kelbo

Hi All,

In the midst of planning a 3 month mini sabbatical this summer to primarily France and Italy. We are mostly doing weeklong gite or apartment rentals but I have scheduled 3 days in between Nice and St Remy ( where we are staying a week in each) and I am trying to decide where to spend those 3 days .

I am looking at 3 options either Marseille or Aix en Provence, or the Gordes Du Verdon area . I am interested in the geography of the GDV area but my husband has an artificial ankle and while he can travel easily and walk perfectly fine we cant really take " hikes' or do serious climbing. I am really intrigued by all three places and would love any feedback from Fodorites.

Thanks so much.

DebitNM

3 days here would be lovely. We stayed there in a gite and loved it.

http://www.accommodationinprovence.com/Chambre.html

Great location with easy drives to lots of wonderful Luberon villages.

adrienne

I would choose Aix-en-Provence for 3 days. It's a beautiful town. I don't think there's enough sightseeing there for 3 days but you can explore the near by area.

I've not been to Marseilles and have only driven through the Gorges du Verdon area (from Grasse to Apt) and only stopped in one town for lunch - Moustiers-Sainte-Marie but didn't explore the town much.

StuDudley

If you go to Aix, just make sure you are not there on a Sunday or Monday morning - when shops will be closed.

Here are some places where we've spent some time between Nice & St Remy:

- St Tropez. We've stayed here for about 6 weeks.
- Inland Var around Cotignac. Lots of cute villages in this region. Pretty countryside. Stayed here for 4 weeks.
- Moustiers Ste Marie - near the Gorges. Riez is interesting also. Lots of lavender fields in the Valensole Plain. Not sure there is enough to do here for 2 1/2 days. Stayed here 2 nights plus a couple of day-trips from close by
- Entrevaux - interesting/picturesque village with a Vauban fort on top. Beautiful gorges in the area. IMO, more interesting than the Gorges du Verdun. Some nice other little villages in the region. Stayed here for 1 week.

If this was my trip, I would pick St Tropez or Entrevaux.

I would visit Aix on a day-trip from St Remy or on the way from St Tropez to St Remy. It's worth 3/4 of a day with an enjoyable lunch on the Cours Mirabeau.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

PS - we've also spent about 6-7 days (4-5 trips) in Aix & 1 day in Marseille.

Stu Dudley

AlessandraZoe

Ah, Stu, now you really have me wanting to see St Tropez again. We've never gotten to see it, even though we've spent a lot of time on the coast.

This article two years ago got me going, kelbo:
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...budget-glamour

If you go, report back!
AZ

dfourh

>>>>>> we've also spent about 6-7 days (4-5 trips) in Aix & 1 day in Marseille.

Stu - - either you were the ultimate supreme grand travel master when you saw Marseille - - and consumed it whole, in every shape and form, in a universe-class time frame - - or Aix is a better place to visit.

Which one might it be?

StuDudley

Aix.

Stu Dudley

kelbo

thanks everyone...Stu, I always appreciate your recommendations and thanks again for sending me all of your France Itineraries!

TDudette

Hi kelbo, Hub and I stayed here in Aix:

http://www.aquabella.fr/default-en.html

We took 2 mini van tours (Luberon* and Cassis) and enjoyed them. Van picked up at the hotel. It was an easy walk to lots of restos and Place Richelme (a market in the a.m. and cafe at night). About a 15 minute walk to the main road whose name I've just lost!

The hotel has names of tours. *Click my name for TR entitled "Provence Sandwich" if you want more info.

TDudette

Cours Mirabeau is what I forgot. We also took a cab to Cezanne's atelier. An uphill walk and I had breathing woes so the cab was needed.

Christina

I like Marseille and Aix, they are just very different, one isn't "better" than the other. Frankly, if I had to spend 3 days just in a town itself, I'd choose Marseille as it is more interesting and has more to do, I think. But if you are really going to go outside the city to sightsee, I'd choose Aix. I did visit Cassis from Marseille, though, that was the only day trip I did while staying there as there was a lot I wanted to see in the city itself.

PalenQ

we took a canor - self canoe thru the Gorges de Verdun - no walking required but you could tip over I think - in summer the water was not that deep.

It is a great drive along the old Route Napleon from Grasse up to the Gorge de Verdun area and Moustiers - thru a real backwater of Provence - very different than theglitzy area along the coast where the main roads IME are a complete drag - lots of bouchons - bogttlenecks and trucks, etc. - but the G d Verdun route is on secondary roads - nice roads not clogged with traffic.

The coast is nice around Cassis but betwen Nice and toulon lots of over development, etc.

dave_tweet

Most of the Marseille's neighborhoods should be avoid but some places ae lovely. Especially a small place located at the end of Marseille called "les goudes". It is the perfect place to make a boat tour and enjoy the beautiful landscape around Marseille and Cassis. It well known by the locals.

Otherwise Aix is a pleasant and safe place to stay. Some Museum are interesting.

I tried both, Aix and les good. I loved.

Enjoy your trip.
Dav,

Underhill

The Gorges du Verdon are terrific for scenery as long as you don't mind narrow, winding roads with steep drop-offs. If you do, head south from Moustiers-Ste-Marie instead and explore the countryside around the Lac de Ste-Croix.

PalenQ

If a scardey cat check the Michelin map to see which side of the Verdun Gorge to drive along - as I recall one side is a bit more hair-raising then the other - I took the road along the north side and do not remember too many scary places but I guess it depends on what you call scary.

StuDudley

The circular Routes des Cretes is the scary part. No guard rails & steep drops.

Stu Dudley

kelbo

thanks everyone.... have narrowed it down to Moustiers Ste Marie and Stu's recommendation of Entrevaux , as we decided we like the feel of smaller towns.