Les Baux)
Originally, we were going to take a minivan tour of Gordes, Roussillon, Lacoste and Menerbes. However scheduling eliminated Les Baux so we switched to a Gordes, Roussillon and Les Baux tour.
The cream color of Gordes, Orchre of Roussillon and museum feel of Les Baux made this an excellent choice of contrasting villages. The view upon approaching Gordes is nothing less than spectacular.
Montpellier
A fodorite described Montpellier as one of the most underrated cities in France. This piqued my interest and I definitely have to agree. Within a couple of minutes of leaving the train station we realized this place is special.
Montpellier has a small city feel but appears to be a mixture of Amsterdam’s squares and trolley and Paris’ architecture.
Usually a walking tour takes you from sight to sight with little in between. In Montpellier the “in betweens” are just as much of a sight as the actual sights.
Paris
Day 1
Although we’ve been to Paris several times over the years (the last time being about 10 years ago) there’s still nothing like walking along the Seine, into the Louvre courtyard, through les Tuileries to Place de la Concorde and part way up the Champs-Elysees. So that’s how we spent most of our first day in Paris.
We then veered up toward the Opera Garnier and on to Galeries Lafayette where we had tickets for the 3PM Friday fashion show. Not a designer premiere but still a fun event.
After spending some time wondering through Galeries Lafayette we then walked up towards an intersection just behind Gare Saint-Lazare to find the corner in Gustave Caillebotte’s painting Paris Street; Rainy Day. Found it.
From there we walked towards Musee Nissim de Camondo and Parc Monceau. We got there too late for the museum so we walked over to Parc Monceau. Late in the afternoon on a cloudy, cool day the park didn’t show itself in its best light. Maybe tomorrow morning after we go to the museum.
Day 2
A slightly drizzly start to the day confirmed that going to Musee Nissim de Camondo was a good idea. This museum turned out to be one of the highlights of a trip with many highlights. A mansion donated to the city – still furnished and filled with a wonderful art collection as well as a tragic story.
Unfortunately the drizzle put a damper on Parc Monceau although we did walk through on the way to the metro station. We decided the weather would not get in the way of Montmartre and judging by the crowds, others felt the same way. The winding streets of Montmartre remained charming despite the weather. By early afternoon the skies began to clear and we were glad we had not changed our plans.
After wandering around for a couple of hours we took the Metro to the Arc de Triomphe. By now the sky was mostly blue and the sun was shining on the Arc. What a sight!
I circled the Arc navigating what felt like a dozen streets in the shape of the spokes of a giant wheel. After a while we decided to walk a few blocks down the Champs-Elysees and head towards the Alma Bridge and the Eiffel Tower.
We had last been to Paris about a month after Princess Diana was killed. Many pictures and letters from children had been placed against an old fountain just beside the Alma Bridge underpass. That fountain appears to have been replaced by a “flame”. While I saw no mention of Diana, I’ve since read that it is known as Princess Diana’s Flame.
By now the weather was as good as we could have hope for so after wandering around the Eiffel Tower for a while we took a sunset cruise along the Seine. We’ve never done that before. The views of the major Paris sights from the river was amazing.
We had dinner in the area so we could walk back over to the Tower and see it lit up in the dark of night.
Day 3
Yesterday’s clearing weather appeared to be extending into today. What’s a Sunday in Paris without the Marais. On the way to the Marais we walked across the Seine behind Notre-Dame and made a stop at the Memorial to the Martyrs of the Deportation. A sobering stop.
After wandering through the streets of the Marais for a while we headed over to a very sunny and warm Place des Vosges. Excellent picnic weather.
Place des Vosges is a spectacular park and obviously not a well-kept secret. After enjoying the views for a while we headed back through the Marais streets and on to Musee Carnavalet. While interesting, it didn’t have the impact of Musee Nissim Comando.
From there we took the Metro to Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise. While I had a map that showed the burial location of many well-known people, finding the actual spot became quite tedious. We did find Edith Piaf mostly due to a small crowd thereafter walking around for a while and searching for Sarah Bernhardt we finally gave up and decided to try and make it to Musee Petit Palais for a late visit.
My notes indicated last entry at 5PM. It would be tight. We walked in at 5:10 and the sign listed last entry at 5:15. We didn’t look for any specific works but just wandering through this beautiful building was time well spent.
Day 4
Topping-off day. We walked over towards Notre-Dame and my wife spent some time in Shakespeare & Company while I was taking some photos in the area.
We walked down past the Sorbonne and over to the Pantheon. The clouds began to clear so a picnic in Luxembourg Gardens just across the street looked like a good idea. The French sure know how to make their parks and gardens. One is grander than the next!!!
While walking through the park we heard a band playing in the band shell. We sat down to listen with the rest of the crowd. Afterwards we spoke with a few people in the band and found out that the band was made up of students from several schools in the Tallahassee area. It’s a small world after all.
After our picnic lunch we sat around enjoying the park for a while and then took the Metro to the area just above Les Halles. We wandered up the pedestrian rue Montorgueil and on the way to the Palais Royal gardens came upon Passage Vivienne. This is a beautiful indoor shopping arcade similar to Galeries St Hubert in Brussels.
Eventually we found our way to Palais Royal and its gardens. Wow! We never expected such a beautiful garden. And this is a well-kept secret. While there were people, it was not crowded as some of the other parks.
Photos
You can see my photos (way too many) at:
www.travelwalks.com
I would like to thank the following:
- The Fodorite (I’m sorry, I can’t remember who it was) who brought TGV Prem train fares to my attention.
- Those who reassured me that we could go on a good trip to Provence using public transportation.
- Those who responded to questions (both mine and those of others)
- DebitNM for the research into Chip & PIN credit cards
Major Transportation
I used AA air miles to book the trip many months in advance. We were to fly Miami – Barcelona – Marseille and arrive at 11:30 AM. We were somewhat flexible so even though we didn’t book anywhere near 330 days in advance we were able to get the flights.
In mid-April I decided to call and arrange seat assignments. At that time I was informed there was a problem with my reservation. Their partner, Iberia, had cancelled the Barcelona to Marseille flight and they would have to rebook us to fly Miami – Madrid – Marseille. No problem except that the flight would arrive at 6:30 PM and we would lose our first day.
I quickly checked the schedules and noticed that Iberia had a flight from Madrid to Marseille that arrived at 11:30AM. This would be better than even my original itinerary. However, I was told that there were no air miles seats available. I was then told that if I wanted they would move my travel date one day earlier to give us an additional day. Although this would add one night of hotels we decided to add the day to the end of the trip to give us an additional day in Paris (4 instead of 3).
The next day I decided I wasn’t satisfied. I called American and asked about that better flight. Again I was told there were no air miles seats. I asked when they knew the Iberia flight had been cancelled and I was told it was mid-January. That’s three months earlier !!!! I complained that had they told me immediately it’s possible I may have been able to make other arrangements. The sales clerk immediately told me he would try to get us on the earlier flight. The next day my itinerary was updated to arrive in Marseille at 11:30 AM.
To travel from Avignon to Paris we had Prem TGV tickets. We selected a departure of 6:15PM. This didn’t cut into our last day in Avignon but still arrived well in advance of sunset.
Local Transportation
We briefly considered renting a car for part of the Provence portion of the trip. We weighed the ability to visit nooks and crannies and going on our own schedule against not having to navigate, drive and park. In the end public transportation won out and it worked very well for us.
Except for one mini-van tour to Gordes, Roussillon and Les Baux all local transportation was by bus or train.
Granted there are a few places we could not visit using public transportation and we were subject to bus and train schedules. However, with some planning it worked well and we had no problems.
If I had to do it over again
The only thing I would probably do differently would be to avoid all town markets. While they all vary in size they all appeared to have the same types of items for sale. The markets only served to block the view of the towns. Isle-sur-la-Sorgue was overrun by people until early afternoon.
Lodging
Aix-en-Provence - Hotel Des Augustins
Excellent location. Spotless hotel, room and bathroom. New bathroom. Room was very small. Very quiet. Fine for a one night stay.
Avignon – Hotel Bristol
Excellent location to see the city as well as proximity to the train and bus stations. Nice hotel. Spotless room and new bathroom. Very quiet room. Since we were staying for more than a week we took a larger room. Whoever designed the hotel never planned on staying there as there were a few stairs in too many places even with the elevator. Only an issue when checking in or out. We would stay there again.
Paris – Hotel Clement
The hotel, room and bathroom were spotless. Bathroom was new. I requested an inside room (no view) due to the location across the street from Saint-Germain Market. Very quiet room. The room was small but adequate and efficient. We would stay there again. Take care with checkout. They charged my card in US dollars (at a high rate) instead of Euros. Their bank refunded me 150% of the overcharge after I noticed it and emailed the hotel.
Meals
In all cases there was a breakfast café within a block of our hotels. A good start to each day with croissants and pain au chocolate while we enjoyed picnic lunches in parks and city/town squares.
There was no shortage of good neighborhood bistros for dinner that never disappointed. Crepes on Rue de la Harpe was another meal we thoroughly enjoyed.
Itinerary
A fair amount of care had to be taken as bus schedules for winter, spring and summer differ.
Aix-en-Provence (Day 0 and 1)
Our flight arrived in Marseille at 11:30 AM and we immediately took a shuttle bus to Aix-en-Provence. By 1:30 PM we were out walking the streets of this beautiful town. Winding streets, squares and fountains. Just the right number of tourists. An excellent start to the trip.
Avignon (Day 2 – 8)
Avignon is pleasant enough to wander around. However, I figured that it wouldn’t have enough to keep us busy for complete days so I planned day trips for every day with Avignon taking up either the early or late part of the day. On our last day we walked across the bridge to Villeneuve-les-Avignon. This is a beautiful area and worth the time and effort.
Saint Remy
Probably our least favorite town. Arriving early in the lunch period didn’t help either as it had an abandoned feel. Eventually people began to walk the streets but its main claim to fame appeared to be its proximity to the Roman ruins at Glanum and the hospital that housed Van Gogh. After wandering around the town for a few hours we came across our high point of the day - hearing the organ at Saint-Martin.
Pont du Gard
I had previously been to the aqueduct at Segovia. However, the setting and size of Pont du Gard is amazing. One of the “don’t miss” sights.
Uzes
I read a little about Uzes on Fodors so it was added as the bus schedule fit very well following Pont du Gard. My only regret is that we were there on market day and the main square was not at its best for viewing most of the day.
We enjoyed wandering the streets of this town with its immaculate cobblestone streets and winding pathways.
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
A truly beautiful setting of canals, waterwheels, and flower boxes. Unfortunately, I planned this day for the market and seeing the best of L’Isle was an effort. I was tempted to return for a few hours on our last day in Provence to see it without the market.
Arles
A bit of a surprise. I expected a town of Roman ruins and while it surely has them, Arles turned out to be a very pleasant wandering town as well.
Of course, I had to walk to the Van Gogh bridge. Had I known how far it is I might have thought better of that idea.
Hill Villages (Gordes, Roussillon & Les Baux)
Originally, we were going to take a minivan tour of Gordes, Roussillon, Lacoste and Menerbes. However scheduling eliminated Les Baux so we switched to a Gordes, Roussillon and Les Baux tour.
The cream color of Gordes, Orchre of Roussillon and museum feel of Les Baux made this an excellent choice of contrasting villages. The view upon approaching Gordes is nothing less than spectacular.
Montpellier
A fodorite described Montpellier as one of the most underrated cities in France. This piqued my interest and I definitely have to agree. Within a couple of minutes of leaving the train station we realized this place is special.
Montpellier has a small city feel but appears to be a mixture of Amsterdam’s squares and trolley and Paris’ architecture.
Usually a walking tour takes you from sight to sight with little in between. In Montpellier the “in betweens” are just as much of a sight as the actual sights.
Paris
Day 1
Although we’ve been to Paris several times over the years (the last time being about 10 years ago) there’s still nothing like walking along the Seine, into the Louvre courtyard, through les Tuileries to Place de la Concorde and part way up the Champs-Elysees. So that’s how we spent most of our first day in Paris.
We then veered up toward the Opera Garnier and on to Galeries Lafayette where we had tickets for the 3PM Friday fashion show. Not a designer premiere but still a fun event.
After spending some time wondering through Galeries Lafayette we then walked up towards an intersection just behind Gare Saint-Lazare to find the corner in Gustave Caillebotte’s painting Paris Street; Rainy Day. Found it.
From there we walked towards Musee Nissim de Camondo and Parc Monceau. We got there too late for the museum so we walked over to Parc Monceau. Late in the afternoon on a cloudy, cool day the park didn’t show itself in its best light. Maybe tomorrow morning after we go to the museum.
Day 2
A slightly drizzly start to the day confirmed that going to Musee Nissim de Camondo was a good idea. This museum turned out to be one of the highlights of a trip with many highlights. A mansion donated to the city – still furnished and filled with a wonderful art collection as well as a tragic story.
Unfortunately the drizzle put a damper on Parc Monceau although we did walk through on the way to the metro station. We decided the weather would not get in the way of Montmartre and judging by the crowds, others felt the same way. The winding streets of Montmartre remained charming despite the weather. By early afternoon the skies began to clear and we were glad we had not changed our plans.
After wandering around for a couple of hours we took the Metro to the Arc de Triomphe. By now the sky was mostly blue and the sun was shining on the Arc. What a sight!
I circled the Arc navigating what felt like a dozen streets in the shape of the spokes of a giant wheel. After a while we decided to walk a few blocks down the Champs-Elysees and head towards the Alma Bridge and the Eiffel Tower.
We had last been to Paris about a month after Princess Diana was killed. Many pictures and letters from children had been placed against an old fountain just beside the Alma Bridge underpass. That fountain appears to have been replaced by a “flame”. While I saw no mention of Diana, I’ve since read that it is known as Princess Diana’s Flame.
By now the weather was as good as we could have hope for so after wandering around the Eiffel Tower for a while we took a sunset cruise along the Seine. We’ve never done that before. The views of the major Paris sights from the river was amazing.
We had dinner in the area so we could walk back over to the Tower and see it lit up in the dark of night.
Day 3
Yesterday’s clearing weather appeared to be extending into today. What’s a Sunday in Paris without the Marais. On the way to the Marais we walked across the Seine behind Notre-Dame and made a stop at the Memorial to the Martyrs of the Deportation. A sobering stop.
After wandering through the streets of the Marais for a while we headed over to a very sunny and warm Place des Vosges. Excellent picnic weather.
Place des Vosges is a spectacular park and obviously not a well-kept secret. After enjoying the views for a while we headed back through the Marais streets and on to Musee Carnavalet. While interesting, it didn’t have the impact of Musee Nissim Comando.
From there we took the Metro to Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise. While I had a map that showed the burial location of many well-known people, finding the actual spot became quite tedious. We did find Edith Piaf mostly due to a small crowd thereafter walking around for a while and searching for Sarah Bernhardt we finally gave up and decided to try and make it to Musee Petit Palais for a late visit.
My notes indicated last entry at 5PM. It would be tight. We walked in at 5:10 and the sign listed last entry at 5:15. We didn’t look for any specific works but just wandering through this beautiful building was time well spent.
Day 4
Topping-off day. We walked over towards Notre-Dame and my wife spent some time in Shakespeare & Company while I was taking some photos in the area.
We walked down past the Sorbonne and over to the Pantheon. The clouds began to clear so a picnic in Luxembourg Gardens just across the street looked like a good idea. The French sure know how to make their parks and gardens. One is grander than the next!!!
While walking through the park we heard a band playing in the band shell. We sat down to listen with the rest of the crowd. Afterwards we spoke with a few people in the band and found out that the band was made up of students from several schools in the Tallahassee area. It’s a small world after all.
After our picnic lunch we sat around enjoying the park for a while and then took the Metro to the area just above Les Halles. We wandered up the pedestrian rue Montorgueil and on the way to the Palais Royal gardens came upon Passage Vivienne. This is a beautiful indoor shopping arcade similar to Galeries St Hubert in Brussels.
Eventually we found our way to Palais Royal and its gardens. Wow! We never expected such a beautiful garden. And this is a well-kept secret. While there were people, it was not crowded as some of the other parks.
Photos
You can see my photos (way too many) at:
www.travelwalks.com
Jul 16th, 2012, 02:33 PM
#4
Original Poster
DebitNM, Thanks.
Actually, we were too early for lavender as you can see by the field in front of the abbey.
That day we took a minivan tour and the driver saw the field that appeared to be more advanced so she stopped for about 15 minutes.
Photos #93 - 97 are all wall murals.
If you look at #96, I was sitting on the church steps. Look at what appears to be the church reflection in the top right windows. That's actually all painted.
In photo #97, that's a mixutre of wall mural and real people. The two people on the stairs and the two on the railing are painted. The others eating are all at an outdoor restaurant.
Amazing.
I found a self-guided walking tour and the wall murals are part of the walk.
Actually, we were too early for lavender as you can see by the field in front of the abbey.
That day we took a minivan tour and the driver saw the field that appeared to be more advanced so she stopped for about 15 minutes.
Photos #93 - 97 are all wall murals.
If you look at #96, I was sitting on the church steps. Look at what appears to be the church reflection in the top right windows. That's actually all painted.
In photo #97, that's a mixutre of wall mural and real people. The two people on the stairs and the two on the railing are painted. The others eating are all at an outdoor restaurant.
Amazing.
I found a self-guided walking tour and the wall murals are part of the walk.
Jul 17th, 2012, 05:03 PM
#6
Myer, great photos and trip report. I'm glad everything worked out for you, it looks like you had a wonderful time. I followed you to Yellowstone and I'll be a year behind you to France as well. Your detailed information is very much appreciated. Thankyou for your report, ziggypop
Jul 17th, 2012, 05:18 PM
#7
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Nice trip report, and yes, nothing like discovering a crepery that does a good job. Question, about your observation about the markets; Was this more of a problem in the small towns? We enjoyed going to street markets in Paris - I'm sure this will get old if one does it enough, but I was still surprised by this observation. Could you elaborate?
Jul 18th, 2012, 08:21 AM
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Great report and great photos.
Seems that you caught the best of Provence.
A word on St. Remy: You are right that the town is not spectacular. Here on the forum it is often recommended because it is a good base for daytrips. However, I personally prefer Arles or Avignon as bases because they are also pretty central and have more to offer.
And of course the markets: If you have seen one you have seen them all. No wonder, the products are the same (Herbier de Provence, Savon de Marseille...).
Seems that you caught the best of Provence.
A word on St. Remy: You are right that the town is not spectacular. Here on the forum it is often recommended because it is a good base for daytrips. However, I personally prefer Arles or Avignon as bases because they are also pretty central and have more to offer.
And of course the markets: If you have seen one you have seen them all. No wonder, the products are the same (Herbier de Provence, Savon de Marseille...).
Jul 18th, 2012, 09:16 AM
#10
Original Poster
Thanks all.
docdan,
Obviously, in Paris a market is quite contained. We were there for 4 days and never saw one although I'm sure they were there.
In Aix we were fine as we had part of two days. The first day there were no markets so we had no obstructed views.
The next day there were markets in a few places but not all day and they kept to their areas.
For instance, on the Cours Mirabau the market was only on one side of the street (and not the busy side) so it didn't interfere. In a few squares it was very well contained but we had been around the day before.
The issues were in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Uzes.
Isle was basically draped in market to the point seeing this beautiful town was quite difficult. We picked up some supplies and had a picnic in a park so that was fine.
I was tempted to come back for a couple of hours on our last day but we decided to wander around Avignon and walk across the bridge to Villeneuve-les-Avignon. Also, we were leaving around five to go to the TGV station for a 6:18 train to Paris.
In Uzes (I learned that it's pronouced using all the letters and not just Uze) I didn't pay too much attention to the market day schedule. This was a bus scheduling thing. In the spring the bus from Avignon to Pont-du-Gard and on to Uzes only goes to Point-du-gard parking lot only on the weekends. The other days it drops you off at a traffic circle somewhere.
I wasn't too concerned about going there but didn't want to have to "run" back to catch the bus on to Uzes. So we went on Saturday (Sunday was saved for Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and its market).
That put us there on market day. In general their market wasn't too bad except that the main square was totally draped in market for almost all day. Not just the morning when we were in Pont-du-gard.
By the time the main square was cleared it had clouded over and was pretty dull.
But now we're nitpicking about what I would have done differently. Very little.
We were quite taken with Montpellier so could have spent more time there.
As I wrote, I came across a self-guided walking tour for Montpellier and just walking between the sights would have been very pleasant on it's own even without the actualy sights.
docdan,
Obviously, in Paris a market is quite contained. We were there for 4 days and never saw one although I'm sure they were there.
In Aix we were fine as we had part of two days. The first day there were no markets so we had no obstructed views.
The next day there were markets in a few places but not all day and they kept to their areas.
For instance, on the Cours Mirabau the market was only on one side of the street (and not the busy side) so it didn't interfere. In a few squares it was very well contained but we had been around the day before.
The issues were in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Uzes.
Isle was basically draped in market to the point seeing this beautiful town was quite difficult. We picked up some supplies and had a picnic in a park so that was fine.
I was tempted to come back for a couple of hours on our last day but we decided to wander around Avignon and walk across the bridge to Villeneuve-les-Avignon. Also, we were leaving around five to go to the TGV station for a 6:18 train to Paris.
In Uzes (I learned that it's pronouced using all the letters and not just Uze) I didn't pay too much attention to the market day schedule. This was a bus scheduling thing. In the spring the bus from Avignon to Pont-du-Gard and on to Uzes only goes to Point-du-gard parking lot only on the weekends. The other days it drops you off at a traffic circle somewhere.
I wasn't too concerned about going there but didn't want to have to "run" back to catch the bus on to Uzes. So we went on Saturday (Sunday was saved for Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and its market).
That put us there on market day. In general their market wasn't too bad except that the main square was totally draped in market for almost all day. Not just the morning when we were in Pont-du-gard.
By the time the main square was cleared it had clouded over and was pretty dull.
But now we're nitpicking about what I would have done differently. Very little.
We were quite taken with Montpellier so could have spent more time there.
As I wrote, I came across a self-guided walking tour for Montpellier and just walking between the sights would have been very pleasant on it's own even without the actualy sights.
Jul 18th, 2012, 09:22 AM
#11
Original Poster
traveller99,
You mentioned Arles. About it being a base, I would have to check the bus and trains and compare it to Avignon.
We were somewhat pleasantly surprised with Arles. I expected to find a somber, drab town. I'm not sure why.
Although it has Roman remains (I hesitate to call them ruins as most are intact and used today) it was quite alive.
We really liked it.
I guess I could have added another "what I would do differently". Had I known how far the Van Gogh bridge is from the center of town I wouldn't have walked all the way there.
Unfortunately, I couldn't hitch a ride back.
You mentioned Arles. About it being a base, I would have to check the bus and trains and compare it to Avignon.
We were somewhat pleasantly surprised with Arles. I expected to find a somber, drab town. I'm not sure why.
Although it has Roman remains (I hesitate to call them ruins as most are intact and used today) it was quite alive.
We really liked it.
I guess I could have added another "what I would do differently". Had I known how far the Van Gogh bridge is from the center of town I wouldn't have walked all the way there.
Unfortunately, I couldn't hitch a ride back.
Jul 18th, 2012, 12:46 PM
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Lovely photos, Meyer.
May I ask where you found the self-guided walking tour for Montpellier? I think that will be the starting point for our trip to France next year.
I am enjoying reading your report as well.
May I ask where you found the self-guided walking tour for Montpellier? I think that will be the starting point for our trip to France next year.
I am enjoying reading your report as well.
Jul 18th, 2012, 02:34 PM
#13
Original Poster
kansas, thanks.
This is the link to the Montpellier self-guided tour. I printed the map and the descriptions and went from there. We did the "Landmark" tour although there are several others as well.
We did it in reverse since #12 is closest to the train station.
http://www.gpsmycity.com/tours/montp...tour-4638.html
This is the link to the Montpellier self-guided tour. I printed the map and the descriptions and went from there. We did the "Landmark" tour although there are several others as well.
We did it in reverse since #12 is closest to the train station.
http://www.gpsmycity.com/tours/montp...tour-4638.html
Jul 18th, 2012, 04:23 PM
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I'm enjoying your report, Myer,
Apparently, there is an enclave of Americans living in Montpellier, and there is an American Library there, which I've always wanted to check out. I corresponded once with someone who lives and works there.
Your photos are lovely. I did a photography workshop in Provence a few years ago - we were in the Valensole Plateau in late June where there are many expansive blooming lavender fields and stone cottages here and there.
I went to Avignon on my own and stayed a night. It was my least favorite place.
I also did a mini-van tour of the Luberon, and I'm wondering who your private guide was. Loved the view of Gourdes, some of the buildings in LaCoste, and Lourmarin. I missed Uzes (which looks lovely) and Isles sur La Sorgue, which my guide didn't think was worth the time.
Apparently, there is an enclave of Americans living in Montpellier, and there is an American Library there, which I've always wanted to check out. I corresponded once with someone who lives and works there.
Your photos are lovely. I did a photography workshop in Provence a few years ago - we were in the Valensole Plateau in late June where there are many expansive blooming lavender fields and stone cottages here and there.
I went to Avignon on my own and stayed a night. It was my least favorite place.
I also did a mini-van tour of the Luberon, and I'm wondering who your private guide was. Loved the view of Gourdes, some of the buildings in LaCoste, and Lourmarin. I missed Uzes (which looks lovely) and Isles sur La Sorgue, which my guide didn't think was worth the time.
Jul 18th, 2012, 05:27 PM
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Myer, I'm so impressed with how much you were able to get around without a car. It must have been quite a challenge dealing with bus and train schedules when planning all your daytrips.
Beautiful photos, too!
Beautiful photos, too!
Jul 18th, 2012, 06:20 PM
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Hi Meyer, great report with fabulous pics, merci.
Brought back so many memories of the south of France, particularly Aix.
Really enjoyed your photos of Paris too. They are beautiful. Very interested in the one of the street scene of CAILLEBOTTE’S painting PARIS STREET, RAINY DAY which I saw a few weeks ago at the MUSEE MAROTTAN MONET in Paris. There is a similar one at the Art Institute of Chicago also (faces more distinct in that one).
You might be interested in the clip about the painting.
http://youtu.be/GC_wr75z-LQ
I discussed Caillebotte in my recent trip report on Paris. Last winter the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (I live nearby) sold some of it family jewels including Renoir prints to purchase Caillebotte’s “Man Drying Himself” (man getting out of the bath – why not after so many paintings of women doing the same, eh?)
I had seen the painting last summer in London at the Portrait Gallery. Obviously, Caillebotte is hot these days.
Again, thanks for such an informative report and great pics. And kudos to you and your wife on getting around on public transportation.
Brought back so many memories of the south of France, particularly Aix.
Really enjoyed your photos of Paris too. They are beautiful. Very interested in the one of the street scene of CAILLEBOTTE’S painting PARIS STREET, RAINY DAY which I saw a few weeks ago at the MUSEE MAROTTAN MONET in Paris. There is a similar one at the Art Institute of Chicago also (faces more distinct in that one).
You might be interested in the clip about the painting.
http://youtu.be/GC_wr75z-LQ
I discussed Caillebotte in my recent trip report on Paris. Last winter the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (I live nearby) sold some of it family jewels including Renoir prints to purchase Caillebotte’s “Man Drying Himself” (man getting out of the bath – why not after so many paintings of women doing the same, eh?)
I had seen the painting last summer in London at the Portrait Gallery. Obviously, Caillebotte is hot these days.
Again, thanks for such an informative report and great pics. And kudos to you and your wife on getting around on public transportation.
Jul 19th, 2012, 06:08 AM
#18
Original Poster
susan001, Thanks.
That's interesting about the Caillebotte painting. I'm not really into art that much but my wife bought a print of it so we decided to look for the corner.
It looks somewhat different with modern street lights and no cobblestones. The funny thing is that we got all excited when we found the corner but life goes on as if that corner means nothing. Maybe it doesn't.
We really didn't rate Avignon compared to the other places we visited because its main purpose was to be a base. For that it was excellent. We were in the historic section and only five minutes from the train and bus stations.
Two years ago we did a similar trip but in Tuscany. We were based in Florence. On that trip, for obvious reason, I scheduled several days to be in Florence and break up the daytrips.
On this trip I scheduled no complete days in Avignon. We wandered around before and after the daytrips. Actually, we didn't even go inside the Pope's Palace. I read in several places it's an empty, dingy shell.
We more enjoyed the views from that park above the palace, the streets and going across the bridge to Villeneuve-les-Avignon that was very nice.
On the minivan tour I forget the guide's first name but she was young and I think her last name is Paris (good name).
Originally we were going to take the Gorde, Roussillon, Lourmarin & Lacoste tour but a bus scheduling issue caused us to lose Les Baux when we went to St Remy so we switched to Gordes, Roussillon & Les Baux.
Uzes (especially since we were only a few minutes away being at Pont-du-Gard) and Isle-sur-la-Sorgue are definitely worth the time. The setting of Isle between the canals is beautiful.
That's interesting about the Caillebotte painting. I'm not really into art that much but my wife bought a print of it so we decided to look for the corner.
It looks somewhat different with modern street lights and no cobblestones. The funny thing is that we got all excited when we found the corner but life goes on as if that corner means nothing. Maybe it doesn't.
We really didn't rate Avignon compared to the other places we visited because its main purpose was to be a base. For that it was excellent. We were in the historic section and only five minutes from the train and bus stations.
Two years ago we did a similar trip but in Tuscany. We were based in Florence. On that trip, for obvious reason, I scheduled several days to be in Florence and break up the daytrips.
On this trip I scheduled no complete days in Avignon. We wandered around before and after the daytrips. Actually, we didn't even go inside the Pope's Palace. I read in several places it's an empty, dingy shell.
We more enjoyed the views from that park above the palace, the streets and going across the bridge to Villeneuve-les-Avignon that was very nice.
On the minivan tour I forget the guide's first name but she was young and I think her last name is Paris (good name).
Originally we were going to take the Gorde, Roussillon, Lourmarin & Lacoste tour but a bus scheduling issue caused us to lose Les Baux when we went to St Remy so we switched to Gordes, Roussillon & Les Baux.
Uzes (especially since we were only a few minutes away being at Pont-du-Gard) and Isle-sur-la-Sorgue are definitely worth the time. The setting of Isle between the canals is beautiful.
Jul 19th, 2012, 06:55 AM
#19
Original Poster
susan, denisea, MaineGG, latedaytraveller,
Thanks.
I mixed up some of the responses above so I'll address the other comments.
Using public transportation wasn't really difficult. Just required some organization.
It didn't take me long to realize that the hill towns such as Gordes and Roussillon would be an issue. I briefly considered a private tour but I'm glad we didn't do that as I would have planned it for all day and included too many places.
What you want is that at the end of the day you remember each place and what was different about each one.
Three places was more than enough and the fact that they were all different was excellent.
Scheduling that was pretty easy as my wife would rather not get up early for an 8:30 tour if we can do it from 2PM to 7.
Trains. I printed out train schedules and quickly saw that there was very little difference in the schedules from day to day. I also saw which towns/cities of interest to us were accessible by train.
The only places we couldn't visit by train were Saint-Remy (and Les Baux) and Pont-du-Gard (and Uzes which is on the same bus line and only a few minutes past).
So I only had two bus trips to negotiate.
I figured my wife would want to spend some time in the market in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue so I reserved Sunday for that.
The winter, spring and summer bus schedules for Saint-Remy/Les Baux and Pont-du-Gard are different.
We went in June so that was spring. The bus to Pont-du-gard only goes into the parking lot on weekends and drops you off at a traffic circle on the other days. I didn't like the idea of having to find our way back to the traffic circle to catch the bus. I figured that just to make sure we didn't miss it we'd go early and end up waiting a half hour.
Also, in spring the bus to Saint-Remy only goes to Les Baux on weekends.
So we had one weekend day (Saturday) and two places to go.
I decided to go to Pont-du-Gard and Uzes on Saturday. That eliminated the bus to Les Baux and we went to Saint-Remy on Friday.
That left a decision with the minivan tour. Gorde, Roussillon, Lourmarin & Lacoste as originally planned or switch to Gordes, Roussillon & Les Baux. We went for the Les Baux tour.
The main reason I selected that was the buses to Les Baux were few and far between. Four hours in Les baux would have been too much. The buses to Pont-du-Gard and Uzes worked well.
Thanks.
I mixed up some of the responses above so I'll address the other comments.
Using public transportation wasn't really difficult. Just required some organization.
It didn't take me long to realize that the hill towns such as Gordes and Roussillon would be an issue. I briefly considered a private tour but I'm glad we didn't do that as I would have planned it for all day and included too many places.
What you want is that at the end of the day you remember each place and what was different about each one.
Three places was more than enough and the fact that they were all different was excellent.
Scheduling that was pretty easy as my wife would rather not get up early for an 8:30 tour if we can do it from 2PM to 7.
Trains. I printed out train schedules and quickly saw that there was very little difference in the schedules from day to day. I also saw which towns/cities of interest to us were accessible by train.
The only places we couldn't visit by train were Saint-Remy (and Les Baux) and Pont-du-Gard (and Uzes which is on the same bus line and only a few minutes past).
So I only had two bus trips to negotiate.
I figured my wife would want to spend some time in the market in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue so I reserved Sunday for that.
The winter, spring and summer bus schedules for Saint-Remy/Les Baux and Pont-du-Gard are different.
We went in June so that was spring. The bus to Pont-du-gard only goes into the parking lot on weekends and drops you off at a traffic circle on the other days. I didn't like the idea of having to find our way back to the traffic circle to catch the bus. I figured that just to make sure we didn't miss it we'd go early and end up waiting a half hour.
Also, in spring the bus to Saint-Remy only goes to Les Baux on weekends.
So we had one weekend day (Saturday) and two places to go.
I decided to go to Pont-du-Gard and Uzes on Saturday. That eliminated the bus to Les Baux and we went to Saint-Remy on Friday.
That left a decision with the minivan tour. Gorde, Roussillon, Lourmarin & Lacoste as originally planned or switch to Gordes, Roussillon & Les Baux. We went for the Les Baux tour.
The main reason I selected that was the buses to Les Baux were few and far between. Four hours in Les baux would have been too much. The buses to Pont-du-Gard and Uzes worked well.
Jul 19th, 2012, 07:02 AM
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Great report.
When we went to Provence last year, we used St. Remy as a base and quite liked it, probably because we had a car and it was an easy town to get in and out of. I think you'll find that folks using a rental car rate it a lot higher than folks using public transport.
On markets, I tend to agree with you. If you've seen one of the bigger markets, it feels like you've seen them all, and the big ones can really suffocate their host cities on market day.
When we went to Provence last year, we used St. Remy as a base and quite liked it, probably because we had a car and it was an easy town to get in and out of. I think you'll find that folks using a rental car rate it a lot higher than folks using public transport.
On markets, I tend to agree with you. If you've seen one of the bigger markets, it feels like you've seen them all, and the big ones can really suffocate their host cities on market day.
