Need help planning a trip to Provence/Cote d'Azur
 

Hi:

We are planning a trip to Provence/Cote d'Azur this coming March 23-April 19 (27 days). We are a family of six with teenage kids and youngest kid being 10 yrs old. They are pretty good travelers, having done Greece, Italy, France, Eastern Europe, China and other Asian countries in the past.

We were thinking of spending one week visiting the French Riviera and its hilltowns. So far we plan to drive from Cannes-Nice, Cap Ferrat, Monaco, Menton, St. Agnes, Roquebrune Cap Martin, Eze, Haut Cagnes, Biot, Antibes, Juan les Pins, Vallauris, Mougins, Grasse, Gourdon, Cipieres, Tourettes Sur Loup, Vence, St. Paul de Vence.

Then drive for another week into inland Provence: Aix-en Provence, Hilltowns of Haut Provence (Cadenet, Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Apt, Rousillion) Vaucluse (Gordes, Joucas, Senanque, Venasque, Crillon le Brave), L'isle la Sorgue, Orange, Avignon, Villenueve les Avignon, Saint Remy, Les Baux provence, Fontville, Arles, Nimes, Marseilles, Casis (Les Calanque).

Need inputs if one week for each segment is enough time to allot without having to feel rushed. For the perched villages and Hilltowns, which ones are a must see and which ones can be skipped? Is there a way to see several villages in one day? Which of the places mentioned above are a must see? Will we be spending too much time in the South of France? Any other countries worth including in the trip?

We are still deciding where to go for the remaining days we have (10 days, since we're thinking of taking it easy for the first 3 days before we start the drive. Our choices so far have been:
1) Carcassone and Lourdes
2) Italian Riviera such as Cinque Terre, Sestri Levanti and Portofino. Can these be accessed easily by train from Cannes or Nice? Will 2 days be enough for all of these?

Would appreciate any ideas or inputs. Thanks

Is this a troll?

Assuming a half day minimum for each place you mention, you would need 22.5 days to cover all those places. Not to mention it would be ridiculous to do so in the first place.

>>>For the perched villages and Hilltowns, which ones are a must see and which ones can be skipped?<<<

If you have seen one, you have seen them all. To be frank, they are pretty similar, so no need to maximize the numbers of perched villages.

You will see Eze anyway, because it is a natural stop on the Moyenne Corniche which ia a must-see.

I would also recommend visiting St. Paul which is unique because of the art galleries and boutiques and because it is so close to Fondation Maeght which is certainly a must-see.

In Provence, you should visit Les Baux for the special atmosphere of a ruined medieval hilltown.

Which other ones you will visit depends just on convenience and mood. If you are close to, say, Gourdon and if you would like a stroll, walk through the village. If you like, you may have a coffee or drink or a meal on the terrace of one of the restaurants in the village. You will be travelling leisurely and not hasten from one guide book entry to the next.

>>>Is there a way to see several villages in one day? <<< Yes, of course, but why should you do this? Better plan to do loop drives and include different attractions on this loop, e.g. you start from Nice, drive the Grand Corniche with a stop at La Turbie to Monaco, visit the Palace, the Cathedral, the Oceanographic Institute, maybe the Cactus Garden, drive back the Moyenne Cornice with a stop in Eze and back to Nice.

Or you drive to Fondation Maeght, stroll afterwards through St. Paul, then proceed to Vence, visit the Matisse Chapel, and on the way to Grasse, where you visit a perfume factory, you stop in Tourette-sur-Loup. You could also visit Gourdon, another perched village, on the loop drive, but do not overplan. Just look how the day evolves and spend as much time at each location as you like. No one will accuse you of having missed this or that attraction.

>>>Which of the places mentioned above are a must see? <<<

I will rate them with zero to three stars (and include a few more):

** Cannes - the promenade, the grand hotels, yacht harbour (an hour or two will be sufficient)
*** Nice - the art museums and old town
* Cap Ferrat - Villa Ephrussi Rothschild is an imposing pile of kitsch
*** Monaco - many attractions on a small piece of land and the drive to and from is also ***, do not miss *** La Turbie,
* Menton - not really necessary,
* Ste. Agnes - nice village, but a bit out-of-way, you will find alternatives which are more accessible
* Roquebrune Cap Martin - also not a priority,
** Eze - it is a must to spend ten minutes to walk to the lookout, because it is right on the Moyenne Corniche,
* Haut Cagnes - the olive museum is the main attraction, certainly not a must,
** Biot, because of the Leger Museum a must for lovers of modern art,
* Antibes - a good place to make a base, otherwise a decent Picasso Museum,
* Juan les Pins - a wide sandy beach but nothing else, Vallauris - not on my priority list,
Mougins - a square with a few restaurants,
* Grasse - if you like perfume,
* Gourdon - one of the nicer perched villages,
? Cipieres - have never been there,
* Tourettes Sur Loup - another nice village,
* Vence - the Matisse Chapel is the main attraction (a quick visit),
** St. Paul de Vence - stroll throught the village after visiting Fondation Maeght,

Here my additions:
*** Fondation Maeght - a must for modern art with a breathtaking sculpture garden designed by Joan Miro,
*** Corniche de l'Esterel - one of the world's most spectacular coastal roads and breathtaking calanques (rocky coves).

** Aix-en Provence - beautiful medium-sized city,
* Two or three of them are enough - I recommend Roussillion because of the ocre canyon, Gordes because of the Bories (stone huts) and Senanque Abbey. Hilltowns of Haut Provence (Cadenet, Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Apt, Rousillion) Vaucluse (Gordes, Joucas, Senanque, Venasque, Crillon le Brave),
* L'isle la Sorgue,
*** Orange - the Roman ruins are spectacular,
*** Avignon - the Papal Palace is the main attraction and also the Old Town,
* Villenueve les Avignon - not necessary,
*** Saint Remy - Les Antiques are quick and easy to visit,
** Les Baux provence - pictureque ruins and a scenic drive,
* Fontville - just a windmill,
*** Arles - spectacular Roman ruins,
*** Nimes - the best Roman ruins in Provence,
* Marseilles - a huge city,
* Cassis - a little out of your way, and there are much better Calanques between Cannes and St. Raphael.

My additions:
*** Pont du Gard - a breathtaking Roman aqueduct,
** Aigues-Mortes - a completely walled medieval city,
** Vaison-la-Romaine - more Roman ruins if you are enthusiatic about them.

>>>Will we be spending too much time in the South of France?<<<

No. It is an extremely attractive destination.

>>>Any other countries worth including in the trip?<<<

No.

>>>We are still deciding where to go for the remaining days we have
1) Carcassone and Lourdes

Frankly, spend the additional time in Provence and Cote d'Azur. It will be worth it.
Carcassonne IS beautiful, but Aigues-Mortes is similar and I am not sure if it is worth the drive. But IF you decide for Carcassonne, spend a day with driving into the Pyrenees (with a stop in Ceret). Even this about driving into Spain in order to visit Cadaques (you should stay there overnight) and the Costa Brava.

2) Italian Riviera such as Cinque Terre, Sestri Levanti and Portofino. Can these be accessed easily by train from Cannes or Nice? Will 2 days be enough for all of these?

IMO, the French part of the Riviera is much better than the Italian part. You can take the train for a daytrip but I doubt if it is worth it.

BTW, for your trip you need a rental car anyway. Scenic drives abound in the region.

Thanks so much for your valuable inputs traveller1959 and dulciusexasperis. This will help us refine our itinerary very much. The initial itineray was just based on what I have researched but meant to be refined. This puts things in a better perspective for us.

Gern geschehen - you are welcome.

bookmarking

Bookmarking

If you get to Les Baux, don't miss http://www.carrieres-lumieres.com/en/home

truly spectacular!

For those of you bookmarking, many people feel the Italian Riviera is a lot more flavorful, character-filled, colorful and soulful and just more fun than the French Riviera. Lovely scenery too if you have a car. Cheaper too.

My advice is to remember the old saying about travel: take half the clothes and twice the money. Apply that to your itinerary, cutting about half the destinations you have listed, and you will still be rushed.

I would put Gourdon on the miss list, as it's a long drive out and back to see one more perched village. The château is now closed to visitors, and you can see the village in half an hour. Tourettes-sur-Loup and Biot have much more to offer, and at Biot you can see the fine glassblowing atelier across from the superb International Art Glass Museum.

Sandralist, many people feel the French Riviera is a lot more flavourful, character-filled, colourful and soulful and just more fun than the Italian Riviera. Lovely scenery too if you have a car. Cheaper too.

Guess that makes it even huh?

If you have a personal preference, then say so but don't try to suggest you are speaking for a majority of others. You are speaking only for yourself.

Nor did the OP ask for alternatives to the French Riviera. So why are you suggesting one?

My husband &I are a trip to the Cote D'azur & Provence this May. This itinerary is of great help. Thank you!