InMiami

My partner and I are flying into Marseille May 13 at noon, renting a car, touring Provence, and then returning the car to Marseille May 21 at 11am for a flight to Paris. We have made the hotel reservations for 4 nights in St Remy en Provence and 4 nights in Gordes. I am the official “planner” and want to see as much as possible without trying to do too much. We love architecture, museums, nature, actually all aspects of travel. What am I missing here?
May 13- Arrive in Marseille at noon and drive to St Remy, settle in and see the town.
May 14- Avignon
May 15- Arles and Baux
May 16- Nimes, Uzes (Saturday market) and possibly Pont du Gard. Is this too much in day? In what order should we visit these sites?
May 17- L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue morning market, drive to Gordes, check in, and tour the town.
May 18- Bonniex
May 19- Aix en Provence (market day)
May 20- Rousillon
May 21- Fly at 11 for 6 days in Paris

flygirl

It sounds like you are staying in St Remy the nights of May 13 through 16 (departing May 17)? That sounds like a decent amount of time.

For your Uzes day, I'd visit there first - I'm not sure the markets go all day. I haven't been to Nimes yet but it would seem logical to see how much time you have left after visiting Uzes before deciding to go. This would be in order to give yourself the late afternoon for Pont du Gard. Were it me I'd like to be at the Pont du Gard in the late afternoon (i.e around 6 PM) to get the wonderful late afternoon lighting. My only visit to the Pont was after sunset which was interesting because they light up the bridge (at the time it was multi-colored lights).

rex

Three minor problems:

1. eight days too short.
2. you've omitted Orange (Theatre Antique! Wow!)
3. you're not taking me.

otherwise, sounds dreamy...

Best wishes,

Rex

StuDudley

The Uzes market is only in the morning, so start the day there. In the afternoon, visit the Pont du Gard, and if you have any time left on the day, visit Castillion du Gard (small village).

Nimes - you're visiting Aix, Arles, and Avignon. All large Provence cities (Arles is smaller). That's a lot of large citiies, and I don't see much "countryside" in your itinerary, except maybe for the Luberon where you're staying. I would save Nimes for last & decide if you really want to see it.

On Sunday, unless you spend a lot of time at the market & visit the serious permanent antique shops after lunch, you can visit Gordes & Roussillon the same day - especially if you are staying in Gordes.

Gordes, Roussillon, and Bonnieux are short visits - 1 - 2 hrs (longer if you have lunch at one).

On the way back from Aix, visit Lourmarin.

If you skip Nimes, and "catch" Roussillon & Bonnieux sometime when you find some free time in the afternoon, I would take a day and drive up & around the Dentelles - Crestet, Vaison, Segeret, Gigondas, etc. That would get you into a little more "countryside".

Are any of those dates on a French holiday?

While in the Luberon, visit Oppede les Vieux and Menerbes - they won't take much time.

Stu Dudley

InMiami

flygirl: I am considering visiting Pont du Gard late in the day or early evening; it closes around 6:30. The area illuminated would be incredible!

Rex: I have read about Orange and that incredible theatre. Perhaps I can fit it in.

StuDudley: I previously received your tour of Provence and there are a lot of goodies there! It seems that you would amend my itinerary to:

May 13- Arrive in Marseille at noon and drive to St Remy, settle in and see the town.
May 14- Avignon
May 15- Arles and Baux
May 16- Uzes (Saturday market), Castillion du Gard, Pont du Gard.
May 17- L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue morning market, Roussillon, drive to Gordes, check in, and tour the town.
May 18- Bonniex, Oppede les Vieux and Menerbes.
May 19- Aix en Provence (market day), Lourmarin
May 20- Dentelles - Crestet, Vaison, Segeret, Gigondas, ect
May 21- Fly at 11 for 6 days in Paris

cigalechanta

flygirl is right go in the morning. (There's also one on Wednesday morn) so that you can head out to other places nearby like the Pont du Gard and Nimes where across from the
Arena is a handsonme statue of a bullfighter. There is a beautiful park, and the Maison Carre,a miraculously
well-preserved retangle of a
roman Temple-built some 1,900 years ago. I couldn't believe how well preserved the mosiac floor was as well as all on exhibit. There are several museums but never got to them.

StuDudley

Yep - I like your latest itinerary. If you think you will have time left in the day on May 15, before les Baux (allocate 2 hrs for les Baux) follow the drive in my itinerary that takes your through the Alpilles - seeing Maussane & Eygalieres. This is a scnic drive in the countryside - but the countryside is quite different from what you will find in the Luberon. On May 18, follow the drive in the Luberon that I describe in my itinerary. Try to fit in Saignon also.

>>flygirl is right go in the morning. (There's also one on Wednesday morn) <<

The Wed market in Uzes is much smaller than the Sat market.

Stu Dudley

sandi

Nimes and Orange both have well preserved amphitheatres. If visiting Nimes no reason to head north to Orange. That is unless you have time for the other small towns up that way - Crestet, Vaison, etc. On the way to Orange you can stop at the vineyards of Chateauneuf du Pape and taste you way thru

Pont du Gard is great late afternoon, few visitors and the tour buses are gone. The sun setting on the Pont is amazing. Uzes for market, to Nimes which is a lovely city, return via Pont du Gard and back to St. Remy.

InMiami

Stu Dudley, I have been able to locate your itinerary in my files and will add the suggested routes. I noticed that you have quite a few recommendations on roads or highways to take or others to avoid. Could you give me some suggestions on recommended routes between the mentioned cities/towns? Thank you for your kind assistance.

alison

In Miami, I am taking the almost identical trip in July -- 8 nights in Provence basing 5 nights in St. Remy for western Provence and 3 nights at Mas Perreal. But we are taking TGV to Avignon rather than flying to/from Marseille.
PLEASE post a trip report when you return so i can benefit from your planning and hear how it all went!
thanks so much.

flygirl

If you have the Michelin maps, the scenic routes tend to be highlighted in green. That's always a great clue. The Michelin guidebooks are invaluable, too.

InMiami

We have ordered a recommended Michelin Map, #332 I believe. I will take a look when it is received.