14 days and countless croissants...winding our way through Provence and environs
Oct 18th, 2019, 12:02 PM
#23
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A few words about driving in the French countryside: do it! It is not at all difficult, as we Americans drive on the same side of the road. The signage is easy enough to decipher and, after a time or two, negotiating the roundabouts is second nature. Even driving the tiny, narrowest roads was fun. I am sure that having a GPS made all the difference. Driving in the cities is, in my opinion, an entirely different story. The bigger the city, the more difficult it was. More on that to come.
I also want to thank St Cirq, Sassafrass and kja for encouraging me to visit the Camargue. It was very much a highlight of our trip, which will evoke great memories for a long time to come. For me, that’s a large part of what travel is about. Once the experience is over, what lives on in your memory?
On to Aigues-Mortes
Elisabeth served us a fortifying breakfast, and sent us on our way. The drive from Uzes to our next stop, Aigues-Mortes, was only a little over an hour. We were very excited for this part of our adventure.
I experienced difficulty finding accommodations in Aigues-Mortes for our dates. Some options were very expensive, many others unavailable. What I can say is that, for such a small village, there are choices in every price point.
I took kja’s lead (thanks kja!) and booked two rooms for two nights at Chez Carriere, a very small hotel on a pedestrian street in the heart of the walled city, very close to the Place Saint Louis. The rooms, above a restaurant bearing the same name, are small and v-e-r-y basic, but impeccably clean. The proprietors Eric and Corinne are native to Aigues-Mortes and have had this property in their family for many years. They take obvious pride in their establishment, were kind and helpful, and the breakfast for 10e was convenient and good (the croissants and baguettes get an A-, the ham a C, but who needs ham?) They served great coffee and plenty of it. They offer free parking in one of three lots right outside the city walls.
Unique to me was that no attendant was on the premises beginning late afternoon/early evening. We were provided a door code and came and left as we pleased. It was a little eerie coming back at night to a seemingly empty building. I understand that this has to do with the French star rating system and how long a front desk needs to be open.
We dropped our bags and went downstairs to the hotel restaurant. The weather was fantastic, as it was for the whole of our trip, so we opted to sit on the patio. We enjoyed a three course formule fish lunch, which was good and filling. On to explore!
Aigues-Mortes is a well preserved, medieval walled village. It is steeped in history, which unfortunately I didn’t have the opportunity to learn prior to the trip. I do believe that it was the starting point for the failed 7th and 8th century crusades.
We began meandering the streets (it’s impossible to get lost), passed through the Place Saint Louis with its pretty fountain, and headed over to climb the ramparts. They literally encircle the whole of the old village, and provide for a nice view of the town within and the pink salt marshes beyond. The marshes, by the way, seem to change color with the changing sunlight. As the sun went down, the marshes turned a deeper pink. It was really quite striking.
The ramparts and towers are interesting and well maintained, providing history vignettes and installations along the way. It was a pretty cool tour, and I’m glad we did it. It also made for a good, long walk, and some great photo ops.
Back on the ground, we had coffee, poked in and out of shops, a small museum and gallery and the old beautiful church. Yes, I am one who thinks most all churches in Europe are beautiful.
The evening was spent doing lots more walking. I am one to enjoy a big evening meal; Randi prefers a light evening meal. In any event, it was Sunday night (and then Monday night) and many of the restaurants in town were closed. We settled on tapas two doors from our hotel. Nothing special, but it did the trick.
Next installment is about our wonderful day in the Camargue. First, a few thoughts on Aigues-Mortes...
We, and particularly Randi, knew that the Camargue was a must do. I pushed to stay in Aigues-Mortes, enamored with the allure of medieval romance. While I am glad we visited, after a short while, I kept hearing Stu Dudley in my ear, saying how bored he’d be with two days in Aigues-Mortes. Truth is that I found it very touristy. If I were to visit the area again, I would look into staying on a mas (as I understand, a sort of working ranch) somewhere in the Camargue. There are so many, and it would provide a different experience altogether.
I also want to thank St Cirq, Sassafrass and kja for encouraging me to visit the Camargue. It was very much a highlight of our trip, which will evoke great memories for a long time to come. For me, that’s a large part of what travel is about. Once the experience is over, what lives on in your memory?
On to Aigues-Mortes
Elisabeth served us a fortifying breakfast, and sent us on our way. The drive from Uzes to our next stop, Aigues-Mortes, was only a little over an hour. We were very excited for this part of our adventure.
I experienced difficulty finding accommodations in Aigues-Mortes for our dates. Some options were very expensive, many others unavailable. What I can say is that, for such a small village, there are choices in every price point.
I took kja’s lead (thanks kja!) and booked two rooms for two nights at Chez Carriere, a very small hotel on a pedestrian street in the heart of the walled city, very close to the Place Saint Louis. The rooms, above a restaurant bearing the same name, are small and v-e-r-y basic, but impeccably clean. The proprietors Eric and Corinne are native to Aigues-Mortes and have had this property in their family for many years. They take obvious pride in their establishment, were kind and helpful, and the breakfast for 10e was convenient and good (the croissants and baguettes get an A-, the ham a C, but who needs ham?) They served great coffee and plenty of it. They offer free parking in one of three lots right outside the city walls.
Unique to me was that no attendant was on the premises beginning late afternoon/early evening. We were provided a door code and came and left as we pleased. It was a little eerie coming back at night to a seemingly empty building. I understand that this has to do with the French star rating system and how long a front desk needs to be open.
We dropped our bags and went downstairs to the hotel restaurant. The weather was fantastic, as it was for the whole of our trip, so we opted to sit on the patio. We enjoyed a three course formule fish lunch, which was good and filling. On to explore!
Aigues-Mortes is a well preserved, medieval walled village. It is steeped in history, which unfortunately I didn’t have the opportunity to learn prior to the trip. I do believe that it was the starting point for the failed 7th and 8th century crusades.
We began meandering the streets (it’s impossible to get lost), passed through the Place Saint Louis with its pretty fountain, and headed over to climb the ramparts. They literally encircle the whole of the old village, and provide for a nice view of the town within and the pink salt marshes beyond. The marshes, by the way, seem to change color with the changing sunlight. As the sun went down, the marshes turned a deeper pink. It was really quite striking.
The ramparts and towers are interesting and well maintained, providing history vignettes and installations along the way. It was a pretty cool tour, and I’m glad we did it. It also made for a good, long walk, and some great photo ops.
Back on the ground, we had coffee, poked in and out of shops, a small museum and gallery and the old beautiful church. Yes, I am one who thinks most all churches in Europe are beautiful.
The evening was spent doing lots more walking. I am one to enjoy a big evening meal; Randi prefers a light evening meal. In any event, it was Sunday night (and then Monday night) and many of the restaurants in town were closed. We settled on tapas two doors from our hotel. Nothing special, but it did the trick.
Next installment is about our wonderful day in the Camargue. First, a few thoughts on Aigues-Mortes...
We, and particularly Randi, knew that the Camargue was a must do. I pushed to stay in Aigues-Mortes, enamored with the allure of medieval romance. While I am glad we visited, after a short while, I kept hearing Stu Dudley in my ear, saying how bored he’d be with two days in Aigues-Mortes. Truth is that I found it very touristy. If I were to visit the area again, I would look into staying on a mas (as I understand, a sort of working ranch) somewhere in the Camargue. There are so many, and it would provide a different experience altogether.
Oct 18th, 2019, 12:21 PM
#24
I am quite happy that you liked Aigues Mortes which not enough visitors bother to seen because the available documentation does not make it seem sufficiently interesting.
Here is my own photo report about Aigues Mortes from quite a few years ago: Aigues-Mortes | Any Port in a Storm
Here is my own photo report about Aigues Mortes from quite a few years ago: Aigues-Mortes | Any Port in a Storm
Oct 18th, 2019, 04:10 PM
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Still enjoying your report! Uzes looks very pretty! Haven’t been there yet, and don’t think we will have the time in April/May when we are traveling with friends. But I will put it on my list when we visit our daughter another time.
Haven’t been to Aigues-Mortes, but we did spend a day in the Camarque a few years ago, and we loved it!! We were so fortunate to see thousands of flamingoes!!! What an amazing sight!!!
Haven’t been to Aigues-Mortes, but we did spend a day in the Camarque a few years ago, and we loved it!! We were so fortunate to see thousands of flamingoes!!! What an amazing sight!!!
Oct 18th, 2019, 05:26 PM
#29
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Karen Woo, I stayed 2 nights on my own in Aix prior to meeting up with my friend. Thereafter,
Uzes - 2 nights
Aigues-Mortes - 2 nights
St. Remy - 3 nights
Bonnieux - 3 nights
Nice - 2 nights
We had debated about day tripping from 1 or 2 bases, since everything is so close. We ultimately decided to move around. We extended our stay in the Luberon from 2 to 3 nights, because we adored the area and the chambre d'hote where we stayed. If I had to do it again, I would still visit Aigues-Mortes, but would stay elsewhere. Also, I would have asked for a nicer room at the Grimaldi in Nice.
If you want any specifics about the properties we stayed at, please feel free to ask.
Uzes - 2 nights
Aigues-Mortes - 2 nights
St. Remy - 3 nights
Bonnieux - 3 nights
Nice - 2 nights
We had debated about day tripping from 1 or 2 bases, since everything is so close. We ultimately decided to move around. We extended our stay in the Luberon from 2 to 3 nights, because we adored the area and the chambre d'hote where we stayed. If I had to do it again, I would still visit Aigues-Mortes, but would stay elsewhere. Also, I would have asked for a nicer room at the Grimaldi in Nice.
If you want any specifics about the properties we stayed at, please feel free to ask.
Oct 18th, 2019, 10:28 PM
#30
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I'm so glad you enjoyed Aigues-Mortes and Chez Carriere -- as you say, the accomodations are basic, but the family members are so welcoming, aren't they? I'm looking forward to your observations on the amazing Camargue.
Oct 19th, 2019, 09:31 AM
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Hi kja! Happy that you're here!
JulieVikmanis, you too! I have enjoyed your trip reports for years. Do I recall that you are related to Bobthenavigator, or did I dream that?
Croatia is definitely on my bucket list, but I haven't been yet. Provence is easy and most enjoyable by car. As I mentioned above, it would be easy to stay in one or two locales and just day trip around,or move around as we did, as everything is so close.
JulieVikmanis, you too! I have enjoyed your trip reports for years. Do I recall that you are related to Bobthenavigator, or did I dream that?
Croatia is definitely on my bucket list, but I haven't been yet. Provence is easy and most enjoyable by car. As I mentioned above, it would be easy to stay in one or two locales and just day trip around,or move around as we did, as everything is so close.
Oct 19th, 2019, 11:15 AM
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iregeo2, we will be in Provence with our friends for 5 nights. I initially considered staying in 2 locations, but my husband prefers staying in one place, so we have decided to stay in St. Remy for 5 nights. I was curious where you stayed, but you were obviously gone longer than us. I think because we will be in Provence for only 5 nights that St. Remy should work.
Oct 20th, 2019, 11:19 AM
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The Camargue
What a day!
The Camargue is a large nature preserve filled with lagoons, marshes, vegetation, white horses, black bulls, flamingos and birds of many colors. To some, it is considered the wild West of France. I think the region may be considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We had big plans. We were to see the bird sanctuary, the Camargue Museum and a small train tour of the pink salt marshes. So much for plans.
Our host Eric helped us map our way to the bird sanctuary. Truth is, you can't get lost here. There are only a few small roads that connect, and if you take the wrong one, it will eventually get you where you want to go. The scenery is so beautiful, you probably won't mind the detour.
As many do, we abandoned hopes of seeing wild Camargue horses running through the water. We were plenty excited to see white horses and black bulls on private land right from FiFi! We found safe places to pull off the road to photograph the animals in the fields and bird life in the lagoons.
I was concerned the bird sanctuary would be "zoo like." Not so. It is miles of trails through a nature park where birds abound, particularly flamingos. The attendant suggested a route to see the most birds at that time of day. It was a beautiful two mile, flat walk through nature, with literally thousands of flamingos and a smattering of other birds. There were a few raised platforms to see marshlands on the other side of the park. We took way too many photos and enjoyed ourselves tremendously.
We decided to abandon our remaining plans, and drove to Saint Marie-de-la-Mer for lunch. We found one of the only restaurants open at that hour and ate on a patio with a view of the Mediterranean Sea. After days of duck, octopus and fois gras, I opted for a good old cheeseburger and french fries! It was soooo good.
As a personal aside, I was very excited that my adult son had just been awarded a marketing job with the athletic department at USC and was driving home to California from Arkansas while I was in France. So, here I was, having lunch at a southern most tip of a foreign country on another continent, when I saw a man in a USC sweatshirt! Yep...I was the ugly American who got out of my seat, went to edge of the patio and shouted to the man across the street "fight on!"
The remainder of our day was spent simply driving the small roads in the Camargue, enjoying our surroundings. It really was a beautiful day.
What a day!
The Camargue is a large nature preserve filled with lagoons, marshes, vegetation, white horses, black bulls, flamingos and birds of many colors. To some, it is considered the wild West of France. I think the region may be considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.
We had big plans. We were to see the bird sanctuary, the Camargue Museum and a small train tour of the pink salt marshes. So much for plans.
Our host Eric helped us map our way to the bird sanctuary. Truth is, you can't get lost here. There are only a few small roads that connect, and if you take the wrong one, it will eventually get you where you want to go. The scenery is so beautiful, you probably won't mind the detour.
As many do, we abandoned hopes of seeing wild Camargue horses running through the water. We were plenty excited to see white horses and black bulls on private land right from FiFi! We found safe places to pull off the road to photograph the animals in the fields and bird life in the lagoons.
I was concerned the bird sanctuary would be "zoo like." Not so. It is miles of trails through a nature park where birds abound, particularly flamingos. The attendant suggested a route to see the most birds at that time of day. It was a beautiful two mile, flat walk through nature, with literally thousands of flamingos and a smattering of other birds. There were a few raised platforms to see marshlands on the other side of the park. We took way too many photos and enjoyed ourselves tremendously.
We decided to abandon our remaining plans, and drove to Saint Marie-de-la-Mer for lunch. We found one of the only restaurants open at that hour and ate on a patio with a view of the Mediterranean Sea. After days of duck, octopus and fois gras, I opted for a good old cheeseburger and french fries! It was soooo good.
As a personal aside, I was very excited that my adult son had just been awarded a marketing job with the athletic department at USC and was driving home to California from Arkansas while I was in France. So, here I was, having lunch at a southern most tip of a foreign country on another continent, when I saw a man in a USC sweatshirt! Yep...I was the ugly American who got out of my seat, went to edge of the patio and shouted to the man across the street "fight on!"
The remainder of our day was spent simply driving the small roads in the Camargue, enjoying our surroundings. It really was a beautiful day.
Oct 20th, 2019, 12:21 PM
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