Marseille or Nice first
 

Planning a trip to France.Can fly in to Marseille or Nice?What's best?
Will be spending a few days in Provence (haven't decided on the towns).Will visit my daughter in Montpellier for a day or two.
Planning something like April 23 to May 10.Very flexible on choice of airport and cities to visit.Will be travelling with my husband and renting a car for Provence portion of the trip.
Thanks,Nono

My guess is that you'll want to see your daughter right away, in which case Marseilles makes the most sense. After your visit there, work your way back east. If you can, it would make sense to fly into Marseilles and out of Nice.

Thanks Guy.I have seen my daughter in January 06 for 3 weeks she was here in the states.She's an exchange student in Montpellier and will be done with her term in April.
I'm struggling with the itinerary and trying to find a very efficent way to visit the south of france and Provence .
Any favorite towns or must see or do suggestions .All is appreciated.Thanks,Nono

I have been to all of the following and think it would make a great itinerary. Everyone has his/her favorites, but you really can't go wrong.

Arles
Aix-en-Provence
Avignon
L'isle sur Sorgue (on Sunday morning!)
Luberon hilltowns like Bonnieux and Menerbes
Nice
St. Paul de Vence
Antibes

In addition to the towns you mention my list includes les Baux ,St Remy ,Collioure, perpignan.the more I read the more places I add to my must see list.
To be continued.How about accomodations?Do you recomend staying in one place and touring daily?I'm leaning to one place somewhere in Provence for few days and then when in Nice a hotel and maybe dropping off the auto since I hear driving in Nice is difficult.

Using two places as "hubs" is certainly what I prefer. This way you can settle in and make yourself at home. Somewhere outside of St. Remy for Provence makes the most sense since it is central and then doing what you suggest in Nice and taking busses and trains to surrounding towns. I did this and was able to get to St. Paul de Vence and Antibes quite easily. I'm sure that Cap Ferrat, Cannes or wherever you want to go on the Cote Azure would be accessible from Nice by bus or train.

And, yes, Les Baux is a must-see.

I'm not sure, but I think Collioure and Perpignan would need to be a separate leg of the trip from Provence. But I've never been to either...

If you want to see Provence, you have to fly to Marseilles, Nice is 4 hours drive and another story : Côte d'Azur.
However Marseille is not a real "international" airport (no long distances flights), whereas Nice is.

Collioure is a wonderful place (together with Banyuls and Cadaques on the spanish side), Perpignan is not (avoid) but again a different story : 4 hours drive from Marseille.

Focus on Provence : stay in Aix en Provence rather than St Remy (more central). Go one day in Luberon (L'Ormarins, Gordes, Roussillon), one day in Aix en Provence, one day in Cassis (wonderful little fish harbour on the coast), and go to St Remy/Les Baux from Aix in a day.

Cant believe one would say that Aix is more central than St.Remy.Aix is all by itself at least an hour's drive to the real spots that radiate from Arle,Avignon and Cavillion. And in St Remy this lovely town is great for eating and shopping if one doesn't want to search for eateries in the dark Provence roads after an active day.

Because it depens on what you want to see and if you want to go in Provence (at least what we called Provence in Provence). Aix enables you to go the sea which is must see in Provence. St Remy is too far from the sea for a nice day trip.
Avignon is nice but it's a big town and not really Provence anymore.
Cavaillon is not interesting (even a bit ugly).
Les Baux/St Remy can be done from Aix. and Aix has a lot more restaurants, bars and thing to see.
I would not even hesitate between the two.

I would recommend Marsailles also. We were just there at christmas. Also Avingion and a short trip to St. Marie de la Mer. I can give you hotel ideas later if you need them especially in Aix. enjoy.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.Here's what I have:
Get to Marseille and tour for 2 days.
Find a location in Provence and stay put for 5-6 days: still not sure St Remy or Aix depends on accomodations.
Slowly get to Nice to fly back.
Do I rent the car from Marseille or from the town in Provence?Would I be able to get an automatic in small towns?