CaliNurse

https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/mas...ml?aid=7977114

Stayed here with my daughter more than 10 years ago. Larger than you need, but worth checking nevertheless. Wonderful, helpful owners, Linda and Robert, and the perfect location for St Rémy!

Jill02

So many villages with unfamiliar names!

Great advice on wine places to visit.

I am thinking of swapping out Aix … We check out of our Nice hotel on Friday. What about taking the train to Cassis and then renting the car there to drive to Arles. Arles seems to be the western most point for touring in that region before we go east to Saint Remy…?

Looking at the maps it looks like we would do Pont du Gard, Ubes and Nimes from Arles one day and the Luberon villages another. That leaves Avignon for a Monday after check out en route to St. Remy.

I had Chateauxneuf du Papes being visited from Saint Remy but now I’m not sure…

Does that plan out of Nice solve un scenic routes, traffic, days of the week and driving in a loop? We like the idea of the train along the coast and skipping the drive out of Nice. That way, I won’t have to yell at my husband as much while he is trying to drive. 😉

StuDudley

The train to Cassis takes 2 hrs 40 mins with a short train change. I could not find any car rental places in Cassis. You must have visited many villages on the coast in California. Cassis is only OK - but not a Carmel, Pacific Grove, Half Moon Bay, or Mendocino. But it will probably be warmer in Cassis than in the Calif spots. It will consume an entire day to get from Nice to Cassis by train, rent a car from noplace that exists, visit Cassis, then drive to Arles - arriving late in the day. This puts you in Arles and surrounds a day before the dreaded Sunday & Monday.

Stick to visiting stuff in France that you can't find in the US. You are not going to like this recommendation - but that also includes wineries. You lived about 1 1/2 hrs from the Napa/Sonoma wine growing region. Visiting wine estates and tasting in France is a tad more complicated & time consuming than in the US.

There are no medieval villages, Roman Ruins, lavender fields, pre-historic cave paintings, or 250 year old Castles in the US. Focus on what you can't find in the US.

Consider my earlier recommendation of:
- Nice several nights
- Luberon several nights. Bonnieux or nearby
- Visit Aix on the way to St Remy

Only visit 1 or 2 (max) large cities in Provence after Nice. Aix is our favorite. Not a fan of Nimes.

Stu Dudley

Jill02

Wow. Amazing points and yes, my Cassis rental search popped to Marseille, I just didn’t notice. Thanks!

Underhill

I cannot imagine anyone being disappointed in Vézelay, if only because of the magnificent cathedral. I wouldn't consider Beaune a village; surely it's at least a town.

flygirl

"2 nights Aix: Cassis day trip. After checkout, do Luberon villages on way to Saint Remy."

Your day trip will take most of your day. Cassis is delightful and beautiful. But you won't see much of Aix with only two nights: arrival afternoon, breakfast before heading to Cassis, and maybe dinner in Aix that night if you don't have dinner in Cassis as well as lunch (plus Aix breakfast the next morning before heading out).

You go to Cassis for the beautiful views (don't forget to drive up to Cap Canaille and look down), the wines nearby, boat rides (or hikes, preferably, but you won't have a lot of time with only the day not to mention a change of clothes if you also plan to "fine dine") along the Calanques, and meals with a view. There is also a three star Michelin restaurant there, as well as a Michelin recognized one (easier to get into). If you can, add another night here (take from Beaune). At least stay in Aix long enough to visit the lovely morning markets. Don't be in a rush to get to Cassis that morning - it's a 45 minute drive, you can leave at 11AM and still have time to get there and park and find a meal. Parking is scarce in Cassis and there are no taxis - find a good parking spot and expect to walk the rest of the day.

On the other hand, if you definitely want to hike some of the Calanques, then hit the road super early (were it me: before dawn) to hike before the sun is too high. Just make sure you give yourself some time for the lovely Aix markets before you go.

Four days in Saint Remy is great and I wish you could do that for all locations. You might also want more time to visit the villages between Aix and Saint Remy. With just the day on the road, really pinpoint your best ones b/c you won't do them all.

Definitely fit in Arles any way you can.

Bordeaux from Paris, Normandy last. Consider an extra night in Normandy if you can.

Edit: just saw you are nixing Bordeaux. No doubt a gorgeous place to visit but better to concentrate on fewer places.

Edit again: I've been to Cassis twice and it's just lovely. If I had unlimited vacation time I would go again. But, I do not, and so two visits was enough. On my second visit I spent more time and did two early morning hikes on the Calanques (both times left my hotel just before sunrise). It was April and the weather was gorgeous - not humid and warm but not hot. I would not want to do those hikes with full sun, or, warmer temps, though.

StuDudley

Yep - Beaune is certainly larger than a village.

We were in Vezelay for a half-day this past Sept. Cathedral is nice - but we are not cathedral people. Maybe the OP is - but she did not mention it in any of her posts. Rest of the village would be about a B- compared to similar-sized villages we've visited in Alsace, Provence, Dordogne, Nice Hinterland, Pays Basque, Brittany, and elsewhere in France.

Stu Dudley

shelemm

I am late to reading this thread, and it looks like I am missing something completely. The only mention in the OP of Normandy was this phrase:

"We will take the train from Normandy to Bordeaux via Paris."

No other mention of visiting Normandy or ending up there.

26 days is a nice, long trip, but there is so much to see between Nice and Paris.

In general, if you are interested in French food, you need to think beyond restaurants. There are boulangeries, pattisseries, traitteurs, fromageries, tables d'hotes, vente a la ferme, ferme auberge, and of course many many markets. And when you do go to restaurants, seek out places that showcase cuisine traditionnelle or familiale. You will then be exposed to types of French food you can't get where you live. Although tourist offices are not allowed to make recommendations, they can provide a list which will denote this and you can ask questions about where to find that kind of food.

There is no such thing as a Must-See! There are countless wonderful places to visit, and the only 'must' is if you are near a particular spot, what fantastic site may be just around the bend. Situational awareness. So if you are in the Vaucluse, I would say do not miss Roussillon. I encourage anyone with the inclination to get a copy of Laurence Wylie's Village in the Vaucluse, which is a sociological study of village life in Provence that can bring you to tears. It centers around Roussillon. The first few sentences alone are a wonder to read.

The problem with using any town/village as a base (I have done this many times), is that you double the amount of transit time. Every day trip means backtracking. It makes sense to visit Menton from Nice if the rest of your trip is in another direction, but most of the time it is better to just go forward since it's just the two of you.

You don't have to plan everything out. If you will be too nervous about not having everything reserved, then go ahead, but it's not necessary.

Some of my favorite places are not on any 'tourist' map or talked about on boards like this, So explore on your own and see what you can discover. For a big road trip, I like getting a Michelin road atlas mapbook of France (spiralbound) which denotes everything such as chateaux, dolmens, ruins, scenic routes, forts, caves, equestrian centers, hamlets, viewpoints, the list goes on. I like this one: secluded hotel or restaurant!

With as much time as you have, I like the idea of cutting north first through Auvergne, which is a green landscape punctuated by black volcanic outcroppings. The change of scenery is dramatic in such a short distance. then go to Lyon and continue into Burgundy since you are so much into wine.

Places you might consider visiting:

First Leg of road trip:Menton, Villefranche sur Mer, Hautes Cagnes sur Mer, St Paul de Vence, Tourettes sur Loup, Biot, Grasse.

Second leg: les Calanques, port of Marseilles, boat trip to Port Friou/Chateau d'If, Aix, Roussillon, Fontaine de Vaucluse, Veux Vernegue, les Grottes de Cales, Baux de Provence.

Third leg: Le Puy en Velay, Polignac, Tournemire, Orcival, Riom

Fourth Leg: Burgundy

Each one of the legs above could be 4 nights. Not to do everything, these are just a few suggestions.

I like all modern art, not just the Impressionists, so I do like the idea of visiting the Cocteau museum in Menton, the Fondation Vasarely in Aix, and the Fondation Maeght in St Paul de Vence.












































































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StuDudley

Regarding the Calenques:
- It is my understanding that driving and walking on the plateau above the Calenques is forbidden in the summer. Is that still true?? The OP plans a Sept. trip

Regarding making reservations:
- When we visited the Calenques by boat on one of our 3 trips to Cassis, we stayed overnight and made reservations the day before, for an early morning trip. By the time we took our boat trip, all trips that day were fully booked. This was in June.

- I June/early July 1999 we were in Provence for a month. My wife's "significant" birthday was July 6. There were 6 of us, and we went to Beaucastel for a tour. When we got there, all the tours that day were fully booked, and so were the tours for the remaining days that week, and next week also. When we returned for another month in Provence in September that same year, I reserved ahead and we had a wonderful tour & tasting.

- We dine at restaurants in France 30-40 times each year. I didn't always make advance reservations in the first few years starting in 1999 when we began to visit France regularly. I do now. Often when we get to restaurants, they are "complet". Glad we had reservations. We almost always dine at Michelin recommended restaurants.

- Starting after Covid, we found that many museums, castles, and other sites require prior set-time reservations. Carnvalet in Paris, for example. In the Dordogne and Ardeche, caves with pre-historic paintings require timed advance reservations, and they are often sold out days in advance. I would not visit Versailles without a reservation.

- On Wednesday this week I was helping a friend with train reservations. I plugged in a "wrong" date in May, and all the trains from Avignon to Paris were sold out on that date. Even the ones with 1 train change. Probably something to do with the many French holidays in May.

Reserve ahead when you can.

Stu Dudley

gooster

You may find troubles getting a car in Cassis. You could always train to Aix and pick one up from there. Things are doable from Arles or St. Remy. You might find Arles and Nimes a bit repetitive in terms of Roman attractions, but the Pont du Gard remains special (even throughout the entire Mediterranean region). You will also have the chance to see Glanum just outside of St. Remy. If you feel like you are driving the extra 45 min to 1 hour (x2) each time, you can set up a base further north in the Luberon/Vaucluse and one in the southern area, as Stu recommended.

You asked about wine tours. If you are seeking the southern rhone region, I've heard great things about Wine Uncovered with Olivier Hickman. But we did a long weekend from our place in Nice and did it as a self tour, and that worked out well. Our regular home (for now, until we are able to move to France) is in NorCal. The geography can be a bit simlar but the wine tourism less commercialized than Napa.

abbydog

It's not easy tracking this thread! But if L'isle sur la Sorgue is still on the table, I would vote against visiting the Sunday market unless you spend Saturday night in town so you can just wake up and walk there. That would be fun, but with everything else on your itinerary, it's probably best to skip it altogether. And if you have time, it's fascinating to watch glass-blowing in Biot!

touringtimothy

First off be sure to see the Bayeux Tapesty in Bayeux and learn about Norman-French culture e.g. horses, dairy, calvados, apples, lots of medieval history etc... In Burgundy there are hundreds of wineries and many have tastings with food. Some might allow lunch among vineyards. Just have to contact in advance. For calenque, visiting by boat is best and there are now some restrictions to reduce and preserve. Depends where e.g. I think Town of Cassis allows boat tours but Marseille does not. I would recommend Auvergne region on drive up e.g. nice train to extinct volcano in Puy de Dome and great for nature lovers/paragliders, hikers and very nice people in this region which is known to only English but not other tourists...Arles and Nimes will be out of way but worth if you're into Ancient Roman history and culture.

shelemm

I am always on the lookout for experiences that do not fit so neatly in the 'restaurant' category, These are opportunities which don't really exist where I'm from, but have given me unbridled pleasure in France.

Underhill

Here's another vote for the glass factory at Biot--and a visit to the excellent International Art Glass Museum nearby. If the restaurant (the only one on the property) is still open, get a booking and have a very good meal among the locals. These are near the top of our list when in the area.

shelemm

I believe there are a good half dozen glass studios in Biot.

Nearby is the National Museum of Fernand Leger. To understand the importance of the Cote d'Azur on the cultural life of France, you have to understand how many important artists spent time here. The area was a magnet for artists to explore color and landscape. In such a small space wedged between mountains and the sea, so many of the great artists of 19th and 20th century made this area their home. And of course it attracted artists and writers from outside France as well.

Jill02

So many great tips! Would have never guessed glass in Biot but love that idea. Agreed re L’isle Sorgue on a Sunday.

I think I need to hand draw a map and then write the priorities down for each area, with days of the week.

I realize it’s a whirlwind but it’s our first trip to Provence and Burgundy. It will be a great sampler then we will know where we want to return. Our dog is 14 and our last two kids graduate from college in June so we will be free to really linger in our favorite spots next time!

Underhill

The venerable Blue Guide is excellent for anyone interested in art and the history of Provence/Côte d'Azur. Much superior to other guides. I was able to find a used copy and am wish I had had it for our earlier trips.

Jill02

Revamped itinerary:

5 nights Nice Le Meridian
Day tour to Ezes, Monaco
Museums
Possible boat tour

Friday 9/8 Rent car: St Paul de Vence, Tourrettes Lourmarin (Menerbes, Roussillion, Gordes from Bonnieaux?)

4 nights Villa Domitia Chambre d Hotes in Bonnieaux (Friday, Saturday, Sunday night):

Sounds like we need a specific Sunday plan

see Aix on Monday en route to St Remy

4 nights La Maison de Line St Remy
Tuesday: Avignon, Chateauneuf de Papes
Wednesday: Market, L’isle Sorgue
Thursday: Arles

Friday Drive north ending in Beaune. Route A6? Stops? Restaurants?

5 nights Beaune/Chateaux de Vault de Legny

Wednesday 9/20 Train to Paris from Dijon (book 90 days prior on Omnio)

StuDudley

""see Aix on Monday en route to St Remy"

Again - Aix will be dead Monday morning. We were there once on a Monday morning. That's how I became aware that shops are closed on Mondays. Read page 2 of my itinerary. Of the 27 shops I surveyed - only 7 were open on Monday morning. They are usually the chain stores - like Pimke. Are there some museums & churches you are dying to see? You plan on visiting Avignon & Arles. You really should not consume any time, IMO, visiting a 3rd large city (aix) in Provence. We return to Provence for the countryside. Aix is our favorite - but you are somewhat stretched for time.

Bonnieux

Book 4 months in advance for a train. I just booked our trains and helped 2 friends book trains. On May 19 at 3:15PM California time (May 20, 12:15AM France time) book your train on Trainline https://www.thetrainline.com/en-us?redirected=true

Stu Dudley

FTOttawa

Saint Rémy to Beaune will be a long day’s drive, and I am not sure how much time you will have to deke away from the A7/A6 to sightsee, let alone stop at a restaurant for lunch. Though, if you do make fantastic time, there are some tempting restaurant terrasses overlooking the Rhone at Tain-l’Hermitage. I hesitate to recommend detours like Aiguèze, the Roman theatre at Orange or the fantastical Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval in Hauterives. Maybe pack a picnic lunch and stop at one of the many ruined chateaux overlooking the river. Mayyyybe a stop in Vienne for its Roman ruins… but no. Unless you are willing to sacrifice a day in Beaune for an overnight along the way, I’m not seeing sightseeing on your agenda that day.