cigalechanta

Yes, the 14-15, I hope there's no rain to cancel because the first day is always a hand reaping contest, the second day floral floats and vintage cars parade through the villahge, lots of local produce and lavender products at stands. You'll wish every town could be perfumed like that instead of the cigerette fumes that abound in some places

katzen

as usual .. I jumped the gun and posted ... I did confirm that the Lavender festival is August 15th in Sault. Not sure if it's worth going to or not... has anyone been?

katzen

Thanks Cigalechanta! We posted at the same time Sault is 38 minutes from Gordes (according to viamichelin.com). Is Sault/the lavender festival worth a visit?
Thanks!

cigalechanta

Yes!

katzen

Thanks Cigalechanta!!

I've roughly gone through and created another rough draft. I have to fine tune Stu's "driving routes" to fit my plan ... but hopefully he can help me out with this when he gets back ... or if anyone else can help out, please do.

SUNDAY:
Arrive Avignon TGV at 2:30
Drive to Mas Shamrock outside of St. Remy
St. Remy

MONDAY:
Bedoin Market
Lavender Route (reverse of Stu's)
Gordes
Senanque Abbey
**I had a tough time whether or not to go to Isle sur la Sorgue' market that morning .. I was afraid that we would linger there too long and not have enough time to do the rest of what I have planned for Monday**

TUESDAY:
Luberon Towns:
Roussilon
Saignon
Bonnieux
Oppede-le-Vieux

WEDNESDAY:
Les Baux
Maussane
Eygalieres
St. Remy

**Tuesday and Wednesday are interchangeable**

Again, this is a very rough draft. I'm hoping your comments will help me finalize. I'm not sure I made the best plans according to what days stores and such will be open due to our days in Provence being on a Sunday, Monday, holiday and Wednesday.

Please keep in mind we are early 30's and don't mind hopping around. We are into scenery, shopping .. and more shopping as well as culture, food and quaint/charming villages. With that being said ... are there places that I may have left off? Did I mention a place that isn't real interesting or wouldn't fit our above requirements? Most of the guides I've read don't have much on shopping ... so I was a bit in the dark about this.

I was trying to fit Aix somewhere but it is more city-like and further south so just wasn't sure.

Any wisdom ..... opinions ... words of advice?

Thanks again for the help!

cigalechanta

All due respects, I believe in making your own route to cover things you want to see. This way, it is your trip not the many duplicates you will read. The back roads on the Lavender areas are less traveled and you see magnificent sights. Most of us disagree on rstaurants and villages we prefer. You will find your own if you don't use my formula or anyone's but for the first time visitors to the South of France, I think Gordes, Roussillon, St Remy, Pont du Gard, Les Baux, Carcassone. Sure alot of tourists, but that's because they are exceptional looking places. go early if you object to tourists. i'm one so it doesn't bother me.

cigalechanta

This is a great site I give you for the passages. Someone passed it on to me a few years ago.

http://www.parisinconnu.com/passages/index.htm

katzen

Thank you Cigalechanta! I do agree with you I am sure I will have a wonderful and adventureous trip even if I just hop in a car and go w/o any planned itinerary .. which sometimes I think is best to do ... at least my husband and sister think so.

Thanks again for our help!!

cigalechanta

sorry, I posted the passages on the wrong thread

katzen

no problem ... I'm actually going to Paris for 2 days after our Provence trip so it worked out wonderfully!

StuDudley

>>All due respects, I believe in making your own route to cover things you want to see.<<

If someone has never been to Provence, how does he/she know the roads that are the most scenic - and the ones that are lined with car dealerships, box stores, junk yards, etc???

Seems to me that advice from someone who has been there and has already discovered the scenic & non-scenic routes, would be helpful as a starting point.

Stu Dudley.

katzen

Hi StuDudley! Welcome back! What did you think of my proposed itinerary? You are correct in that I nor my sister have ever been to Provence. I would prefer NOT to see car dealerships, box stores and junkyards in my travels there. So any helpful advice/thoughts on my above proposed itinerary would be greatly appreciated.

StuDudley

>>>SUNDAY:
Arrive Avignon TGV at 2:30
Drive to Mas Shamrock outside of St. Remy
St. Remy<<

That's fine - take it easy the first day. Perhaps a jaunt up to les Baux (as late as possible) would work.

>>MONDAY:
Bedoin Market
Lavender Route (reverse of Stu's)
Gordes
Senanque Abbey<<

You should have time to hit Bonnieux also.

>>**I had a tough time whether or not to go to Isle sur la Sorgue' market that morning .. I was afraid that we would linger there too long and not have enough time to do the rest of what I have planned for Monday**<<

I've never been to this seasonal antique market on Monday in mid-July. Normally, Monday is dead in l'Isle sur la Sorgue - but if there is a market there that day - perhaps some of the "normal" stoes will be open. I would be surprised if this is the case, however, since they will be open on Sunday also - but like I said, I've never been there for the mid August antique market. I also don't think the normal fabric, soap, crafts, food vendors will be there that day, since many will have "obligations" in other markets on Monday

>>TUESDAY:
Luberon Towns:
Roussilon
Saignon
Bonnieux
Oppede-le-Vieux<<

Add Gault & Menerbes also. This won't take all day. Not may shopping opportunities in these villages. If you anticipate time left over in the day, head through the Combe de Lourmarin & visit Lourmarin & it's castle.

>>WEDNESDAY:
Les Baux
Maussane
Eygalieres
St. Remy<<

It is very likely that you can knock these off on prior days. If so, head for Aix - my wife's favorite shopping town. If you don't want to drive that far, go to Uzes (another of my wife's favorite shopping towns), and the Pont du Gard & also Castillion du Gard.

**Tuesday and Wednesday are interchangeable**

I've never been there on the Tuesday holiday - so I don't know if some of the shops will be closed then. I think Aix & Uzes are your best shopping opportunities - so visit them on Wed when you will be guarenteed that all the shops will be open.

Stu Dudley

katzen

Thank you so much StuDudley! You helped us tremendously and I feel much better about our itinerary!! I will share this with my sister so that we can regroup. In your Provence Itinerary you recommended purchasing map #245 in the US and then maps 115/114/113 in France. I did find on Amazon a new Michelin map that was published in January 2006 for Provence Alpes Cote D'azur - Regional #527. Would this map (a regional map) be sufficient in getting us around .. even on the back/smaller roads or do we need to purchase the different maps? This new map may have combined a few?

I do have the Micheline's green guide for Provence as well as the Cadogan Guide - Provence.

Thank you!

StuDudley

Maps 113/114/115 seem to be vanishing. I think they are no longer being published, although some people have found them in on-line map stores & I purchased 113 about 2 months ago at my local booksoore (it's a backup to my other 113 map, which is quite tattered & worn).

The 500 series replaces the older 200 series, and is on the scale 1/200,000. There is a 300 series that is on the scale 1/150,000 or 1/175,000 (depending on the dept). Since the scale is smaller on this latter series - you don't have to squint as much to see the roads. In the Luberon, the roads are really hard to follow on the 200/500 series maps. Actually, I use an IGN map on 1/25,000 scale when I stay in the Luberon (I need several maps to cover the entire area).

The answer to your question - is yes, the 527 map will work just fine. You're young and I assume your eyes are better than mine.

Stu Dudley

katzen

Great, thank you Stu!!

CarolineM

Bookmarking, as it seems Katzen and I are taking the same trip.