Just back from Provence....
 

Bonjour!

We have just returned from two great weeks in Provence and wanted to say that 95% of the recommendations we pulled off of Fodors were spot on. Thanks all and keep it up!

This was our fourth visit to Provence and first time during the winter months. Needless to say we love it here. And coming during February was great as the weather was excellent - lots of sunshine, cold only in the early morning - and the usual hyper-touristy spots (St. Remy, Gordes, Lourmarin, Baux, etc.) were joys to visit with few others around!!

Best to all,
Jim

Tell us more! Where did you stay?

Oh, sir, you must do better than that!
I want to hear all about the food, weather, shopping, everything!
Merci, Scarlett

Please, please tell us more. We are considering going there soon--what is there to do when the weather's cold?

Oh, you're not going to get out of this THAT easy! Details please!

We are going in 6 weeks. Let us know some more details you learned from this site and ones you learned when you were there.

Mon Dieu!

Didn't realize people would be so interested! We went for two weeks in all - took the TGV to Aix and then the first week there at the Villa Gallici - which I know has been raved about before here and which we like very much. Nice location for a stroll into town and the restaurant is truly superb. My wife can be a big shopping fan given the right ambiance, and there is nothing like hitting the annual winter sales while strolling around Aix.

Went for the first time to Cassis - which was fantastic. Not too many folks about and enough sunshine to have lunch outdoors in a little seafood place overlooking the port. Afterwards, we hiked through a bit of the Calanques (sp?) nearby. We'd seen them by boat, which was great - but a good hike along the coast gives you another feeling altogether.

We took another day trip to the Camargue and went for a horseback ride which was fun, but the famous wind made that one a bit too cold for comfort to be honest. On the way back, we had dinner at L'Alexandrine in Maussane which was warm and cozy and delicious.

The second week we spent in a small village in the Luberon called St. Saturnin. Having stayed previously in Gordes and in Lourmarin, we were looking for something just a bit off the overbeaten path. St. Saturnin turned out to be ideal. It's really pretty and we could walk out of our B&B and hike up in the hills for hours without seeing anybody. Someone here had mentioned Moustiers, which we'd never visited. That made a nice day trip and once again, it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves!

This is getting much too wordy I'm sure, but I can't help going on about it.

About the only two things we regretted -not eactly warm enough to head for the beach and the lavendar fields look too sad for words....

'Thanks jim, I can never get enough of provence.

Not too wordy at all. In face, you can add some more words now if you feel like it :)

That should have said " in fact...."

Now, that's more like it! Feel free to add more if you want - sounds like you had a great trip.

Thanks very much for the details. While I have been to Provence, I certainly would love to spend more time there!

I'm glad you enjoyed Moustiers; I think it's a lovely little village. Did you by any chance dine at Restaurant les Santons?

Grandmere,

Is that the restaurant which is just across from the church and overlooking that gorgeous revine? If so, that's where we ate and we relly liked it. Unfortunately, I can't find the card from the restaurant, so I'm not sure if we are talking about the same one....

Provencejim, can you tell me more about Aix-en-Provence? Details, details! I will be in Arles in 2 weeks and was considering a day trip to Aix. I have a toddler so that makes traveling interesting, but she is a sport. I would like to do something more than eat at a restaurant. Any interesting shops to go to? Museums? Parks? I have heard about the Cezanne things and don't want to miss seeing his former haunts as well. Thanks!

Provencejim, I don't remember the church (it was in 1992)but it does overlook a beautiful ravine. I imagine it's the same place; I don't think there are many other restaurants worth note in town. Outside town, there is the "new" (since I was there) restaurant/inn called Bastide de Moustiers; it's supposed to be quite posh but has had mixed reviews here.

I cherish my couple of pieces of Moustiers faience which was my initial interest in the village.

I stayed at Ducasse's Bastide, it's outside the Village and to enter you must check-in at a gate so it must be our favorite Santons. Jim Santons had a dining balcony, rather than outside tables. Does that help?

Les Santons is indeed in the village of Moustier, near the church and the stream that rushes down the mountain. I love going to Moustier, especially to buy more pieces of the famous faience. Even some of the every-day pieces, if you look carefully in the various shops, can be real finds for the price.

A few years ago we stayed at Ducasse's Bastide and liked our room a lot but found the restaurant distinctly underwhelming in both food and service. But it's a pretty place to stay if you want to spend a bundle, and you can always eat in the village. There are restaurants more than there used to be, thank goodness, although Les Santons is still the only star.

Huitres -

You were asking about Aix. I assume you mean interesting things to do with a toddler? If so, as much as I love Aix, it's not the most kid friendly place. I remember being there with our son, who was 3 at the time. It wasn't too much fun until we invented the game "Find the Fountain". We spent the afternoon chasing all around town trying to see how many of the 100-odd fountains we could find!!

That made it fun for him and bearable for us!

Thanks Provencejim! My little one goes everywhere with me and I have made it a point not to alter my itinerary too much. I will walk up Cours Mirabeau and can probably spot a park or two off the main area. I would like to walk (push stroller) up to the Cezanne house and think that will be interesting. I wanted to get a more personal perspective of Aix from someone who had just returned, rather than gleaning my information solely from a guide book. It sounds like a very lovely city though and I will add it to my itinerary as a day trip! Thanks...

Huitres,

Be sure to read M. F. K. Fisher's wonderful book Two Towns in Provence, of which Aix is one and Marseille the other. You will get a real feel for the city.

Huitres - are you familiar with the Route Cezanne where you follow the bronze medallions in the street to his studio? Your toddler would have fun searching for the next medallion. In addition to lovely fountains and squares, Aix has some wonderful sundials. If you have time go to the St-Saveur cathedral. As you enter there's an office on the right. Ask to join the next tour (French only but with a name like huitres you should have no problem). It's only on the tour that you can see the triptych of Mary in the Burning Bush, the west doors with the 4 old testament prophets and the 12th century cloister.

One of my memorable lunches in Aix was sitting outside amidst all the lovely flowers on market day (Tues, Thurs, Sat). The flower market is in the upper square, near the clock tower.

I also recommend the tapestry museum which you can go through quickly.

Some restaurant recommendations all in the old quarter: Chez Jo for pizza and the resto just next to that - La Table Aixois. For dinner - Chez Maxime and Chez Antoine where you can get an outside table with a view on the Cours Mirabeau.

Thank you Underhill & Adrienne...I leave for France on Tuesday a.m. so not sure I get that reading in before departure. Yes, I speak fluent French so the tour you recommended is a definite possibility. Arles is my base this time -- and Aix, Marseille, Montpellier seemed like very nice day trips. I've been to Marseille before, but only waiting for a train connection with not too much time to explore the city, save for a quick dinner! I may return to Nimes for the day as well. I am looking forward to being there soon!

Topping for you good folks, because your exchange is such a pleasure to read. I was going to cook burgers tonight, but instead I think I'll do olives and mushrooms and aubergines and tomatoes and an anchovy if I can decide which brand to buy. Tuna or chicken? J.

Since you are all saying favorable things about Aix, I would like to ask what its population is roughly. We usually try to avoid large cities. Also, how long to drive to Mustiers, or Eze, or Grasse from there.

Wantstotravel,

Believe Aix has population of about 150,000 - roughly half being students. This gives it a lively university-town feel - which in fact, is exactly what it is. We lived there for two years while renovating our place in the Luberon. It's impossible not to love Aix. As for travelling to the places you mentioned, they are all doable from Aix, especially if you don't mind taking the autoroute for part of the way. You can zip down the coast on the autoroute towards Nice and then visit Eze or Grasse easily as a day trip. Same for Moustiers. It's not our preferred way of travelling, but when you want to get from one specific place to another, it can be useful. Anyway, Aix is at the crossroads of the major highways in Provence - so it is a good base for wide explorations of the area-