Amy Bailey

My parents and I are getting ready to spend 2 weeks in Provence and are looking for a charming, country place to stay..We would like to treat it as our "home base" and venture out on day trips from there...any suggestions / tips???

Anthony

For the last ten years we have used St. Remy de Provence as our base. We have stayed at "L'Amandiere", a small hotel on the outskirts of St. Remy. Rooms are quite small but immaculate. There is a lovely garden, pool, etc. Proprietors, Christophe and Claudine, are most hospitable. If budget is a consideration this is truly a gem of a place. <BR> <BR>If you seeking a more luxurious hotel try the "Chateau des Alpilles". <BR> <BR>There is a great weekly market on Wednesday mornings in St. Remy; nice shops, restaurants. <BR> <BR>For an older person this would make a fine base.

Judy

Once I used Hotel Beffroi in Vaison la Romaine as a base to travel in Provence. Vaison is a qite lovely little town with Roman Ruins, medieval village,and quite a few good restaurant.It is easy to reach many other cities or towns by buses.

xxxxx

If you're there for two weeks, why not rent a villa? Many of them are lovely (pools, beautifully furnished), and you'll have much more room to spread out. Shopping for food in the markets and boulangeries and charcuteries can be a lot of fun.

Lindsey

I absolutely LOVE Aix-en-Provence, which is a beautiful old town with a very relaxed atmosphere. Lots of wide tree-lined avenues and fountains. I have stayed several times in the Hotel Le Pigonnet, which would be great for a short break at the beginning of your trip before moving into a villa. <BR> <BR>Another gorgeous place to stay and use as a base, which is a little more Cote d'Azur than Provence is a village called Tourettes-sur-Loup, which is a medieaval village in the mountains above Nice. It's very close to St.Paul-de-Vence and Grasse, and about 20 minutes drive from the coast. The hills surrounding the village are dotted with villas of all sizes, although good hotels are harder to find. Have a great trip!