I can't decide which area to add the extra day. Provence was my first choice but I don't think we'll have a car. Is the area around Nice easier to get around by public trans?

Care to explain why you don't think you will need a car? You can certainly visit Nice and many of the coastal towns without one, but to truely enjoy the Nice "backcountry", and Provence it's best/necessary to have a car.

Stu Dudley

Hi Stu, My friend (the driver out of the two of us) wants to wait and see how the driving is before she makes her final decision. We (she) drove last year in Italy and I think she expects it to be as challenging. We will probably get a car, but I don't want to count on it yet.

You will find that navigating in France is much easier than in Italy.

I was in Paris last March and even the city seemed so much easier than anywhere in Italy. Maybe I'll just drive, but she is terrible with directions and maps.

Back to my original question. Should I add a day to Nice or St. Remy?

You need to tell us how many days you currently plan to spend in each place. For example, if you're spending 8 days in Nice and 3 in Provence, then add the day in Provence. Also, if you plan to spend severl days working on your tan in Nice, tell us that also. Do you want to venture into the Nice Hinterland while in Nice?

Give us your current ininerary, with a rough idea if what you plan to do each day, and then you should get some answers.

Stu Dudley

tough choice! I'd add it to St. Remy though... when are you going?

I've never been to St Remy, but I went to Nice last year and I didn't like it that much. It's like a european version of Miami. The historic Center is nice and small, but just that: nice and small (I didn't say beautiful or picturesque). It's kind of dirty with lots of souvernir stores and thousands of places to eat (that's a plus). Nice is a beach city as any other. One day I did a daytrip to the nearby towns. All of them were absolutely gorgeous. We visited Mougins, Valbonne, Grasse, Gourdon, Tourettes sur Loup, Vence and Saint Paul de Vence. They're very small and an hour in each of them was more than enough to walk their streets, and buy something to eat or a souvenir. The tour operator is Revelation Tours (www.revelation-tours.com). It's my personal opinion.