A stellar month in southeastern France
Dec 8th, 2019, 02:07 PM
#261
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Thanks for taking the time to post such an extensive trip report, kja. Sounds like you had an amazing time. I am in the early stages of planning a tip to Paris and Provence next year, and I'm sure I will refer back to this again later.
Dec 8th, 2019, 02:39 PM
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@ pgtraveler: I did have an amazing time, and am glad to know that my trip report is proving useful to you -- many thanks for letting me know! Paris and Provence both offer an incredible array of options, so I'm sure you'll have a great trip.
Dec 11th, 2019, 04:31 AM
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kja I just reread your trip report. I had read it months ago when I was just starting my research. Now that I have studied guides, magazine articles, blogs and have had sooo much great help on this Forum, I can read this trip report with different eyes. I, too, love museums, gardens and cafes and can’t wait to explore some of Provence next fall. The detail you provide is so helpful! I would love to travel like you do — going from sight to sight and town to town for a month. My husband is opposite 😊 so we take turns on the style of our trips.
Is there a place or two from this trip that you would want to return and stay for a longer length of time?
Is there a place or two from this trip that you would want to return and stay for a longer length of time?
Dec 11th, 2019, 05:24 PM
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@ lrice: I'm glad my report is proving helpful to you and am sure you'll have a wonderful time, as the area has much to offer no matter one's travel style! I would be happy to return to just about any of the places I visited on this trip -- they each held options that I find delightful! If your question is where would I have liked more time than I had, then my answers would be Marseille, Lyon, and Nice. If your question is where I would go if I wasn't moving around so much, then note that much of what I visited COULD have been visited as day trips from just a few bases, such as Nice, Marseille, or Arles. I simply prefer to move on, rather than backtrack -- no need to do that! But maybe you meant something else?
Dec 12th, 2019, 05:20 PM
#266
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@ lrice: In that case, let me elaborate a bit:
- I had not expected to find Lyon as intriguing as I did. I "lost" time there to a morning of illness and then lost additional hours because of unexpected closures and time at the TI office, but even if I had put every one of those moments to full use, I would have enjoyed even more time in this fascinating city. I had given it 3 full days plus the evening of my arrival; in retrospect, I would have given it at least one day more than that, if not two.
- Similarly, I had not expected to be as charmed by Nice as I was, nor had I expected how much time I would want for certain sites (e.g., the gardens of the Cimiez Monastery or grounds and cemeteries of Castle Hill). Again, I "lost" time in Nice -- the better part of a day -- in this case because of a delayed flight, but even if I had arrived on time, I would not have had time for everything I would have liked to see, so in retrospect, I would have given it at least one more day than the close to 4 days I had allotted.
- I saw most of what I wanted to see in Marseille in the 3.5 days I gave it, but oooh, I did love Marseille and would definitely have enjoyed more time to roam it's fascinating neighborhoods and see some of its lesser sights.
Dec 12th, 2019, 11:09 PM
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Yes, very interesting! What did you think about the location of your hotel in Nice? My 23-year old was in Nice the same time you were. She lived in an apartment off Rue Massena. She loved Nice! (Wished it was warmer!) She also said she would stay in Old Town next time.
Dec 13th, 2019, 04:48 PM
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If I understand correctly -- and I could be wrong! -- the Rue Massena becomes the Rue de France right by where I stayed, at the Hotel Solara, so if I'm following, the place your daughter stayed in Nice is just steps from where I stayed! I don't think you would regret either option. 
The Rue Massena seems to extend just a few blocks from near the Hotel Solara to the wonderful Place Massena. IMO, that was a delightful location for Nice -- within what I would consider easy walking distance to many of the places I most wanted to see, and within easy walking distance of bus stops that were convenient for visits to most of the places I wanted to see that were not within easy walking distance of my hotel. Too, I like to stay within easy walking distance of good restaurants, and this location certainly met that need! I doubt that any lodgings along the Rue Massena offer views of the sea -- and that's important to many people -- but if that isn't crucial to you, I would think that the Rue Massena would be a very good place to stay.
I can also understand that your daughter might recommend Nice's Old Town as a place to stay -- its a charming area also affording easy access to restaurants and sites!
One's impressions can, I think, be easily mistaken if based on limited exposure -- and honestly, I had little time in these neighborhoods! -- but here are the things that struck me as differences:
The Rue Massena seems to extend just a few blocks from near the Hotel Solara to the wonderful Place Massena. IMO, that was a delightful location for Nice -- within what I would consider easy walking distance to many of the places I most wanted to see, and within easy walking distance of bus stops that were convenient for visits to most of the places I wanted to see that were not within easy walking distance of my hotel. Too, I like to stay within easy walking distance of good restaurants, and this location certainly met that need! I doubt that any lodgings along the Rue Massena offer views of the sea -- and that's important to many people -- but if that isn't crucial to you, I would think that the Rue Massena would be a very good place to stay.
I can also understand that your daughter might recommend Nice's Old Town as a place to stay -- its a charming area also affording easy access to restaurants and sites!
One's impressions can, I think, be easily mistaken if based on limited exposure -- and honestly, I had little time in these neighborhoods! -- but here are the things that struck me as differences:
- The area I stayed along the rue Massena is, I think, an area that was mostly built after WWII. The area has an architectural integrity that would be consistent with the idea that it was redeveloped more-or-less of-a-piece in that time span, and streets, pedestrian or otherwise, are a bit broader in that area. in contrast, Nice's Old Town includes a greater diversity of buildings that generally pre-date WWII, scattered along the kinds of narrow streets that scream (so wonderfully!) OLD! VERY OLD! and with styles that range from very old through at least the Renaissance.
- As suggested by that description, walking to, and especially wheeling luggage to, accommodations in Old Town might be a bit more challenging than for the rue Massena -- but again, it depends! There are a few sections of Old Town that I believe could be reached without cobbles or height differentials, but crowds might be a problem at certain times of year. My hotel was just a short block from a stop made by the bus from Nice's airport, but I believe the bus routes have changed since I was there, so I can no longer speak to ease of access. I'm sorry I can't be clearer -- maybe you can check on google maps? If it were me, that would be a consideration.
- The street on which I stayed was decidedly a touristed pedestrian avenue, lined by outdoor cafes (of varying types and quality -- I ate at none) and shops (high-end and souvenir). I wish I could say that Nice's Old Town offered a substantially different experience, but for me, it did not -- the streets were much more narrow, and they were also lined by restaurants, cafes, and shops. The one big difference: I saw many more artisan / craft shops in the Old Town (in many cases, rather high end stuff.)
- One thing that I didn't expect: I fell in love with Juame Plensa's Seven Sculptures, which decorate the space of / near Nice's Place Massena. I so enjoyed walking through that square every night! One can, of course, do that wherever one stays, but it was a natural path for me on most nights.
Jan 11th, 2020, 02:45 AM
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Hi kja ,
Yes, you are a great help! Thank you so much!
I recently found out that an acquaintance’s sister lives in L’isle-sur-la-Sorgue. I was telling her (the sister) my thoughts of living and working in France with my husband for a month next September. I found a beautiful apartment in Aix-en-Provence on Rue Espariat and another near the Clock Tower.
Well... I’m up in the middle of night for no good reason so I checked my email and the sister wrote me a long email about our planned stay in France.,
She has never been to Aix but has heard wonderful things about it and thinks Aix would be a good fit for our month. However, she suggested that I research Lyon, saying that it is a beautiful town with lots of architecture, history and art, and neighborhoods. So, I just went through your report (and need to find isabel ’s) and re-read your sections on Aix and Lyon. Could you compare the two cities for me please? Pros, cons, differences? We love Haussmann architecture (although I know neither city has it), French balconies, outdoor cafes, gardens, markets — okay, I’m describing Paris haha 😊
Thank you in advance! 😊
Back to sleep hopefully!
Yes, you are a great help! Thank you so much!
I recently found out that an acquaintance’s sister lives in L’isle-sur-la-Sorgue. I was telling her (the sister) my thoughts of living and working in France with my husband for a month next September. I found a beautiful apartment in Aix-en-Provence on Rue Espariat and another near the Clock Tower.
Well... I’m up in the middle of night for no good reason so I checked my email and the sister wrote me a long email about our planned stay in France.,
She has never been to Aix but has heard wonderful things about it and thinks Aix would be a good fit for our month. However, she suggested that I research Lyon, saying that it is a beautiful town with lots of architecture, history and art, and neighborhoods. So, I just went through your report (and need to find isabel ’s) and re-read your sections on Aix and Lyon. Could you compare the two cities for me please? Pros, cons, differences? We love Haussmann architecture (although I know neither city has it), French balconies, outdoor cafes, gardens, markets — okay, I’m describing Paris haha 😊
Thank you in advance! 😊
Back to sleep hopefully!
Last edited by lrice; Jan 11th, 2020 at 03:05 AM.
Jan 11th, 2020, 08:13 AM
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Great trip report! I’m taking a solo trip in June, most of it in southern France. Very detailed and helpful information. I was going to fly round trip to Paris, but have now decided to fly into Marseille to begin the trip and fly home from Paris. Thanks for taking the time to share your travel experiences!
Jan 11th, 2020, 08:22 AM
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@ lrice: IMO, either Aix-en-Provence or Lyon could be a wonderful place to spend a month! Here are some of my impressions:
Aix is much smaller, and it feels that way. It is a very pretty place, with lots of trees and fountains. Tourists, and tour groups, visit Aix with some frequency, and the city is small enough that the groups, in particular, are noticeable, and it would seem that many of the cafes and restaurants that line some of Aix's beautiful streets rely heavily on tourism for their business. It would be a great base if venturing into Provence is a goal. I spent very little time outside the historic core, which I believe is compact enough to be easily walked in a day, so my experience could well be very different than that of anyone spending more than a few days there. After about 1.5 days, much of which I spent inside museums and churches, I felt that I'd seen what I wanted to see in Aix. I found it charming, could easily understand why so many tourists want to see it, and wondered what tourism has done to the residents.
Lyon is much bigger and much less dependent upon tourism. After 3 full days, I felt that I'd only begun to scratch the surface and am well aware that I never even made it into a number of the city's districts that I'm sure I would have enjoyed. It is architecturally fascinating, with several distinct waves of development, and as a city with a tradition of less space than residents and businesses wanted, it's historic core has less open spaces than Aix -- but it certainly has them, including some that are quite large. I noticed other tourists there, particularly in the Old Town, but I felt that I was visiting a city where people live without necessarily relying on tourism. There are any number of places one could conveniently visit from Lyon, but it certainly wouldn't be as convenient for visiting Provence as Aix -- not that doing so would be particularly problematic. While both cities have a number of wonderful museums, most of the ones in Aix can (individual) be fully explored in an hour or two; some of Lyon's museums hold collections that could easily keep one busy for a day or more. I found Lyon fascinating and full of history and art and architecture and had the sense that (like its traboules), there's a lot there that casual visitors will never see. And of course, Lyon is famous for its cuisine, but one can spend time there eating quite well without partaking of Lyonnaise cuisine if that's one's preference.
I hope the impressions prove useful to you, and I'm sure you will keep in mind that they are observations from someone who spent minimal time in these two magnificent locations. Good luck with your decision -- I think it's a bit of an apples vs. oranges choice.
Here are some of my impressions:Aix is much smaller, and it feels that way. It is a very pretty place, with lots of trees and fountains. Tourists, and tour groups, visit Aix with some frequency, and the city is small enough that the groups, in particular, are noticeable, and it would seem that many of the cafes and restaurants that line some of Aix's beautiful streets rely heavily on tourism for their business. It would be a great base if venturing into Provence is a goal. I spent very little time outside the historic core, which I believe is compact enough to be easily walked in a day, so my experience could well be very different than that of anyone spending more than a few days there. After about 1.5 days, much of which I spent inside museums and churches, I felt that I'd seen what I wanted to see in Aix. I found it charming, could easily understand why so many tourists want to see it, and wondered what tourism has done to the residents.
Lyon is much bigger and much less dependent upon tourism. After 3 full days, I felt that I'd only begun to scratch the surface and am well aware that I never even made it into a number of the city's districts that I'm sure I would have enjoyed. It is architecturally fascinating, with several distinct waves of development, and as a city with a tradition of less space than residents and businesses wanted, it's historic core has less open spaces than Aix -- but it certainly has them, including some that are quite large. I noticed other tourists there, particularly in the Old Town, but I felt that I was visiting a city where people live without necessarily relying on tourism. There are any number of places one could conveniently visit from Lyon, but it certainly wouldn't be as convenient for visiting Provence as Aix -- not that doing so would be particularly problematic. While both cities have a number of wonderful museums, most of the ones in Aix can (individual) be fully explored in an hour or two; some of Lyon's museums hold collections that could easily keep one busy for a day or more. I found Lyon fascinating and full of history and art and architecture and had the sense that (like its traboules), there's a lot there that casual visitors will never see. And of course, Lyon is famous for its cuisine, but one can spend time there eating quite well without partaking of Lyonnaise cuisine if that's one's preference.
I hope the impressions prove useful to you, and I'm sure you will keep in mind that they are observations from someone who spent minimal time in these two magnificent locations. Good luck with your decision -- I think it's a bit of an apples vs. oranges choice.
Jan 11th, 2020, 12:06 PM
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Agree with everything kja noted about Aix and Lyon. It is very much an apples and oranges situation - two entirely different places. Aix held my attention for about a day. Lyon I could spend months in.
Curious how you plan to work in France for a month- are you EU citizens or will you have work visas?
Curious how you plan to work in France for a month- are you EU citizens or will you have work visas?
Jan 11th, 2020, 12:34 PM
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@ StCirq: I'm glad you agree with my descriptions! 
I find it difficult to provide a confident summary of my impressions when I'm fully aware that my experiences were very limited.
I find it difficult to provide a confident summary of my impressions when I'm fully aware that my experiences were very limited.
Jan 12th, 2020, 07:43 AM
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Woke up to this article today; maybe it’s a sign! Haha
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...1a9_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...1a9_story.html
Jan 12th, 2020, 07:43 AM
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Woke up to this article today; maybe it’s a sign! Haha
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...1a9_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...1a9_story.html
Jan 12th, 2020, 08:55 AM
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@ lrice: Should be interesting!
For those who don't like to open links, lrice's link is to an article noting the opening of a museum in Lyon dedicated to that city's culinary tradition.
For those who don't like to open links, lrice's link is to an article noting the opening of a museum in Lyon dedicated to that city's culinary tradition.
