If you are going to more than one area, you need the Michelin France, and the Michelin Provence, Cote D'Or, or Dordogne, or Brittany and so on like I need if I'm going to those places as the area map will show you the smaller villages that the whole France does not.

Help!! I have just read this message and thought I was dreaming. It addresses my exact concerns. We have 6 full days in Provence and I have booked us into a hotel in Arles for the entire time. We don't want to visit Avignon or Aix but do want to see les Baux,the Cotes du Rhone, and the Luberon. When I told my husband that I was thinking about splitting the stay into 2 locations he hit the roof! He thinks I'm obsessed with the planning. If we stay in Arles are we doomed?

It will be ok. There is lots to see in Arles alone and you must visit the Camargue, Uzes, St Remy.

No, no, no, jazzyred! You're not in trouble since you want to visit sites that are convenient to Arles. In our case, we stayed near Arles and never ventured farther south than Aigues-Mortes, or farther north than Ales. So it was practical.

However, we also wanted to see Moustiers, which isn't even on the #113 map, and that would have been a wildly <i>impractical</i> place to see from Arles! That's why we did two locations.

I think you can't see everything in Provence from Arles, but then again you can't see everything in Provence anyway! That would take years, what with all Provence has to offer. :D

nonafelice. Isn't that the place that also gives cooking lessons?

As Colette, the famous writer says, there's not one provence, referring to the various regions where the landscapes change. After thirteen visits, there's always something new, it's like a lover you never tire of.

Thank you cigalechanta et al. for your reassurances. I do like your Colette reference. At this point I'm so stressed planning this trip with only ,/';'234###'s from the non-planner that I think I might just take a lover with with me instead!!

The landscape changes was Colette.
The rest was mimi :)

We used the Michelin Red/Orange #526 map (formerly the Yellow #245) that gave us all the towns and roads we needed for our trip. The Luberon towns of Gordes, Rousillion, Bonnieux, Menerbes and others are to the right of Cavillion (off Rt.99, east of St. Remy)... believe (without the map in front of me) is Rt. 22.

Arles or St. Remy is one good base, the other would be Aix-en-Provence.

&gt;&gt;&gt;We used the Michelin Red/Orange #526 map (formerly the Yellow #245&lt;&lt;

Note that these 500 series maps are on a 1/200,000 scale, while the other maps mentioned are 1/160,000, so you will do a little more squinting on the 500 series. They are bigger maps, however, and cover a larger surface area.

Stu Dudley

Cigalechanta,
Re: &quot;Isn't that the place that also gives cooking lessons?&quot;

If you mean Le Clos du Buis, the web site does say they offer the possibility of cooking lessons, although I don't recall them being offered when we were there. I will say that our host Pierre was a fantastic cook. We had a very memorable dinner there one evening.

Our web album photos of Le Clos du Buis start here:
www.aultdesign.com/FrancePGA/Photos/source/4.htm

nonafelice, those are wonderful photos. I love the one of the campanile. Great shot. I sat waiting for friend by the same moss waterwheel in Isle. That gave my spirts a boost on this snowy cold night.

jazzyred...wish you lived near me...we could plan together. My non-planner is letting me do the whole thing except for the car...he is going to take care of that.

Every once in a while I throw something by him ...just to see his reaction. If he objects, I drop it hoping he will forget where I said we were going.

I don't know what I would do if I didn't have this group.

I have also made 5 nights reservation in Arles. For one day I was planning to see the Abbeye de Senanque and Gordes. Are these too far from Arles for a daytrip?? The Michelin website says it would just take about an hour and 15 minutes to Gordes, and I thought the abbey was not too far from there.

mde, that's about right. Gordes is linked to Senanque by a narrow road.

Gordes itself won't take much time; you can easily visit Roussillon and M&eacute;nerbes the same day.

&gt;&gt;&gt;Gordes itself won't take much time; you can easily visit Roussillon and M&eacute;nerbes the same day.&lt;&lt;

Gordes won't take much time if you just limit yourself to touring the &quot;top&quot; of Gordes around the Chateau. If you want to see some interesting areas in Gordes, follow this walk - it's from my 20+ page itinerary on Provence that I've been sending to people.

You should park in the large lot (pay about 3E) down below the town (steep walk up). Explore this village thoroughly – not just the areas directly around the Chateau. There is an ATM in town on the side of the chateau where the outdoor caf&eacute;’s are located. On Tuesday morning there is an outdoor market in Gordes. It’s a little touristy, but quite good. There is a GR (walking route) that goes through this village and it passes by the lower sections of Gordes. Try to pick it up &amp; follow it down hill. The route is marked by a red &amp; white stripe, usually painted on the sides of buildings. As you face the Chateau with your back to the main entrance to town (the steep hill), there are several shops on your right (look for a Pharmacy) and follow one of these streets down to where it passes a church. The road turns right just past this church (there is a GR mark where it turns right). (If you go straight past the church, where is a wonderful panoramic view - look for the “Pont de Vue” sign). If you follow the GR down hill (after you have turned right past the church) you will see an old medieval washing basin and also get a close-up view of how they built these perched villages on top of rock outcroppings. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the center of Gordes down to this wash basin. There is a nice shaded area near the basins where you can relax &amp; enjoy the surroundings. This is a very interesting walk.

Stu Dudley

I agree with Underhill that you can drive to Gordes/Senanque &amp; visit other villages in the Luberon on an easy day-trip