les baux de provence
 

Is it possible to visit from Avignon without a car? Been trying to do research and haven't found anything to the positive.

Thanks all

It's possible, but difficult because bus schedules aren't designed for tourists. A tour or a taxi would be the best bet.

Well of course by taxi but there is limited bus service I believe - you can more easily get to St-Remy - a sweet town where Van Gogh interred himself in an insane asylum after slicing off his ear in nearby Arles - copies of his paintings in the asylum area have been put up where he painted them.

More buses to St-Remy I think than Les Baux - so maybe take a bus to St-Remy and then if no public bus a taxi to nearby Les Baux?

http://www.avignon-tourisme.com/home-1-2.html

Of course there should be excursions there from Avignon - contact the Avignon S.I. Syndiat d'Iniiative (sp?) or tourist office to ask about this all.

http://translate.google.com/translat...0%26es_sm%3D93

the above site has schedules for buses it appears.

The official website of Les Baux de Provence offers absolutely no information on how to get there except by car. That means something in itself.

Les Baux: Buses connect with St-Rémy-de-Provence or Arles but only during July and August, with weekend service in June and September (04–32–76–00–40 www.sudest-mobilites.fr).

This if from Fodor's no less - not a thread but an info sheet so it depends when you are going if you can go by public bus or not it seems.

I would rent a car for a day - it is a scenic drive through the Alpilles mountain chain and there is much else to see in the vicinity (Les Antiques, Glanum, Moulin Daudet...).

Car would be best but there are also bus tours from Avignon, which is what I did years ago.

So did I Gina but I think they stopped them

I found this, not the defunct outfit I used.
Wow! How expensive. I paid no way as much but mine was when the last of the franc.
http://www.viator.com/Avignon-attrac...nce/d483-a1741

There are plenty of tourist bus tours from Avignon to lots of places, they wouldn't not have one to Les Baux by any company.

Here is a company that includes Les Baux with the Luberon for only 65 euro per person (from Avignon), I think that is very reasonable for going around to all those places. I don't think the ones cigalechanta shows are expensive, either, some are only around $100 which is about 65 euro, and the ones a bit more are all day. I think that is very reasonable. Of course prices have gone up in the past 12 years since the franc was used.

http://www.provencetours-avignon.com...ce-luberon.htm

The Avignon tourist office should have brochures on places that do this, it shouldn't be a problem to find something if you want, but these links look decent, you aren't going to find one for US$25.

I would book a tour rather than do-it-yourself, those buses are not very convenient and you waste a lot of time.

It is possible, and not difficult, depending on when you are there. We were in Arles last September and there was a bus that went from Arles to Les Baux to Avignon and back 3 or 4 times a day. Another bus was doing the reverse trip all day, so two busses making the loop. Some left Arles in the morning, but we got one around noon. Times were different on weekends, and they were to end summer service September 19th. We took it from Arles to Les Baux - about 25 minutes. The driver picked up people returning to Avignon and was back in Les Baux in about three hours (He stopped for about 15 minutes each place) Senior tickets were only a Euro. Since it is not running right now, I may not be able to get it, but I will try to locate the info/schedule/website for you if you are going in Summer and want it.

Another, not difficult option, if you will not rent a car, is a short train ride from Avignon to Arles, catch the bus to Les Baux. The bus station in Arles is right in front of the train station.

I was just in Provence last month and had the same question about how to reach Les Baux. I was based in Avignon. Pre-trip research showed no bus options, and that was in fact confirmed by the TI in Avignon (there is bus in summer, as others have said). Since I really wanted to see Les Baux and had no car, I took an afternoon guided tour through www.avignon-prestigetour.com (TI phoned and made the booking for me). I was the only one on the tour. My experienced guide, Benoit, took me to Les Baux, Glanum, and St. Remy, in a 3 hour tour. Cost was 60 euros. TI had brochures for at least half a dozen other companies. As I recall, all of them had excursions that included a visit to Les Baux. Most half-day tours ranged from 50-60 euros. It's a pricey place to travel...