Geetika: we like wine but we dont have a lot of knowledge and we are not doing that trip for wine tasting (we have kids with us) . Any regional bottle bought at the grocery will be fine for us !

We now have second thoughts about the french Alps. Annecy will be probably be a nightmare (that was our 4 nights base and the same goes for Chamonix.

Lodging seem nice and cheap in Grenoble, we know that this place lack charm, but can we found nice places one hour- one hour and half around by car to do daytrip ? Can we found something to occupied us for 4 days ? We are also open minded for any places to go for 4 nigts after our 5 nights in Pernes and before our last 2 nights in France (Lyon)..

Upthread, I already mentioned Le Grand Bornand which is halfway between Chamonix and Annecy, giving you easy access to both. Did you check that out? It is a rare traditional village in the Haute Savoie and a four-seasons center for many activities. From there you could visit le Col des Aravis and le Cirque de Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval as well. We used that as a base for a week.

Because we are getting into the winter season, the website focuses in on skiing, but also mentions the year-round activities:

https://www.legrandbornand.com/toute...periences.html

.

Thanks for that idea !
It seems they have nothing avaible when will be there in august. Anyways my guess is that It would be more exepnsive than what we want to pay.
Still an option.

Why would Annecy be a nightmare?? It will probably be less crowded than Provence. We have done many day-trips into the Alps from Annecy & all have been enjoyable. Read the Alps itinerary I attached a while ago.

We spent a night in Grenoble and enjoyed it. But since then, I have tried hard to put together a good itinerary for 5-7 nights near Grenoble without a massive amount if driving - and I have not really found anything worth the trip except driving, driving, and driving in the mountains. Remember the three most important things to consider when choosing a house to live in, or a base for a vacation:
- location
- location
- location.

Stick with Annecy/Mt Blanc.

Stu Dudley

Le Grand Bornand's big season is ski season, so they have tons of places to stay all over. Prices are usually low for summer. Some places are not taking reservations yet for summer, it's too early. On their website you can get a fantastic 2 bedroom place right in the village for a week in August for 475 euros. If you don't need that big a place, you can probably find something for less. If you only stay four nights, that's still less than 120 per night.

Thnaks for the idea. We think it's too much to the north. Maybe we will add a day in our Provence lodging (not reserved yet but should be in Pernes les Fontaines) and get 3 nights in the Vercors or les Écrins and keep our last 2 nights for Lyon.

FWIW, that's what I would do, too.

If we want to go to Uzes (and Pont du Gard), Avignon, Luberon villages, Arles and maybe Marseille is Pernes les Fontaines still a good location ?

Yes for the Luberon villages & Avignon.

1 hr 10 mins to Uzes & 1 hr to Pont. They are along the same route. Do them as 1 trip. Not scenic to get there.

Arles is 1 hr 10 mins and only so-so scenic drive.

Marseilles is 1 hr 15 mins - not scenic & allow time to find a place to park.

Stu Dudley

Hi again !

So We still have to book our night in Carcasonne, our last 2 nights in Lyon, and our 3 nights between Pernes les Fontaines and Lyon.
What do you think of les Écrins ? That would give us a fix of mountains without going too far from provence or Lyon. Briançon could be our base . What do you think ?

We spent a week in a gite just outside of Briancon. That's a good location to explore that area of the Alps. My recommendations of things to do & see are in my Alps itinerary, referenced in Post #58.

Stu Dudley