Avignon vs. St Remy
 

Hi,
Second forum for my trip, but wanted to focus on this question: If I want a base in Provence for a few days (not coast, that's the first part of my trip) to do a couple of day trips, see Lavender, explore a market etc. Which is a better option, Avignon, or St Remy. Also, what would be a couple of "can't miss" villages to choose. I was hoping to see Arles, but Roussillion, Gordes and others have also been recommended. I am obviously time limited and can't see everything, but would like to do the best I can. Thanks!
Daniella

With auto or without?

If you have a car, probably St Remy as it is small so easier to drive in/out of or find a place that might have some parking, even if on the outskirts. IN case you didn't know, Arles isn't a village,it's a city. If you don't have a car, you shouldn't stay in St Remy as there is no train station, stay in Avignon.

I like Roussillon a lot, Gordes is okay but not worth the trouble IMO.

Agree with St Remy. From there we took day trips to see Avignon, Les Baux, Arles, Nimes, Pont de Gard, Aix, and the Luberon cities mentioned above. We were in St Remy for 6 days, though. We rented a car in Avignon upon arrival from Paris via TGV.

Avignon is a relatively big city with all of the services that that implies. Saint Rémy is not, although it is big enough to cover just about anybody's needs.

So what really counts is having a car or not. If you don't have a car, choose Avignon. If you do have a car, either city is good, but Saint Rémy is cuter.

Avignon is more my cup of tea - I like larger lively cities - when I was in St-Remy one August in afternoon during the long noon it seemed like a ghost town with - Avignon attracts a lot of foreign tourists and French too - to me it is no choice - I love to see folks milling around the streets at night - in St Remy it would be the street - just a small main drag.

So small quiet town or one that is lively day and night - to me hands down Avignon (or Arles) but as an arcane French saying says A cjhacun son gout - everyone has their own taste - Avignon is not a terror to drive in or out of as it is not that big but if going by public transports then Arles or Avignon of course as St-Remy has sporadic bus service and no trains.

It really depends on whether or not you plan to have a car. Until we know that, hard to say. I'm not sure how you would easily travel from St. Remy without a car. If one of your goals is to see lavender in this area, you should visit Gordes and surrounding area.

When are you planning to go?

It really depends on whether or not you plan to have a car. Until we know that, hard to say. I'm not sure how you would easily travel from St. Remy without a car. If one of your goals is to see lavender in this area, you should visit Gordes and surrounding area.

When are you planning to go?

I stayed in Avignon without a car and took traveled by bus, train, boat to see other places. You can walk across the bridge to Villeneurve-les-Avignon, a lovely old villages where the popes lived and has a famous provincial garden
and a wonderful flea market on Saturdays.
Gordes is one of my favorite perche villages.

WHEN are you going? The lavender blooms usually from late June through early August. Sault is one of the best places to see the flowers in full bloom.

If you don't have a car you'll find it difficult to visit the Lubéron villages--or quite a few other spots. Trains serve only major cities, and the bus schedule is set for students and commuters.

Sorry all, I wasn't able to sign back in until now. Thank you for the tips, I was planning on having a car, and will be there the first week in July.

Also, what would be a couple of "can't miss" villages to choose.>

don't miss Les Beaux, right near St-Remy - a ruined once vst citadel topping a rocky plateau this is one of the most riveting sites in Provence.

https://www.google.com/search?q=les+...=1600&bih=1075

Les Baux

Doing daytrips from Avignon with a car, you have to rather tediously wend your way out of and back into town. St. Remy is smaller and easier with a car. Most Provencal villages will be very slow in the afternoons. Stores close and the locals go home for lunch and a rest.

As predicted, I'm having a lot of trouble with hotels. Ideally I'd like to stay in St. Remy, but any other similar villages/towns are options. Recommendations appreciated.

In St Remy, did you try L'Hotel right smack in the middle of the main street, They have their own parking

If you are making plans for the first week in July, 2013, things may already be fairly booked up (that's just one month away!). This is a very popular destination, particularly during lavendar season, but maybe you'll get lucky. I've already booked my accommodations for my September trip.

Oops, meant "lavender." You might want to pick up a reliable guidebook that lists accomodations, and start writing to them ASAP, if you meant July 2013.

If they have openings, Sous Les Figuiers is a nice little hotel in St. Remy. Stayed there in 2009 but in late March, so we didn't even pre-book. Went to Gordes, Roussillion, Les Baux, Arles, to the Pont du Gard and Uzes. St. Remy was perfect with a car.

Thank you all, I already found something in Nice, just working on this leg of the trip. Samoca that hotel is already booked. Has anyone stayed in Vallon de Valrugues (also in St remy)?

Try the small town of Fontvieille, not directly on the tourist track. Paradou would be another option.

In Fontvielle I stayed severaltimes at the Villa Rigaledo, great food, rooms,garden

In Fontvielle you are getting farther & farther away from the lavender fields in the Luberon & around Sault. About 1 hr 10 mins away from the closest fields in the Luberon and about 2 hrs away from Sault.

If you want to be close to the lavender fields in Sault, try to see if les Pins in Bedoin has some rooms. Bedoin has a great Monday morning market.

Stu Dudley

Stu, that was no big deal for us, we loved the ride to get there and finding unexpected things.Our French friends think nothing of a two hour drive to visit someone.

You may have already seen this in my trip report, but we recently had a mostly wonderful stay at Mas des Tourterelles in St. Remy, a 5 minute walk into the center of town.
Found St. Remy to be a delightful base.

I will check those out-how about staying in villenueve lez avignon? I found a nice place there, i know it's on the outskirts of Avignon, but seems to be a convenient base for lavender, and maybe another day trip to le baux and st remy?

>> villenueve lez avignon......seems to be a convenient base for lavender,<<

To get to where you can start exploring the lavender fields around Sault, it is a 1 1/2 hr dive through ugly urban sprawl around Avignon, then not-so-scenic stuff until you get past Carpentras.

To get to the fields around Saignon in the Luberon, you have the same drive through ugly urban sprawl around Avignon and not-so-scenic until you get past Cavaillon & Coustellet. This is a 1 1/4 hr drive.

These drives will not be the "vision" of Provence you'll want to remember.

If your main objectives are to spend time in & around lavender fields, stay in the Luberon or close to Sault at the southern foot of Mt Ventoux or near Vaison.

>>and maybe another day trip to le baux and st remy?<<

St Remy is 40 mins away and Les Baux is 45 mins from Villeneuve.

IMO, Villeneuve would be a good base for visiting the Pont du Gard, Uzes, Arles, Avignon, St Remy/les Baux - but not the lavender fields or the Luberon if you have only a "few days" to see things. Too much needless driving through not-to-scenic stuff.

Stu Dudley

Villeneuve-lèz-Avignon is just across the bridge from Avignon. It is basically the same as staying in Avignon.

Thank you for your advice stu, is it not convenient to gordes and l'Abbaye de Senanque? Also I don't mind an hour drive (although i'd prefer it to be scenic) if it means i can see the fields/explore the area.

I don't understand why you want to stay in Villeneux-les-Avignon, what's the attraction? If you were mainly going to see things west of the Rhone, sure it makes sense, otherwise, no. And it isn't the same as staying in Avignon in terms of being in the main part of the city and being able to walk to things around there, like restaurants, cafes, etc., or the sightseeing you might actually want to do in AVignon (I love the Petit Palais museum, the park is very nice, and the cathedral, and I like the main square in front of the Hotel de Ville with the outdoor restaurants. Maybe places are cheaper or it is easier with a car in Villeneuve, don't know. But if you stay there, you are going to have to cross the bridge to Avignon and drive on the major highways to get around it (north or south). It would make more sense to stay on the opposite side of Avignon (SE). It might be an hour drive to Gordes from Villeneuve, but through urban sprawl mostly, and major highways).

So sure you can do it, if you only wanted to drive there once and loved where you were staying in Villeneuve, you can do it.

Note that a number of people have reported that the wonderful lavender in the fields around the Abbaye de Sénanque have vanished. We haven't had a report so far this year, at least not one I've seen anywhere.

The Senanque lavender fields were not there in '10 when we visited them (or, tried to). A friend said there were "back" in '11, however.

Stu Dudley

There's no major attraction to Villeneuve-lèz-Avignon just that i'm having difficulty finding places to stay and I found a nice one there. My goal is to see St. Remy and Le Baux, Some part of the "Lavender Route" (ideally with Gordes or Rousillon), possibly L'isle sur la Sorge, and Avignon. If you have better ideas for villages or towns that's a good base for these I'll check into those further. I'm limited in availability but am open to village/town suggestions as a base. Thanks!

If your only plans are to visit the sites you mentioned, then Villeneuve would be fine. Just expect to see some ugly urban sprawl if you head out in any direction - except west.

Get to Gordes, Roussillon, Les Baux, and St Remy either early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid huge crowds. If your plan is to visit l'Isle sur la Sorgue for their Sunday market, get there at 8AM, have a cafe creme & croissant by the church, and "do" the market starting at 9AM.

Stu Dudley

Thanks again stu. I have your itinerary, but now with this plan, what would you recommend (after I pass the urban unscenic part) be the primary destination for the lavender fields or within the lavender route? If I spend the day exploring by car. Thanks

If you want to visit Gordes & Roussillon plus some lavender fields, get an early start and do the Luberon Drive. When we were in Provence in '10, there was a "new" remarkable lavender field just south of Gordes. But as I stated earlier - they come & go. There are usually several around Saignon. And of course, around Senanque Abbey.

The massive lavender fields are around Sault. Head out of Villeneuve & get on the D942 to Carpentras. Navigate around/through Carpentras (difficult), through Mazan, and then stay on the D942 and D1 to Sault. Follow my Lavender Fields itinerary from Sault.

Stu Dudley

Thanks so much for all of your help!