Driving Paris to Provence...
 

We are considering drive from Paris to Provence. What we were thinking was to stop in or around Beaune for lunch, drive to Lyon spend the night and then on to Avignon or somewhere near there for a few days. Is this worth it to take it slow and see the country side, or would we be better off not driving and taking the train and seeing more of Provence? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

I forgot to mention this is at the end of Sept begining of Oct if that makes a difference. Thanks again!

We did this trip several years ago and opted for the train. I would recommend taking the TGV high speed train to Avignon so you'll have more time to explore Provence. Lovely places to visit are St. Remy, Arles, Aix, the Pont du Gard, Les Baux, and Les Alpilles.

My husband and I drove from Amsterdam to Provence one year in a day. It was not a hard trip. We left probably at 8 am and made it to Provence for dinner with his father. I did n't think it was that bad of a drive. We stopped two times once in Reims and once in a small town that I can't remember. Once you get on the Paige (spell?) or freeway, it goes rather quickly. Deffinately Drive to Provence, that is a lot of the pleasure of the part of the country........driving in the hills and visiting the small villages that are barely inhabited. You won't be able to access most of the quant town with out a car.

<BR> I guess it depends on the duration of your trip. If you've only one week, for instance, you should probably take the train. <BR> <BR> By the way, I'd prefer to stay in Arles than in Avignon. And renting a car in Provence would probably be a good idea, even if you take the train from Paris.

Anyone else??

Hi Debi, <BR> <BR>One year we drive from Paris to Aix-en-Provence via Beaune. It was a long trip and I wouldn’t drive again. Arrived in Paris, rented a car and set off. Stopped the first afternoon in Beaune, walked around the town, had a snack, and stayed the night. The next day we spent ½ day sightseeing in Beaune and started the trip again after lunch. Got as far as Valence before we were tired and stopped there the night (don’t recommend staying here as there’s not much for tourists although we had a wonderful meal in the old section). Took the autoroute from Paris to Valence and it’s much like any highway anywhere so there isn’t a lot of scenery. After Valence we took the N7 which is a two-lane road though towns so the driving was much slower but more scenic and we had the feel of approaching Provence as we drove. The previous trip and the one after this I flew both times (once to Marseilles; once to Nice). If Avignon is your destination I would recommend taking the train or flying unless you have time to make interim stops and sightsee along the way. I do remember the route around Paris took about an hour from CDG airport to the autoroute in bumper-to-bumper traffic. You can rent a car in Avignon when you arrive. <BR> <BR>I didn’t stay in Avignon but have friends who did and they said that the morning traffic getting out of town was difficult. I’ve stayed in Aix twice (about an hour from Avignon) and once in Saignon, a village near Apt, in a wonder chambre d’hote which I’ll remember always for the warmth of our hosts, the wonderful meals, the natural spring just outside the front door, and, at night, the lights of the Luberon and the croaking of the frogs. <BR> <BR>I have some info on Provence typed up. Email me if you’re interested. <BR> <BR>Have a great time! Adrienne <BR> <BR>

I think driving is a great way to go for this particular trip. The first day is the worst in terms of distances, in fact, you could take the TGV to Lyon (one of my favorite French cities) and rent a car from there to save time. Then as you make your way south you could stop in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Gordes and Roussillon. On to Avignon, but I agree that Arles is nicer. Near Arles you must see St. Remy. One more place not to miss in Provence but a bit out of the way is Cassis. The calanques are stunning. Have a nice trip! <BR>Angela

If you do decide to drive, stay over in Beaune or in the Burgundy country side. Check out the wine tasting in southern Burgundy as it should be close to the time of the Beaujolais festival. Then head down to Avignon and stay in or around that area as a base. If you want to save your energy for Provence, take the train and rent a car when you get there. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip. <BR>Anne

Some years ago we drove from Paris to St. Remy in Provence. It is a long and at times tiresome drive. At that time (seven years ago)only part of the drive was on autoroute type roads. If you have time, and decide to drive, Beaune is a good place to stop. If time is a big consideration the TGV to Avignon or air to Nice would be preferable.