Fall trip to Europe?
 

My family (my wife and I and our six-month-old daughter) are looking for inspiration for a trip for this fall. We're mostly interested in Provence and southern France but have looked a lot at Italy as well. We're looking for a village where we can relax and enjoy delicious food and wine and walk around (with either a baby carrier or a stroller) and enjoy the scenery. Schedule-wise, it would be better for us to travel in November, though we could go in October if it's significantly better to go then. Either way, we'd need to find a place where the inns and restaurants haven't closed up shop by the end of September.

Thanks!

Most places in Europe will be much nicer in October, probably needless to say. I suggest Uzès, near Avignon. Not in Provence but close enough, near the left edge. I spent a very happy week there not so long go.

My blog: http://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/a-week-in-uze-s-1

Do you plan on eating in a lot of restaurants? Because in Italy your baby will be welcome everywhere except a 3* michelin (with the usual caveat that one of you will take an upset baby out for a stroll if needed), but in France you are likely to find a different attitude, and will need to find out ahead of time where your family will be most welcome and where you might wish to avoid.

Piemonte is just getting into the swing of things in November, especially it truffle, although streets in Italian small towns are not reliably stroller friendly. Most of the best restaurants are in the countryside, or in teensy villages, so you'd probably need to be in the mood to drive to your lunches -- and I would recommend having an apartment so you can eat dinners at home. Day ends early in November, and you certainly don't want to be out drinking and driving with a baby anywhere in Italy. (France neither, I guess.) It is no hardship to eat "at home" in Italy. You can buy outstanding wonderful foods in the market shops that need little or no preparation.

There is not a lot of memorable cultural sightseeing to be had in Piemonte's small towns. People primarily go to drink red wine, eat rich food, and relax amid the vineyards In Italy, if you want a "wine town" with entertaining shops, centuries old high art and architecture, all in a sizeable village, then Montepuliciano is about as good as it gets, although I don't think the food is as good as in Piemonte.

My real favorite for food, wine and sightseeing is Friuli-Venezia Giulia, although I've never been in the November and while I think you'd have an amazing, delicious time staying in a village like Civedale dei Friuli, or a petite historic city like Udine -- it's another world of living -- it's an unusual choice to be sure and lacks the non-stop scenic-surround of the wine country of Tuscany, the Langhe hills of Piemonte or (I guess) Provence. Le Marche in Italy would also be a fascinating choice, but if you were willing to take such leaps into the Italian unknown (or lesser known), I would think October is better than November for Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and Le Marche, less chance of torrential rain.

http://en.gites-de-france.com/

How abut a week in a gites in a village - or larger town like Uzes but gites are often in small villages - very established organization where folks with country homes rent them out thru the Gites organization when they are not using them. Oct-Nov is an off season so yu'll have your pick - self-catering - fix your own food save tons of money - shop at local markets.

For the best combo of (1) food, (2) relaxation and (3) scenery, I recommend Montepulciano. Click on "Bob the Navigator" name to see his excellent recommendations for lodging. If you have your heart set on France, I recommend St. Remy de Provence, but you will need a car in either place to see nearby interesting villages.

I love Montepulciano, but wandering those streets with a baby in a stroller would be a challenge. A flatter town like Montalcino, Pienza, San Quirico, Castellina (all in Tuscany) or Bevagna (in Umbria) might be a better choice.

Yes those iconic hill towns have a lot of ups and downs!