Packing lightly
 

Will be spending two weeks driving through Provence and Languedoc in Mid- May. Want to limit the luggage to one bag per. Are jeans acceptable? Should we pack a dress? Do we need an umbrella and raincoat? Mid May will we need a sweater or light jacket. Sneakers OK? Good walking shoes, I imagine.
Thanks.

May may hold a little rain and probably not a major chill in the evening.

Jeans ok, obviously not torn or half way down your legs. Light jacket and an unlinded waterproof jacket (plus a baby umbrella)

I always travel with one bag, a 22." My trips are usually around 3 weeks, but I've traveled for longer periods with just a 22."

I think jeans are fine, but they are often a bit heavy in your suitcase. I would plan to pack outfits that are mix and match. In my case, it's always black pants with tops to coordinate.

I'd take as small an umbrella as you can find and a plastic poncho or raincoat, but nothing that will take up a lot of room. When I decide that I don't need one or the other, I always regret it. However, I don't usually travel in France, so I'm not sure about the weather.Maybe someone who does travel in France can give you better advice.

I think you should always have a sweater or light jacket. You never know...

Agree with Pegontheroad. If I take jeans I plan to wear them on the plane over and on the way home to save space....also wear my bulkiest shoes on the plane. You may need a light jacket or sweater at night. I usually take sweaters and have a reversible lightweight raincoat that I can roll and fit under the velcroed handles of my carry on.

Unless you have some high end restaurant meal planned a dress is not necessary....may be nice to have if you run into warm weather though.

The other problem with jeans is washing them. They take forever to dry in European dryers.

We were in Provence in late May this year and had unseasonably cool weather. I almost didn't pack jeans and was so glad I decided to bring them (my formal black jeans). I also brought a fleece jacket that I wore almost every day. Also a windbreaker that stuffed into a small pouch; when we went out for the day I'd either bring that or the tiny umbrella.

I did pack 2 dresses because we spent 10 days in Paris and ate in nice restaurants. This next May, I may not pack a dress.

I packed all my stuff for 3 weeks in a 22" suitcase (and I brought 4 pairs of shoes!). Packing light makes traveling so much easier. I love the Eagle Creek packing system; I fit the tube cubes between the handle frame in the bottom of my suitcase and a packing folder on top, and everything stays very organized.

Mimar is quite right about the time it takes to dry a pair of jeans in an European dryer. I wear a pair of black jeans on the plane and home, and I must admit I wear them for an indecent length of time before washing. The signal to do so is when the can stand up by themselves when I take them off and/or my dear Wife threatens to leave me if I can't see how filthy they are.

I also pack of lightweight washable black dress trousers for more formal dress up occasions. I also wear those for the days that the jeans are drying. It may take two full days for a pair of jeans to dry if I have had to wash them in he sink.

I travel in nice black yoga pants and do pack a pair of jeans that can be worn for two days or more.. I was thankful our apartment in Edinburgh had a clothes drying rack because those European washer/dryer combos are not the best for drying. I am bringing things to Paris that I can wash in the sink and hang up. I can still not get the wrinkles out of some of my clothes. We must not have had the settings correct. I layer but do have a lightweight rain jacket/wind breaker that has the best inside pockets. I had room left in my 22inch suitcase this last trip. Wear your heavy shoes.