I've read about and researched Provence for years, yet I still have trouble getting my bearings. Now I'm working with my two sisters doing prelim plans for a trip next year. For first timers, unlikely to return, I'm trying to help them understand what our choices are.

At most we'll have a week in Provence (then a few days in Paris). I've written them an email laying out what I think our choices/limitations are. But I could be very wrong. Please take a look at it and tell me if it accurately presents the choices we face before we start narrowing down to specific villages/hotels, etc.
__________________________________________________ _____
Sisters,
I've been researching Provence for years, but still have a hard time with it.
It's much harder than Tuscany.

I think it might be easiest to think of it as West and East.
For West, one would train in/out of Avignon. Towns like Les Baux and St. Remy de Provence. Also Aix en Provence area. From this area one can also visit the old Roman areas like Pont du Gard. In a nutshell, this is "Year in Provence" or "A Good Year" territory. Street markets, lavender fields, sunflowers. (I think those fade by Sept, tho).

East Provence, think of Nice and the Cote d'Azur (Riviera) and even Monaco. But it's not just beaches. There are lovely old villages perched in the high hills north of the sea. This is where you would get palm trees mixed with stone villages and maybe a stunning view out to the sea. Between Paris and here,
one would probably fly in/out of Nice.

The problem is, I don't think it's feasible to visit one area from the other without moving. So. Stay in just one area and immerse ourselves or divide it up? If we stay in one place, I think we could do it in 5 or 6 nights if we don't want to do a whole week. Lots of nice hotels. There's one very often recommended hotel in St. Remy, but I can't tell what their 3rd bed option is....would have to check that out. http://www.masdescarassins.com/anglais.php Or, if we stay in one area, we could look at renting our own little "villa" which might be worth it even if we don't stay the full 7 days. (More room, maybe two baths) A short drive or walk into a town for dinner. Some nights we might just want to bring food in. I would probably prefer West, but just slightly. I would hate not seeing the Cote d'Azur area.

If we want to divide it up, I'd probably say 4 nights in the West and 3 nights East. Train to Avignon straight from CDG upon arrival. Then fly back to Paris from Nice (tho I haven't checked schedules). We'd stay in hotels or B&B's. Probably just one bath. I think this option might be slightly more expensive...but not enough to be determinative. But I do think it would be less
"leisurely" than the first option.

Got any thoughts on this? It basically comes down to: see it all, or slow down and enjoy a smaller area?

_______________________________________________

Before I send this out, do you think I've accurately portrayed the options? I don't know why I find Provence so confusing...but I do!

Thanks for any input.
Jeanne

I'm of the opinion to stay in one area and see it more thoroughly. Without knowing you or you sisters I'd recommend the Riviera but stay outside Nice and have a car to get to all those wonderful villages. To see Nice you could hop a train into town and do some museums.

I think you have accurately portrayed that there are two different areas of Provence; western Provence and the Riviera. But your letter to your sisters might confuse them (IMO). I would make the letter more succinct. Perhaps saying something like:

A week will keep us busy in either Western Provence or the Riviera and will allow us to explore the small towns leisurely. We could rent our own small villa and have some room to spread out and relax at the end of the sightseeing day while sipping wine on the patio.

Western Provence offers... (suggest some towns and keep it short) Roman ruins, markets, etc.

The Riviera offers... (suggest some towns and keep it short) Stunning coastline, small villages, Nice, etc.

Then tell them your first choice and why.

BTW - don't promise them lavender fields if you're not going in July.

Jeanne,
My husband and I did this same trip a few years ago, flew to CDG took the TGV to Avignon, toured Avignon, drove to Arles stayed two nights and explored around that area, then stayed 2 nights in another area of provence, drove to Villefranche, stayed three nights, flew back to Paris from Nice (very easy and inexpensive) stayed in Paris for an additional 4 nights. It really was not that difficult, and it gave us a broad view. Heres a few photos of the areas we saw:

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2EZsWbNy2YsTw

That slideshow gives a good depiction of the two areas. Thanks to both for your input. It appears the thumbnail sketches I wrote are fairly accurate.

Adrienne: thanks for the editing! I do tend to run on.

If we had to choose just one, I think it would be "West". If we stayed around Aix, is there a charming seaside place we could do a day trip to without spending all day in the car?

"Charming seaside"--that sounds like Cassis. It will be a short drive, I'd guess 30/45 mins. and you will have exactly what you want. You can enjoy the frontage along the harbor and take a boat along the coast to see the calanques-small coves cut into the steep cliffs with very brilliant clear water. Not much in the way of beach in town-its pebble and rock with little sand. Decent restaurants offering seafood and boulliabase. Have fun--Paul