Itinerary suggestions for France
Jul 30th, 2006, 07:21 AM
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Itinerary suggestions for France
We are going to France in September and our itinerary is as follows:
4 days - Basque region
2 days - Sarlat
2 days - Albi
4 days - St. Remy
2 days - Lyon
2 days - Beune
We have hotels arranged and are trying to decide what towns/sights we would like to visit at each stop. Any suggestions on what towns or sights are "must sees" from these base locations? I know we are not spending enough time in any location to see everything we should see but we want to see the highlights and get a feel for what areas we would like to return to in the future for a more extended visit.
4 days - Basque region
2 days - Sarlat
2 days - Albi
4 days - St. Remy
2 days - Lyon
2 days - Beune
We have hotels arranged and are trying to decide what towns/sights we would like to visit at each stop. Any suggestions on what towns or sights are "must sees" from these base locations? I know we are not spending enough time in any location to see everything we should see but we want to see the highlights and get a feel for what areas we would like to return to in the future for a more extended visit.
Jul 30th, 2006, 08:35 AM
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Here are a few suggestions for your time in the St. Rémy area...
Day One:
Drive to the Pont du Gard in the morning. This is about a 45 minute drive from St Rémy. Afterwards, drive another 15 minutes to Uzès. This is a charming town with a wonderful pedestrian center and many interesting shops, especially for pottery.
There is also a beautiful medieval garden which is open for visits.
Market day is Saturday - all day.
Restaurant recommendation for lunch:
Les Fontaines
Charming small restaurant in the center of town. Tiny indoor patio area among the ruined walls. Good eclectic mix of food... sometimes a Moroccan tahjine, sometimes provençal.
6, rue Entre les Tours Tel: 04 66 22 41 20
After lunch return to St Rémy via Tarascon - you might wish to visit the castle on the Rhône.
If you haven't dallied too long, the end of the day is the perfect time to visit Les Baux, just on the south side of the Alpilles from St.Rémy. The tour buses have left and it's a delightful time to wander the coblestone streets and visit.
Day Two:
Make a circuit of the Lubéron villages. From St. Rémy drive to Gordes (about 45 minutes), and then visit the Abbaye de Senanque. If you're planning to be here the end of June or July, the Abbaye will be surrounded by blooming lavender fields.
I don't really recommend spending long in Gordes - for one you have to pay to park and the village is much more spectacular viewed from afar.
From Gordes or l'Abbaye, drive to Roussillon (about 20 minutes). Roussillon is built on red and yellow ochre cliffs and is home to many artists and galleries. It's a beautiful small village and the climb to the top is very interesting. There's a great pottery shop at the top that also sells packaged ochres, if you are an artist or have the urge to begin painting.
Near the clock tower there's a charming small outdoor restaurant called La Treille, which has good food at a reasonable price.
From Roussillon drive to Bonnieux through the vineyards. This is another perched village and the climb to the top is steep. If you've had enough climbing, I suggest going on Lacoste, home of the Marquis de Sade's château. It was purchased a couple of years ago by Pierre Cardin, but I think parts of it are still open to the public.
From Lacoste you can drive to Menerbes (you can park at the top of the village) where there are some charming shops and views. Or you can continue along to Oppede le Vieux, one of my favorites Not completely "redone" it's a small village with a ruined church and château (now closed) that is charming.
This is a full day.
Day Three:
If you're interested in the Camargue (the natural wildlife preserve - famous for the wild Camarguais horses, bulls and rice fields) I highly suggest a visit to Aigues Mortes.
South of Arles, it's a little over an hour's drive from St Remy.
A walled city, departure point for the crusades, it's one of my favorite places in the area. It hasn't really caught on with foreign tourists yet, although do I see more and more every year.
Famous for salt, you can see the mountains of it from the ramparts.
Returning from Aigues Mortes, you might want to visit Arles. The Roman coliseum and theater in town are well preserved and used today. There is also a Roman necropolis just on the edge of town and within walking distance from the center.
It's also a place that Van Gogh painted extensively, and the Tourist Office has a booklet (in English ) that gives various walking tours that are very interesting.
It's about a 30 minute drive back to St Rémy from Arles.
Day Four:
If you're interested in seeing some of the coast, I highly recommend a drive of about an hour and half to Cassis. A small fishing village right on the Med, it's got a great beach and you can take a boat ride to visit the "calanques"... inlets with small beaches at the foot of the cliffs not accessible by car.
Recommendation for lunch - overlooking the water:
Le Grand Large
Just off the port, with a large terrace overlooking the beach and the sea. Excellent seafood during the season. In summer bouillabaisse is often on the menu (without having to request it in advance) Off season, call the evening before if you would like this specialty. The fried calamari is excellent, as is the fresh fish.
Tel: 04 42 01 81 00
If you're not interested in driving that far I could suggest, especially if it's a Sunday, driving to l'Isle sur la Sorgue which has a fabulous market and antiques market that day. The village is spread out along the banks of the Sorgue river and there are big water wheels dotted along the town. Little shops and winding streets make it a more relaxing day.
And, of course, visit St. Rémy, home of Nostradamus. The St Paul de Mausole just outside of town, is the institution where Van Gogh spent time and painted a lot. There is a walk that has panels showing the paintings he did while there - and some of the views are basically unchanged today. Just next door is Glanum - the ruins of a Roman town built on the ruins of a Phoenician village. It's quite fascinating to visit.
Market day in St Rémy is Wednesday and the town is very busy that day.
Patricia
Day One:
Drive to the Pont du Gard in the morning. This is about a 45 minute drive from St Rémy. Afterwards, drive another 15 minutes to Uzès. This is a charming town with a wonderful pedestrian center and many interesting shops, especially for pottery.
There is also a beautiful medieval garden which is open for visits.
Market day is Saturday - all day.
Restaurant recommendation for lunch:
Les Fontaines
Charming small restaurant in the center of town. Tiny indoor patio area among the ruined walls. Good eclectic mix of food... sometimes a Moroccan tahjine, sometimes provençal.
6, rue Entre les Tours Tel: 04 66 22 41 20
After lunch return to St Rémy via Tarascon - you might wish to visit the castle on the Rhône.
If you haven't dallied too long, the end of the day is the perfect time to visit Les Baux, just on the south side of the Alpilles from St.Rémy. The tour buses have left and it's a delightful time to wander the coblestone streets and visit.
Day Two:
Make a circuit of the Lubéron villages. From St. Rémy drive to Gordes (about 45 minutes), and then visit the Abbaye de Senanque. If you're planning to be here the end of June or July, the Abbaye will be surrounded by blooming lavender fields.
I don't really recommend spending long in Gordes - for one you have to pay to park and the village is much more spectacular viewed from afar.
From Gordes or l'Abbaye, drive to Roussillon (about 20 minutes). Roussillon is built on red and yellow ochre cliffs and is home to many artists and galleries. It's a beautiful small village and the climb to the top is very interesting. There's a great pottery shop at the top that also sells packaged ochres, if you are an artist or have the urge to begin painting.
Near the clock tower there's a charming small outdoor restaurant called La Treille, which has good food at a reasonable price.
From Roussillon drive to Bonnieux through the vineyards. This is another perched village and the climb to the top is steep. If you've had enough climbing, I suggest going on Lacoste, home of the Marquis de Sade's château. It was purchased a couple of years ago by Pierre Cardin, but I think parts of it are still open to the public.
From Lacoste you can drive to Menerbes (you can park at the top of the village) where there are some charming shops and views. Or you can continue along to Oppede le Vieux, one of my favorites Not completely "redone" it's a small village with a ruined church and château (now closed) that is charming.
This is a full day.
Day Three:
If you're interested in the Camargue (the natural wildlife preserve - famous for the wild Camarguais horses, bulls and rice fields) I highly suggest a visit to Aigues Mortes.
South of Arles, it's a little over an hour's drive from St Remy.
A walled city, departure point for the crusades, it's one of my favorite places in the area. It hasn't really caught on with foreign tourists yet, although do I see more and more every year.
Famous for salt, you can see the mountains of it from the ramparts.
Returning from Aigues Mortes, you might want to visit Arles. The Roman coliseum and theater in town are well preserved and used today. There is also a Roman necropolis just on the edge of town and within walking distance from the center.
It's also a place that Van Gogh painted extensively, and the Tourist Office has a booklet (in English ) that gives various walking tours that are very interesting.
It's about a 30 minute drive back to St Rémy from Arles.
Day Four:
If you're interested in seeing some of the coast, I highly recommend a drive of about an hour and half to Cassis. A small fishing village right on the Med, it's got a great beach and you can take a boat ride to visit the "calanques"... inlets with small beaches at the foot of the cliffs not accessible by car.
Recommendation for lunch - overlooking the water:
Le Grand Large
Just off the port, with a large terrace overlooking the beach and the sea. Excellent seafood during the season. In summer bouillabaisse is often on the menu (without having to request it in advance) Off season, call the evening before if you would like this specialty. The fried calamari is excellent, as is the fresh fish.
Tel: 04 42 01 81 00
If you're not interested in driving that far I could suggest, especially if it's a Sunday, driving to l'Isle sur la Sorgue which has a fabulous market and antiques market that day. The village is spread out along the banks of the Sorgue river and there are big water wheels dotted along the town. Little shops and winding streets make it a more relaxing day.
And, of course, visit St. Rémy, home of Nostradamus. The St Paul de Mausole just outside of town, is the institution where Van Gogh spent time and painted a lot. There is a walk that has panels showing the paintings he did while there - and some of the views are basically unchanged today. Just next door is Glanum - the ruins of a Roman town built on the ruins of a Phoenician village. It's quite fascinating to visit.
Market day in St Rémy is Wednesday and the town is very busy that day.
Patricia
Jul 30th, 2006, 09:22 AM
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What you need is the Michelin Green Guide to France.
From Beaune (note spelling), visit the town of Autun. It has a still-used Roman theater, a magnificent cathedral and surrounding medieval precincts, and beautiful wrought-iron gates at the Jesuit college.
From Beaune (note spelling), visit the town of Autun. It has a still-used Roman theater, a magnificent cathedral and surrounding medieval precincts, and beautiful wrought-iron gates at the Jesuit college.
Jul 31st, 2006, 02:40 PM
#6
What prompts your start in the Basque country /finish in Beaune? They are not obvious starting/stopping points.
In/around Sarlat, IMO you should not miss Lascaux ll and the gouffres de padirac. There are also lovely gardens in this area - or just enjoy Sarlat itself.
St. Remy to Lyon is quite a trek.
In/around Sarlat, IMO you should not miss Lascaux ll and the gouffres de padirac. There are also lovely gardens in this area - or just enjoy Sarlat itself.
St. Remy to Lyon is quite a trek.
Jul 31st, 2006, 04:04 PM
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PBProvence---thanks for the great information. That really was helpful.
Annhig---we are flying into Paris and staying at a friend's house in the Basque region. I guess the reason we ended in Beune is we ran out of time to see anymore places! We will fly back from Paris. This is all we could fit into the itinery without exhausting ourselves. We do realize St. Remy to Lyon will be a long drive.
Thanks for the input---any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Annhig---we are flying into Paris and staying at a friend's house in the Basque region. I guess the reason we ended in Beune is we ran out of time to see anymore places! We will fly back from Paris. This is all we could fit into the itinery without exhausting ourselves. We do realize St. Remy to Lyon will be a long drive.
Thanks for the input---any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Jul 31st, 2006, 07:39 PM
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LOL, sorry, Hi billybob,
Your question reminded me of something I had just recently read, hope this helps..
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34831984
Your question reminded me of something I had just recently read, hope this helps..
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34831984
Aug 2nd, 2006, 01:24 PM
#11
as there don't seem to be any compelling reasons for you to go to Lyon/Beaune, I would consider basing yourselves more in the west, starting in the Basque region and working north, rather then going so far east. Have you thought about the Landes region/ gascony, spending longer in the Dordogne, Bordeaux, the Vendee, the Loire? There is so much to see in these areas, with far less travelling!
THen next time, you could concentrate on Provence and the Rhone, and have much more time to really enjoy it.
Yes, I know that this is a well-travelled furrow on this forum, but the reason for that is the bitter experience of those of us who have tried to cram a quart into a pint pot and failed. Less is more.
THen next time, you could concentrate on Provence and the Rhone, and have much more time to really enjoy it.
Yes, I know that this is a well-travelled furrow on this forum, but the reason for that is the bitter experience of those of us who have tried to cram a quart into a pint pot and failed. Less is more.
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