Paris and Provence Itinerary Draft-advice?
 

Thank you everybody for all of the wonderful advice. Here is our draft tentative itinerary for 4/8-4/15:
Day 0: leave from Newark overnight flight
Day 1: Arrive Paris, train to Avignon. Rent car. (Hotel in what central town? Undecided yet.) Spend 3 nights total in Provence.
Day 4: early morning, drop off car in Avignon, train back to Paris. (Hotel in Paris, undecided yet.) Enjoy Paris. See Versailles at some point. (I'm not so worried about Paris activities as I've been there already.)
Four nights in Paris.
Day 8: Depart for Newark.


Questions:
1)I looked on Orbitz for flights--I was originally planning on Newark to Marseilles, then Paris to Newark, but that seems to be a lot more money. I found Continental non-stop for $700/pp. I usually fly Continental and find it to be uncomfortable. Is it worth the extra couple hundred to fly Lufthansa or something similar, for such a long flight?

2)Best central location in Provence? Hotel/B&B in the $100-150 price range?

3)Is it best to reserve Paris to Avignon train tix prior to leaving US?

4)I have StuDudley's Provence to-do list, but that is for a longer trip. I will certainly take some ideas out of there.
What are your must-see's in Provence, keeping in mind length of my trip?

Thank you so much! I want to get this planned so I can stop obsessing about it...

St. Remy seems to be fairly central, and there are many good, charming hotels in the area. The Chateau des Alpilles is a favorite, but may be too pricey. I stayed at the very reasonable Chateau de Roussan, and I loved it. Some people think it's dirty, but I'll take absolutely authentic raffish charm any day. The house and grounds are absolute perfection. Three days is not a lot of time to see Provence. You will certainly miss some things. I'd choose a couple of hill towns in the Luberon--Bonnieux and Mernerbes are lovely. I would make sure I saw the cloister at the Monastery outside of St. Remy where Van Gogh convalesced. Les Baux is a wonderful perched town not far from St. Remy with terrific views. Do you like antiques markets? If so, Isles sur Sorgue on Sunday morning is not to be missed. Of course there is also Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, and Arles, all worth seeing. I wouldn't try to fit them all in to 3 days. Aix, in my opinion, has the best vibe. Arles has the best cathedral and central square. Avignon has the palais de papes.

thank you guy18.

another question-- since we'll be in Provence on Sunday through Tuesday, are most places open these days? Will we be wandering through ghost towns on Monday?

Yes get train tickets in advance [max 90 days before] at

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/...geUK&WB=HP

For the TGV direct from CDG to Avignon, for CDG use Roissy (95)

Another option is to do an open-jaws driving trip. Pick up your car in Avignon, drop it off elsewhere, say Aix. Spend a night in Aix and take the TGV back to Paris. (In the Gare de Lyon, be sure to check out Le Train Bleu, a belle epoque, over-the-top restaurant--the original, not manufactured).

Sixty days or so before your trip, you can buy train tickets online at a good savings at www.sncf.fr. Look for PREM fares and print your ticket at home on your printer.

Your day of arrival seems a bit full. Fly overnight, take train (from CDG presumedly), rent car at Avignon, drive to base. Are you immune to jet lag?

I would stay in Avignon. There's lots to do there in the evening which may not be so in some smaller towns, plus it's central. St Remy and Les Baux would be one easy trip. In the other direction, Isle sur la Sorge and Gordes would be another one. Isle sur la Sorge has a wonderful flea market on Sundays. In addition to Gordes there are several other hill towns in that same area. Avignon itself will take some time but if you still have more time I really loved Aix-en-Provence. There are so many possibilities there.

Just a question, if you have already been to Paris how about taking an extra day for Provence since you are bothering to go all the way there it seem a shame to have only 3 days.

I have flown Continental from Newark to Paris and found it as comfortable as anyone else. Have you tried Air France. I have tickets on them for Newark to Paris 3/15-26 which is less than a month before you are going and they were "only" $480. I booked a couple months ago, not sure what they're going for now, or if just going a few weeks later makes that much difference.

Most stores in Avignon, Arles, Nimes, Uzes, Vaison, and many of the smaller hill towns will be closed on Sunday.

Many stores in St Remy will be open - but not all. Actually, more stores are closed in St Remy on a Monday than on a Sunday. Most stores in Avignon, Arles, Aix, Nimes, etc will be closed on Monday morning also. About everythng in l'Isle sur la Sorgue will be closed on Monday

Everything in l'Isle sur la Sorgue & Gordes will be open on Sunday. Also in Fountaine de Vaucluse. Many in Roussillon will be open also. Most in Bonnieux will be closed.

There is a very nice market in Bedoin on Monday morning.

Therefore, for Sunday I would recommend a morning in the l'Isle sur la Sorgue market, followed by a day in the Luberon. Use the drive outlined in my itinerary to explore the Luberon.

For Monday, visit the Bedoin market and then drive my "Lavender Field Route" it's a very scenic drive - lavender or not.

Stu Dudley

Stores in Les Baux are open 7 days a week.

Stu Dudley

ttt

miel2384--I meant to reply to your earlier post on Provence vs. Loire. But having been to both I could not decide because I love them both, very different reasons though. Now that you have decided on Provence I would like to suggest you read "A Year in Provence" before you go to get you in the mood. A great book!

As for specifics, everyone has their own opinion but I am not a fan of Avignon. But maybe it was b/c I always visited on the weekends. I prefer Aix-en-Provence and Arles. I am your age (at least I was when I last visited!) and found a better "vibe" in these places as another poster said.

StuDudley always has great advice and suggestions. I would click on his name and see what else he has said about the area on Fodors.

Honey

I noticed that you topped your own post. I have found that you get more responses on work days, when people have more free time to "surf" Fodors. Try again tomorrow morning.

Stu Dudley

thanks for the advice, Stu. One more question--Paris or Provence first?

bookmarking

I always find it easier to recover from jet lag while keeping on my feet walking through Paris. However, you will miss the market in l'Isle sur la Sorgue if you do Paris first.

BTW, I love Paris on a Sunday!!!! The Marais is quite active then

Stu Dudley

Is the market only in the morning? Then wouldn't I miss it anyway if I am arriving Sunday morning in Paris from US, train to Avignon, rent car, etc...?

Is it considered bad "fodor's" form to top my own post?

Yep - everything but the antiques market ends at about 1:00 - they start to "wrap things up" about 12:00 or so.

OK to top your own post.

Stu Dudley

Miel,

1)For flights :
no direct flight to Marseille (no s in french) from the US. Fly to Paris. If you can get Airfrance (cheaper bought outside of France), do it : the late evening JFK flight (~10pm) is an excellent one. Don't think I am advising AF because i'm french, I do travel a lot using all kind of companies, and AF is one of the best. If not Continental is a good choice.

You can then buy a flight from Paris to Marseille or Avignon (not many flight this one) on www.airfrance.fr or train (cheaper) on www.voyages-sncf.fr. Train Station will be "Gare de Lyon" in Paris 12th.

2)Location in Provence : Avignon is a nice town, but not really the heart of Provence. Either you choose this area, and go to St Remy/Les Baux, then L'ISle s/la sorgue, and Lubéron (Gordes and Rousillon) and one day in Avignon. You could think about staying in St Remy which is nicer (a lot smaller of course) than Avignon.
Other option is Aix en Provence (TGV to Aix or Marseille), lovely town, great restaurants, sightseeing and shopping. 1 day there, 1 day driving into Luberon (Gordes, Roussillon and L'Ourmarins). And then 1 day on the coast ! Drive to Cassis, take the boat to see the "calanques". The medevial village of Le Castellet is not far. You can also come to Marseille, you will love it or hate it. Easy for a dinner from Aix (30minutes drive).
2nd option is from far my recommandation because you have to the see there !

2bis) Hotel : best in Aix is Le Pigonnet but allow 220€ there for a double. 4 stars hotel
Best deal is the Cezanne : (http://www.hotelaix.com/french_v/hpcezan.html) 140/150€ in city center, beautiful.

3) See above. TGV goes to Aix directly. Yes book, cause Parisians will be on holiday that week !

4) See above :
Mandatory : Aix, Lubéron, Cassis
Recommended : L'Isle sur la Sorgue (only for antics), Le Castellet, Bandol (sea and wines), Les Baux, dinner on the sea in Marseille.
Possible : Niolon, Abbaye de St Maximin.

Let me know for restaurants if you need.

benjinho,

That is so much helpful info--thank you so much! I am thinking Continental round trip instead of doing open jaw Marseilles and Paris. It'll save almost $500, even though my husband thinks the open jaw will be better.

Have you figured in the cost of train travel from Paris to Provence? Your $500 savings will be less when you figure that in and may be worth fewer headaches.

If you're talking $500/person I'd do the Paris roundtrip but if its only $500 between two tickets I'd at least consider the open jaw route.