With only six days to explore the provence area where would be our best bet to stay ?? Avignon or Aix ... or is it worth while to split up in bnoth places. What about Antibes??? Too far??? We will be renting a car.<BR>Thanks. Mags

I would stay NEAR Avignon and take day trips radiating from there. St. Remy would be nice. Aix and its traffic are just daunting to me--it is a pretty big city. They are not far enough apart to warrant splitting your time.

I agree with Gretchen.<BR>With a car, better not pick a city like Aix or Avignon as a base for daytrips, because you will waste time getting in and out and - unless your hotel has enough space - looking for parking.<BR>Antibes is too far east.<BR>St Remy is indeed very central and convenient. <BR>If you were not renting a car, then Avignon is the best base.

We used Aix as a base for a full week, staying in the Hotel des Augustins, which had great in and out space for us in a nearby parking garage. We were never bothered by the traffic, and found the city a perfect base. We went off to villages each day exploring, and it was a perfect place to come back to late every afternoon. Drinks at cafes on the Cours -- and an incredible selection of restaurants. The market there is fun as well. I can't wait to return to Provence and will again stay for a week in Aix. We stayed in Avignon for a few days once before that and found it less convenient. <BR><BR>I know a lot of people are into a countryside place or villa, but that just didn't appeal to me. We're not big into driving at night, especially after drinking wine and eating, so we prefer having a lively atmosphere at night instead of just the crickets chirping and nothing to do.

I spent 3 night in Aix and then 3 in Avignon a couple years ago and did day trips, by car, to surrounding areas. We stayed in motel type places on the outskirts of both towns. Very little atmosphere but easy parking and easy to get to the other areas we wanted to day trip to. Then when we wanted to be in Aix or Avignon themselves we drove to the edge of the town centers and parked. Both cities had several paid parking lots within easy walking distance of the historic centers. I like being able to go into the towns quickly and easily in the evenings and yet have easy parking for the car - so the motel type places are a compromise. There were plenty of them in both towns, out by the highways.

I have also stayed in both towns last year.<BR>Both had their charms, but I think you couldn't beat Avignon for atmosphere, setting and as a great place to base yourself. Great cafes, small enough to walk to everything and conveniently located. You are close enough to drive down to Cassis and explore the calanques/ riviera but also an hour or so from Les Baux or the Vaucluse area.<BR>We stayed in a place called Hotel Cloitre Saint Louis, which is really, really lovely. Apart from being lovely, it is just inside the walls of the old city and a five minute walk to the train station. It's easy to navigate a car in and out of town as you are right at the gates, or it's an easy walk to trains. You'll have a fantastic time!!