scdreamer

My husband and I will be taking a road trip through France in September - trying to decide which would be a better base for about five days in Provence - Arles or Avignon? We will find an apartment in the older part of either city and will plan to make day trips while we are there,

What should we not miss? What should we skip?

Thanks!

TDudette

My vote is based upon one visit to each place. There was more to see in Arles. If you are a fan of Van Gogh, it's Arles. How about an Amphitheatre?

Ok, someone take up for Avignon!

KTtravel

I think both places would likely be very enjoyable. I have visited both but have only stayed in Arles which I really liked. Hopefully, someone who has spent more time in the region will be able to chime in and give you good advice.

joannyc

I enjoyed both. How about 2 nights in Avignon and 3 in Arles? Easy to do day trips from both.

Sarastro

If you don't have a car, Avignon is the transportation hub of western Provence, and maybe eastern Languedoc. It really takes about two weeks to fully explore this area, so with only 5 days, you cannot see everything. Your itinerary will likely be a matter of what to omit.

scdreamer

We will have a car - and about two and a half weeks to travel, before dropping the car and heading to Paris for a final week. I had thought we would explore Provence and then maybe make it as far as Bordeaux - thus the five days in Arles or Avignon. Looks like we may need more than five days in Provence, and that's fine. Our preference is to stay in an apartment or house - using it as a base to drive to various destinations within an area. I think packing up, checking in and out of places, and driving to the next wastes precious time.

We may be better off staying in a smaller village - have done that in the past (Bligny Sur Ouche while in Beaune, for example), but we've found ourselves a bit isolated in the evenings when doing that - few restaurants, etc. We much prefer being on foot after dark, rather than driving from one village to another for dinner.

shelemm

I didn't think much of Avignon. Aix marks the spot! Though you didn't give that as an option.

scdreamer

I'm definitely looking at Aix too - maybe split time between there and Arles. We should have a week at least, before we head to the Loire Valley. .

Sassafrass

We spent a day in Avignon, four nights in Arles and three nights in Aix. Arles and Avignon are convenient, and we enjoyed them, but Aix, though not as convenient for travel, is right out of an impressionist painting. Great food too. I would definitely stay in Aix again, probably not Avignon, but a day and a night in Arles would be fine. I would also like to stay in Uzes sometime. We also stayed three nights in Aigues Mortes and absolutely loved it, especially evenings, after tourists left.

KarenWoo

We have visited Provence many times because our daughter lives there. She used to live in Aix, which is beautiful with a lovely old town with lots of squares, fountains, etc. We spent a little bit of time in Arles and Avignon but probably not enough time to make a reliable firsthand suggestion. Aix definitely is prettier. Another place I love and would recommend to stay is St. Remy de Provence. It is lovely with plenty of restaurants and shops and squares and fountains. And close to Les Beaux. About 45 minutes from Gordes and Pont du Gard, and about 1 hour from Rouissilon. My cousin and her family stayed in St. Remy several years ago and made many day trips from there.

shelemm

Although it's not on as many popular itineraries, Aix is well located for going up to Manosque, Sisteron, and Digne, all spectacualr destinations. I also adore the Fondation Vasarely in Aix.

mjs

Agree with Karen that St Remy is a better location from which to explore much of Provence. Aix is nice small city but not convenient for most popular destinations.It is also smaller and easier to get in and out of in comparison to Avignon, Aix or Arles.

StuDudley

Agree with mjs.

We've spent 23 weeks in Provence in 7 different locations Get a magic marker and highlight every place you want to visit. Aix is our favorite city, but many more "highlighted" places are closer to Avignon. Avignon is our second favorite city, but if you stay there you'll be driving past some very ugly urban sprawl in every direction except west. St Remy has more restaurants than you'll need, and it is easier (and more scenic) to get in & out than Avignon.

See attached

Stu Dudley

TDudette

Since Aix is getting some votes, go to post #4 (and end of #3) to read the Aix part we sandwiched in our Paris visit. We loved the hotel. It had a spa, a pool, a resto, and was literally a stones throw from a parking garage.

Trip Report: A Provence Sandwich

Looking forward to reading where you end up going.

gaelle

I have stayed in Avignon, Arles and St. Remy and vote for Saint Remy. It is really easy to get in and out of, there are many restaurants so you never have to leave in the evening. There is also St. Paul de Mausole, the hospital where Van Gogh received treatment. right outside the town From St. Remy you can easily drive to les Baux and Arles one day. In Les Baux you can go to the Carriere des Lumieres which is fabulous and there is a very small but wonderful museum of santons in Les Baux. Another day you can go to Pont du Gard and Uzes. Uzes is one of my favorite towns. Another day visit Gordes, Roussillon and LaCoste .....all pretty hilltop towns. I think St Remy is the best location for that area. I forgot Avignon but that is an easy drive from St. Remy. Only worth a day's visit. After visiting all those places, I would move on to Aix and stay a few days. Bon voyage!

zebec

Yo SC,
Je propose Aix and especially Uzes, as lovely places to base. Anyone bound for the latter: we have a tip about an excellent rental there. Our all-time fave.
Another special rental that we could suggest is in Lourmarin. Very unique lodgings, trust us.
Added-value in Uzes and Lourmarin=superb farmers markets.

I am done. the townz

MaineGG

+1 for basing in Saint-Rémy. We have based there three times, twice in apartments and once in a chambre d'hôte. I love Aix and Uzès, but neither is as well-located as SR for daytripping around the region. I would not want to drive into and out of Avignon daily. When booking accommodation in SR, though, make sure you have an easy parking situation. The last apartment we were in was near the town center and had no parking. It was a bit of a hassle a couple of times to find street parking nearby.

shelemm

I have heard this before, that AIx is not as centrally located, but I think it depends on 'to what.' If you want to drop down to Marseilles and take a boat to Chateua d'If or hike Les Calanques, or if you'd like to go to Manosque/Sisteron/Digne, then Aix is closer.

So I think I would say 'it depends.'

HappyTrvlr

We stayed in Avignon and visited Arles. We wished we had stayed in Arles as we greatly preferred it to Avignon.

zebec

HT, I agree with you. Avignon is nice and has its attractions, but it is fairly described as a big town. Whatever else it is, Arles does not seem 'big'. We prefer small.
I am done. the 'A or A?' thread