HELP!!! Need itinerary advice for Sept. trip to southern France!
Jun 28th, 2005, 06:35 PM
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HELP!!! Need itinerary advice for Sept. trip to southern France!
Bonjours, mes Fodorites amis! I have just found out that I will be accompanying my husband to Nice in late September while he will be attending a conference there. Although the conference will last about 4 days (we will be staying at Le Meridien in Nice at least during that time), we plan to spend a total of 10 days exploring the Cotes d'Azur/Monaco/Aix en Provence areas.
While I am delighted to have the opportunity to go on this excursion, I am overwhelmed by the fact that we have less than 3 months to make plans, and we are starting from scratch. We could call in a travel agent, of course, but I thought I'd throw this question out to you good people to get some ideas first. During the 4 days of the conference, there will be day trips for the spouses that go to Monaco, Cannes, St. Paul de Vence, and some other places.
Bottom line, my question is this: Should we use Nice as our home base for the entire trip and take day trips to other areas worth seeing (and what are those areas?), or given the fact that we definitely want to include Aix en Provence in our travels, should we plan on breaking up our stay in that region and its environs?
Any input you can give would be greatly appreciated, in terms of towns, sights, loding and dining. Also - car or no car???
Merci beaucoup for your help!!!
While I am delighted to have the opportunity to go on this excursion, I am overwhelmed by the fact that we have less than 3 months to make plans, and we are starting from scratch. We could call in a travel agent, of course, but I thought I'd throw this question out to you good people to get some ideas first. During the 4 days of the conference, there will be day trips for the spouses that go to Monaco, Cannes, St. Paul de Vence, and some other places.
Bottom line, my question is this: Should we use Nice as our home base for the entire trip and take day trips to other areas worth seeing (and what are those areas?), or given the fact that we definitely want to include Aix en Provence in our travels, should we plan on breaking up our stay in that region and its environs?
Any input you can give would be greatly appreciated, in terms of towns, sights, loding and dining. Also - car or no car???
Merci beaucoup for your help!!!
Jun 28th, 2005, 06:40 PM
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I would go even farther north than Aix and see that very scenic part of Provence, the Vaucluse, Luberon, etc. I hear Aix is hard to get in and out of, so I would use one of the other towns in the areas I mentioned as a base. You will get lots of recommendations and ideas here; you will not need a travel agent, IMO. You will love where you are going!
Jun 28th, 2005, 06:44 PM
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<<Should we use Nice as our home base for the entire trip and take day trips to other areas worth seeing (and what are those areas?)>>
No.
<< or given the fact that we definitely want to include Aix en Provence in our travels, should we plan on breaking up our stay in that region and its environs? >>
Yes.
<<Any input you can give would be greatly appreciated, in terms of towns, sights, loding and dining. Also - car or no car???>>
Car.
Advice:
Antibes (town and beach);
Monte Carlo (casino, dining and more) - - see http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34639084
Gordes (town and beach)
Montauroux (west of Grasse) - - dining, and town (a little bit) - - see http://www.tourinfos.com/gb/r0021/d0...04/p002611.htm (I can vouch for la Becassiere and for Jardin de l'Epicier)
Arles (town and much more) - - better than Aix?
Orange - - for le Theatre Antique
Others can fill you much better than I on hundreds of other destinations in a 50 mile radius of Aix/Avignon.
Best wishes,
Rex
Merci beaucoup for your help!!!
No.
<< or given the fact that we definitely want to include Aix en Provence in our travels, should we plan on breaking up our stay in that region and its environs? >>
Yes.
<<Any input you can give would be greatly appreciated, in terms of towns, sights, loding and dining. Also - car or no car???>>
Car.
Advice:
Antibes (town and beach);
Monte Carlo (casino, dining and more) - - see http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34639084
Gordes (town and beach)
Montauroux (west of Grasse) - - dining, and town (a little bit) - - see http://www.tourinfos.com/gb/r0021/d0...04/p002611.htm (I can vouch for la Becassiere and for Jardin de l'Epicier)
Arles (town and much more) - - better than Aix?
Orange - - for le Theatre Antique
Others can fill you much better than I on hundreds of other destinations in a 50 mile radius of Aix/Avignon.
Best wishes,
Rex
Merci beaucoup for your help!!!
Jun 28th, 2005, 07:35 PM
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Margot~Hopefully you got my e mail from today. If you did not, let me know. As you know,I cast another vote for the Petit Luberon.
If you do want to explore, I would stay outside of Aix. I thought,initially, you had consider staying in Aix and only Aix. While I found it ridiculous to get in and out of, I didn't even bother trying to drive once we reached our hotel. (We arrived from Bonnieux and departed for the TGV station just outside of Aix.)
We used the Fodor's Guide (not the exploring Provence, but the basic guide) alot. I also gathered an enormous amount of info from this board(with on-going thanks).
We just sent our neighbors to Les Trois Sources in Bonnieux which they also loved and on to Le Fournil to dine in Bonnieux which they still rave about.
If you are in the Isle sur Le Sorgue area on a Sunday, do hit the flea market. I have a lunch recommendation just outside of town(we actually stayed there) but it's in the deep recesses at the moment. I'll keep thinking and will also check e mail to continue in that venue with you.
This is so exciting!
If you do want to explore, I would stay outside of Aix. I thought,initially, you had consider staying in Aix and only Aix. While I found it ridiculous to get in and out of, I didn't even bother trying to drive once we reached our hotel. (We arrived from Bonnieux and departed for the TGV station just outside of Aix.)
We used the Fodor's Guide (not the exploring Provence, but the basic guide) alot. I also gathered an enormous amount of info from this board(with on-going thanks).
We just sent our neighbors to Les Trois Sources in Bonnieux which they also loved and on to Le Fournil to dine in Bonnieux which they still rave about.
If you are in the Isle sur Le Sorgue area on a Sunday, do hit the flea market. I have a lunch recommendation just outside of town(we actually stayed there) but it's in the deep recesses at the moment. I'll keep thinking and will also check e mail to continue in that venue with you.
This is so exciting!
Jun 28th, 2005, 07:49 PM
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I love very very much Avignon , I always recommend it (looks like if they pay me 
). It's a good destination for the final part of your trip because you can go back Nice to catch the plane by TGV from there. And it's beautiful and full of history.
To see more than the cities you will have to hire a car.
). It's a good destination for the final part of your trip because you can go back Nice to catch the plane by TGV from there. And it's beautiful and full of history.To see more than the cities you will have to hire a car.
Jun 29th, 2005, 02:05 AM
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If Aix is where you want to bo, I would suggest you try for a room at Villa Gallici..lovely place and dining at the Clos de la Violette.
If in the area on a Sunday, you should take in the antique market at l'Isle sur la Sorgue. It is a fun experience. Do the Luberon hill towns. If you want to stay up that way, a good place is Ferme de la Huppe.
You will be sigtseeing along the Cote d'Azur while in that area, so move on westward and see more of Provence. If time allows go over St. Remy way and see the beautiful Alpilles.
You will need a car, of course.
I would get to making reservations ASAP!!
Enjoy..............
If in the area on a Sunday, you should take in the antique market at l'Isle sur la Sorgue. It is a fun experience. Do the Luberon hill towns. If you want to stay up that way, a good place is Ferme de la Huppe.
You will be sigtseeing along the Cote d'Azur while in that area, so move on westward and see more of Provence. If time allows go over St. Remy way and see the beautiful Alpilles.
You will need a car, of course.
I would get to making reservations ASAP!!
Enjoy..............
Jun 29th, 2005, 02:54 AM
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So glad you asked! I just returned from this area last month and posted a trip report (sorry, not sure how to identify it for you, but if you click my name you'll find it titled "South of France"
. The report is painfully long, so my short recommendations are to take a look at Mas de la Christine in Maillaine (a wonderful farm B&B in an easy and very central location near St. Remy) and La Bosquet in Antibes (a beautiful B&B in a great city for both relaxing and sight-seeing, and not terribly difficult to get in and out of). Also, we loved spending a Saturday night in Isle Sur la Sorgue at Hotel Lou Soloy so we could walk to the Sunday morning market. Good luck!
. The report is painfully long, so my short recommendations are to take a look at Mas de la Christine in Maillaine (a wonderful farm B&B in an easy and very central location near St. Remy) and La Bosquet in Antibes (a beautiful B&B in a great city for both relaxing and sight-seeing, and not terribly difficult to get in and out of). Also, we loved spending a Saturday night in Isle Sur la Sorgue at Hotel Lou Soloy so we could walk to the Sunday morning market. Good luck!
Jun 29th, 2005, 02:56 AM
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We spent a number of days in the hill towns of the Luberon (Menerbes, Bonnieux, Gordes, Roussillon) and that experience was by far our favorite part of the trip to France. We included overnights to Avignon and Cassis and enjoyed those too. It was actually our stay in Menerbes that forever changed my belief that the best vacations are on or near a beach.
A friend of mine recently returned and told me that she'd commented on the flight back that she'd been disappointed in Provence. When she explained what she'd seen, her French seat mate said she'd missed the best part -- the Luberon!
I had several guide books for the area, but one of my favorites was the Michelin Green Guide. You'll definitely appreciate having a car. Have a wonderful time!
A friend of mine recently returned and told me that she'd commented on the flight back that she'd been disappointed in Provence. When she explained what she'd seen, her French seat mate said she'd missed the best part -- the Luberon!
I had several guide books for the area, but one of my favorites was the Michelin Green Guide. You'll definitely appreciate having a car. Have a wonderful time!
Jun 29th, 2005, 03:51 AM
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<<(sorry, not sure how to identify it for you, but if you click my name you'll find it titled "South of France".>>
Although these instructions will take any reader - - for <u>now</u> - - to find your trip report easily, it won't be true in the future (and this post will be here forever)...
...but more importantly, obtaining and citing the URL for your trip report post is a skill that you can and should learn. It's really quite easy, given that you know how to get to the thread in the first place.
And this is one circumstance for which Fodors is not to be faulted for failing to explaining it - - if you click on "HELP" (tiny little red letters in the upper lefthand corner), you'll go to their FAQs - - and at http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm#Q3A - - you can read their explanation.
In any event, the URL for your trip report is:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34634242
.>>Although these instructions will take any reader - - for <u>now</u> - - to find your trip report easily, it won't be true in the future (and this post will be here forever)...
...but more importantly, obtaining and citing the URL for your trip report post is a skill that you can and should learn. It's really quite easy, given that you know how to get to the thread in the first place.
And this is one circumstance for which Fodors is not to be faulted for failing to explaining it - - if you click on "HELP" (tiny little red letters in the upper lefthand corner), you'll go to their FAQs - - and at http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm#Q3A - - you can read their explanation.
In any event, the URL for your trip report is:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34634242
Jun 29th, 2005, 04:26 AM
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WOW - I'm overwhelmed by the quick response to my query and am ever so grateful! I guess it'd be helpful in digesting all of this info if I had a map of the region at my disposal, n'est-ce-pas?! I have ordered the Fodors guide, so that will help me place all these suggestions more clearly.
Now, another question...our rough itinerary will be as follows: arrive Nice on the morning of 9/23, which gives us 2 and 1/2 days to meander on our own until husband's conference strats the evening of the 25th. Conference ends on the afternoon of the 29th, giving us another 3 and 1/2 days to explore points west and north. I could really use some suggestions on how best to make use of the time before and after the conference, i.e. suggested do-able itineraries. As stated before, while I will have the benefit of the "spouses excursions" during the conference, my husband will not, and so naturally he will also want to check out the Cotes d'Azur, and it probably makes sense for us to do that on the early end of our trip, prior to the conference.
Thanks so much again for your valuable input, looking forward to more on these questions!
I have ordered the Fodors guide, so that will help me place all these suggestions more clearly.Now, another question...our rough itinerary will be as follows: arrive Nice on the morning of 9/23, which gives us 2 and 1/2 days to meander on our own until husband's conference strats the evening of the 25th. Conference ends on the afternoon of the 29th, giving us another 3 and 1/2 days to explore points west and north. I could really use some suggestions on how best to make use of the time before and after the conference, i.e. suggested do-able itineraries. As stated before, while I will have the benefit of the "spouses excursions" during the conference, my husband will not, and so naturally he will also want to check out the Cotes d'Azur, and it probably makes sense for us to do that on the early end of our trip, prior to the conference.
Thanks so much again for your valuable input, looking forward to more on these questions!
Jun 29th, 2005, 05:07 AM
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Yes, do the area before the conference...St. Paul de Vence, Maybe up to Eze, Monaco if that appeals to you, St. Jean Cap Ferrat.
Get a Michelin map of Provence along with Green Guide.
It will be important for you to make your reservation (or try to) ASAP, as it will be a busy time.
Enjoy..........
Get a Michelin map of Provence along with Green Guide.
It will be important for you to make your reservation (or try to) ASAP, as it will be a busy time.
Enjoy..........
Jun 29th, 2005, 05:10 AM
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My suggestion would be to skip Aix entirely and go directly to the Luberon. Our experience is that this part of Provence is the loveliest and has the most "Provencal" feeling to it. You will have a good chance to experience the Cote d'Azur and the Luberon is a nice contrast.
Jun 29th, 2005, 07:20 AM
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Another vote to skip Aix altogether. I just came back from a month in Europe and spent about 10 days in the South of France, first basing myself in St. Remy (stayed at Hotel Sous Les Figuiers...wonderful b&b!) for a couple of nights where I visited Nimes, Arles, Avignon and Les Baux. Then I moved over to the Luberon Region and stayed at La Ferme De La Huppe near Gordes and it was a wonderful place as well. We visited Gordes, Rousillon, and Bonnieux. We had such a wonderful time in this region! It is truly beautiful. I think St. Remy was such a charming provencal town and is a must-see, especially if it is a market day!
From there we went to Aix and we just didn't like it at all. Like others posted, it was so hard to get in and out of, parking was a nightmare, and I just thought it lacked charm overall. I did love the Cote D'Azur. We spent a couple of nights in St. Tropez which I loved and then moved onto Nice where we saw Eze and Monte Carlo. I was contemplating to stay a night in Monte Carlo but then just decided to do a day trip out of Nice and was so glad I did that because we only spent a few hours in Monte Carlo. Nice for a quick visit, but not much to it.
You will definitely need a car though! And the drives alone are just gorgeous! Have fun! I'm so excited for you!!!
From there we went to Aix and we just didn't like it at all. Like others posted, it was so hard to get in and out of, parking was a nightmare, and I just thought it lacked charm overall. I did love the Cote D'Azur. We spent a couple of nights in St. Tropez which I loved and then moved onto Nice where we saw Eze and Monte Carlo. I was contemplating to stay a night in Monte Carlo but then just decided to do a day trip out of Nice and was so glad I did that because we only spent a few hours in Monte Carlo. Nice for a quick visit, but not much to it.
You will definitely need a car though! And the drives alone are just gorgeous! Have fun! I'm so excited for you!!!
Jun 29th, 2005, 08:39 AM
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Margot,
Don't be discouraged about Aix, if you really feel you want to stay there. raffic is horrible there. The last time I "tried" to do some shopping there it was so bad that I just drive off!! If you were to stay at the lovely Villa Gallici, they have their own private parking and all is easily accessible from there. Aix has some lovely shops and a nice place.
Enjoy.........
Don't be discouraged about Aix, if you really feel you want to stay there. raffic is horrible there. The last time I "tried" to do some shopping there it was so bad that I just drive off!! If you were to stay at the lovely Villa Gallici, they have their own private parking and all is easily accessible from there. Aix has some lovely shops and a nice place.
Enjoy.........
Jun 29th, 2005, 08:41 AM
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Ah ha! I just remembered the place we stayed just outside of Isle sur la Sorgue: Mas de Cure Bourse. I would recommend a day trip to the town so as to catch the Sunday market. Make reservations for lunch at the Mas. It's lovely and very good food. You will not need dinner that evening. In town there is also the Carre des Herbes which we enjoyed for lunch. The market is fun. Simply wade your way past the usual flea market items and immerse yourself in the wares of the region. I bought a wonderful 19th century engraving of Diana the goddess for 20 euros at this market. Of course, I spent $175 US to have it framed but it hangs in our entryway and looks fabulous. It's a constant reminder of a great day.
