Favorite Place in Provence
Mar 20th, 2000, 02:55 PM
#2
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Assuming you had a car to scoot around: I'd definitely visit Gordes in the morning, including the bories and then Rousillon at sunset. If you are there on a Sat., I'd be in Arles for the early morning market with tons of the fabrics for sale. In the afternoon I'd head for Le Baux. Stop at St. Remy if you have time or for a dinner. <BR> <BR>If you don't have a car, you really can only easily get to Avignon, Arles and Aix. <BR> <BR>Rent the car if you can. You can e-mail me back directly if you'd like a few links to tours running out of Arles or Avignon but I can't state anything about their quality as I did wind up renting the car. <BR>Ellen
Mar 21st, 2000, 08:52 AM
#4
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With only two days I would stop either in Avignon or Arles. Arles is a wonderful slice of Provence with roman ruins and a Van Gogh walking tour. It is a nice town to just wander around and sit in a cafe and watch the world go by. I have also bought fabric in a couple stores in Arles. One in particular is in the square across from the spot where you catch the Petite Train (a pink motorized train that <BR>takes you on a tour of Arles--I've never done it but others have said it's hokey but gives you a good idea of things to see in Arles). A wonderful hotel in the center of the city is L'arlesenne (sp?). <BR>I don't want to downplay Avignon though which I actually have spent much more time. It is a great spot but I think takes more than two days and a car to really enjoy. Writing this makes me want to get on the next plane -- have a great time.
Mar 21st, 2000, 04:59 PM
#6
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The days of buying exclusive things in Europe are over. I bought a wonderful Provencal tablecloth in Aix-en-provence two years ago at an off-the-beaten path store. They didn't have the napkins to match. This year I bought the matching napkins at a US Williams Sonoma for half the price that the ones were in Aix.
Mar 21st, 2000, 07:54 PM
#7
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I just returned from staying in Avignon. I did not rent a car but selected places I could see by train or bus. They both worked well. I went to Nimes by train where I saw the Maison Carre, [a beautiful Roman Temple] and the Arena [also Roman]. I used the bus to go to the Pont du Gard a Roman aqueduct and a great work of enginering. I also went to St. Remy where Vicent Van gogh stayed for a year and created 100 paintings bu bus. The bus is on time but may have some students. No problem for me. <BR> The point is there is so much to see in the area and if your time is short and you don't want to rent a car the train and bus work well. At least they did for me. <BR> <BR>Bob L
Mar 22nd, 2000, 03:46 AM
#8
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mks: <BR> <BR>I'm always playing devil's advocate here, so I'm going to attack ths plan of yours along with many other train itineraries that get described here. <BR> <BR>You couldn't pay me to take this particular train. <BR> <BR>You leave your Rome hotel at 1 or 2 or 3 in the afternoon (if they're lenient with your checkout time). You spend 6 or 7 hours or whatever in Rome, getting on this train at 11 pm. How grungy are you feeling so far? <BR> <BR>Now you spend overnight on this train, transferring at Ventimiglia, Nice and again at Marseille, finally arriving in Aix-en-Provence at 1:49 on the afternoon. If you've only allocated two days in Provence, over half of day one is gone sitting on the train, and you are not feeling like doing anything but getting to a hotel and finding a shower. <BR> <BR>You don't say where you are going after Provence (Paris?), but I wonder if you shouldn't consider re-arranging your trip or even forget about Provence this particular trip (I always assume that people WILL get to Europe again another time). Think about flying to Brussels, Barcelona or Berlin on www.virgin-express.com for less than the cost of that overnight train (yes, I admit you'll have to pay for a place to stay - - but Europe is full of cheap places to stay, if you must). <BR> <BR>Tell me more about the overall scope of the itinerary you're following on this trip, and maybe there's a better way to insert Provence in there somewhere. <BR> <BR>Best wishes. <BR> <BR>Rex
Mar 22nd, 2000, 07:22 AM
#9
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Rex- I have already been to Brussel and Barcelona. I am spending 2 weeks in Europe - 4 days in Rome, 4 days in Paris, 3 days in London. (Have already been here before but want to see more again) Any other thoughts? I just thought it might be fun to break up the trip between the two cities.
Mar 22nd, 2000, 07:43 AM
#10
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My suggestion is to spend less time in cities, and see the (largest) part of Europe that DOESN'T have subway systems. <BR> <BR>Cut one day from Rome, and one day from Paris. You COULD keep the night train from Rome, but maybe you will feel fresher to get off at Nice, get a room and explore the Riviera for a day, then with a rental car (or still by train, if you prefer), you can move down the Autoroute du Soleil at your own pace, seeing Aix en Pce, Arles, whatever (it's all wonderful - - I wasn't trying to talk you out of Provence). You can turn in the car at Avignon, if you wish, and catch the TGV to Paris. <BR> <BR>An alternative (and it avoids that late night departure from Rome) is the 19:47 departure to Geneva (14 hrs long - - I think this might actually leave you more rested). You can actually rent on French soil at Avis Geneva airport, and turn that car in, no extra charge, within France. That leaves you Lyon, Annecy/Talloires or Dijon and all the Beaujolais/Bourgogne to get back to Paris. <BR> <BR>While an overnight train would never be my cup of tea, I was trying to point out that simply due to timing, Provence is not the best FIRST "stop-off" from Rome to Paris. With only two days, I wasn't sure I wanted to recommend the Nice/Monaco option. But with four days, you will have many more possibilities. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex
Mar 22nd, 2000, 08:03 AM
#11
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Rex- <BR>Thanks for the great advice. Unfortunately, I have already been to Nice and Monaco. I would really like to travel without a car, if you have any other suggestions. Sorry to be so difficult, but I guess I've been more places than I realized. Is there anywhere in Italy or Switzerland that we should consider training to? We really don't mind the overnight train. Thanks again.
