6 nights in Provence, one base or two
 

I have the last of month in France to organise driving from Carcassonne to Provence for 6 nights. Intend to tour the region around St Remy and would like to see some Luberon villages. I will be driving to Annecy following Provence.
Should I base the 6 nights in St Remy or is it an advantage to also have a base in Luberon?

For more than 5 nights, I always advise first-timers to stay in 2 different places. St Remy to get the village feel with lots of restaurants, cafes, and shops - then in the "countryside" in the Luberon to be closer to the Sault Lavender fields, "cute little villages", and the gorges just north of the Luberon.

You can certainly stay in only 1 location, but establishing two will give you a little different "experience". Also, staying in the same (perhaps "too small"?) hotel room starts to get old for me in about 4 nights (actually, we stay in Gites - not hotels).

Stu Dudley

I agree with Stu--for a first time visit when you want to see as much as possible and not waste time commuting, two lodging sites would be an advantage. There is more than enough to keep you busy with a base in St. Remy for three nights--you will want to prioritize your day trips. Moving closer to the Luberon will then give you easy access to lots of villages and sights in that area. Have fun!

I also agree with others. We split our time between St. Remy and Roussillon while in Provence several years ago. We loved both areas.

We spent 2 weeks in a wonderful gite in Saint Saturnin les Apt and did day trips in every direction with little effort. We covered close to 2 dozen villages, some a short drive, others longer but all under an hour away.

While I believe the gites are rented weekly, the do have a chambre d'hotel [like a B&B setup] that can be rented nightly.

http://www.accommodationinprovence.com/

Stay in St Remy and after there, stay in the Luberon, mabybe Lourmarin or Bonnieux before heading to Annecy (a favorite of mine)