""It seems like by train we could get to Provence or Annecy in approximately 3.5 hours.""

2 hrs 40 mins to the Avignon TGV station.

We've taken the train between Annecy & Paris & it is slower. And it was also 1 1/2 hrs late - but the station is close to Old Annecy, so you can kill time!!

Stu Dudley

Hi all, I have had some time to read through the responses. Thanks for the feedback. To clarify, we will be renting a car after we train to Provence from Paris, and then returning it in Nice. We will be flying out of Nice to Frankfurt, where we will fly home.

After reading the responses I think we are going to cut Annecy (due to time, but also when I think about the Dolomites in Italy, we enjoyed the scenery but also really enjoyed how there were less people and it was a bit slower, sounds like that will be easier to find in the smaller villages in Provence than at Mount Blanc). We will spend 4 nights in Paris. 5 nights in (western/central) Provence, and then 4 nights in Nice. We will pick up the car in Provence and return it in Nice. We will train for our stay in Nice. After reading through the guide from Stu and some other comments and resources, I'm thinking we will base around St. Remy. We might do that for the whole time, or maybe 3 nights there and 2 nights somewhere else in the area, I'm not sure yet. Still trying to work out the details to make sure we have things to do or explore every day throughout the area.

I think your plan is a decent plan although 3 full days in Paris is not a lot of time. I also agree that St Remy is a good base for that part of Provence and I would not waste time moving to a second location in that vicinity.

good choice

I think your plan is a solid one, and I agree with mjs that moving to a second location really isn't necessary; part of the joy of Provence is the beauty you'll encounter as you drive from place to place over the course of the day.

I'm going to make one suggestion that reflects my own preferences. Instead of spending all your time in the St Remy area and in the busy Luberon villages, perhaps take one day and head a drop north (maybe 45 minutes) to the area around Vaison-la-Romaine. Vaison itself is a fairly largish town for this area, with a sprawling Tuesday market and popular Roman ruins. The area surrounding is prime wine-growing territory, with villages like Gigondas that produce very fine wines and are a delight to wander around. If you really want to get away from the crowds, there are small villages like Le Barroux where you may not encounter another tourist but that are extremely beautiful (that word again), just off the beaten track. The tiny villages of Le Crestet and Seguret are wonderful to stroll through and get lost in (okay, you can't get lost in Le Crestet). The scenery as you drive through the Dentelles de Montmirail is lush and green.

Anyway, I know this is a minority opinion, but I prefer this part of Provence to the more crowded Luberon. Just sayin'.

I agree that it may be a bit short, but we figure we will be back on future trips. Also part of it is based on our Italy trip; we spent 4 nights in Rome and 4 nights in Florence. Honestly at the end of our time at those spots we felt ready to move on. Not that we had necessarily seen it all, but I think seen enough for one time. They were a lot to take in.

Thanks for the idea. We are definitely interesting in see some of the wine country and Roman ruins. I think we will have time if we are there for 5 nights, I want to make sure we can fill that time up with things to do every day so ill put that on the list.

I also agree with frenchaucoeur that the area around Gigondas is beautiful! We visited for a day several years ago when we were visiting our daughter who lives in Provence. Le Barroux also has an interesting castle, and the drive through the Dentelles de Montmirail is lush and green and just gorgeous. We also stopped in another village/town for lunch. I don't remember the name but I am sure Stu Dudley has mentioned it before.

As Karen says the area around Gigondas is beautiful. We stayed 12 nights in Sarrians in June 2018 and would happily go back. Gigondas itself has a Michelin star restaurant which you should definitely try, their wines are excellent too. Do make a trip to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the ruins of the old château in the upper town are interesting, there are also several tasting rooms in town. We particularly liked Beaucastel.

The drive around the Dentelles de Montmirail is beautiful, with several lovely little villages en route. As I said, we so enjoyed our stay we want to go back, but when is the question, so many places we want to see…

"Châteauneuf-du-Pape, ........... there are also several tasting rooms in town. We particularly liked Beaucastel.""

Does Beaucastel also have a tasting room in the village of Chateauneuf du Pape? We tasted wine at their wine estate quite a number of kilometers north of town near the A7 Autoroute. Details are in the attachment on my post #4.

Stu Dudley

Stu, you can’t buy wines at the Beaucastel winery, they asked us to go to the tasting room/shop in town. We liked both places very much, they also ship for you, something quite reasonable when we went.