Provence
 

We are spending 6 nights in Provence from the 1st October, please can we have a comment about the climate at this time of year.
From the number of forums comments we have decided to spend 3 nights in St Remys and 3 nights in the Luberon. Which area would be recommended to be based in the Luberon?

We will be looking at accommodation around 100 - 115 euro per night are we likely to get good accommodation for this and for 3 nights independent accommodation where most demand 1 week?

We will have a rental car. From forums I have narrowed the choices down to sixt, autoeurope, economycarrentals, kemwel. Should we eliminate any of these. Picking up at Nice airport, returning to Avignon. I would appreciate any help.

I never heard of economycarrentls, but the other two are fine and have the same owners, I believe, anyway. I've used both, they are fine.

It really depends what your tastes are as to where you base yourself in the Luberon. Do you want to be out in the country, or in a city/town/village or whatever? Do you want to be in one of the popular tourist spots (eg, Gordes) or avoid them? It affects prices and of course, just what you prefer.

I don't think places demand a week, I've been there several times in various places in peak period (summer) and have never stayed in one place a week. I think vacation gite rentals may demand a week, but not hotels or inns, etc. Maybe they don't in October, either, I've never done that (rented a gite), just stayed in hotels and inns. But low season tends to begin more in November.

Here's a place near Gordes, for example, they are pretty moderately priced. I know they don't require a week.
https://www.chambresdhotesdecharme.c...e-lenclos.html

I think your budget is skimpy if you want to stay in the popular tourist towns, but is doable otherwise. It also depends on your standards, of course. I stay in places for that or less in summer, but maybe not in places you want. I don't stay in places like Gordes or St Remy. I stayed in Roussillon and quite liked it as I stayed in a budget hotel on the edge of town which had a public parking lot right across the street. I think the parking was free from the hotel, but it also made for easy access for road trips and it was only a couple blocks walk from town center for dining, etc. This is the place I stayed
http://www.hotel-revesdocres.com/

So it suited me, but it is only a basic 2* hotel, so you might not think it good. YOu have to bring your own toiletries, etc., don't expect luxury. I think they had soap, of course. See, now that hotel starts low season 10/1, and you can get the best room with terrace for only 78 euro. The AC wasn't working when I was there, which was the main bummer (and only local TV< of course, etc.).

Re climate:

Climate will be wonderful in October. Expect warm days, but not too hot, and sunny, dry weather. Temps will reach about 30°C, the evenings will be mild and beautiful. However, be prepared that an occasional thunderstorm can occur, although it is not very likely. At the beginning of October, it will be unlikely that the Mistral will start to blow. If the Mistral starts, expect a strong, gusty, chilly wind which makes clear blue skies with wonderful sight - not bad for sightseeing and taking photographs.

So, what do you need:
- shorts
- T-shirts
- swimsuit
- a hat (against the sun)
- sunglasses
- sunscreen
- sturdy shoes, preferably hiking boots (be prepared to walk rocky, very rough terrain)
- maybe a light jacket for early mornings and evenings

We have stayed in St. Saturnin les Apts twice; our first time was in late Sept/early Oct and it was delightful.

We stayed in a gite for 2 weeks. Loved it and highly recommend it, but they usually only do weekly. They do have one room that they do as a "b&b" which is a lovely room.

http://www.accommodationinprovence.com/Chambre.html

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ugh-france.cfm

30C/86F is very optimistic for Oct temps in Provence. More realistic is low 20sC/68F or there abouts with cool evenings and possible rain. Weather should be very pleasant compared to summer. Some years it can be cooler, I have experienced rain and cold temps in mid Sept - but it does vary by year, could be warmer.
Autoeurope and Kemwell are car rental brokers, I use Autoeurope several times a year and have never had a problem. Check the dropoff/ one way rental fees.

thanks for the comments, my mistake it is economycarrentals, a rental car broker.

Is my budget for accommodation too low as suggested by Christina, would 150 euro per night give me better choices.

85€ for the chambres d'hôte I linked above.

Thanks DebitNM will look into it.

I was in Languedoc and Provence early Oct., '13, and the weather was very pleasant and comfortable but not swimming weather.

well, of course, 150 euro would give you better choices, but you can find stuff at a lower rate, like I and others showed you. It depends on what kind of place you want, as I said, and if you want to stay in the more expensive or popular towns or not (Gordes has some very expensive hotels, for example). But the more luxurious places, like Relais and Chateaux, etc, would not be available at 100 euro. For example, the nicest hotel in Roussillon is Le CLos Glycine http://www.luberon-hotel.fr/(although in dead center, not sure where they park), but its rooms are between 150-200 euro per night whereas the place I stayed (in my link) is about 80 euro.

Here's the Mas des Herbes Blanches, a place I wanted to stay but couldn't afford, it's lovely, but its rooms are also about 180 euro euro a night, at minimum http://www.herbesblanches.com/en/

Hree is a modest place just outside Gordes, and its low season does start 10/1, it's cheapest rooms are 100 euro, then 135 for "confort". http://www.masromarins.com/en/

Christina, thank you very much for the thought you are putting into our trip. I was thinking whether we could be a bit more independent with some cooking facilities

Christina http://www.herbesblanches.com/en/ looks amazing but too expensive for us. Thank you

To cook, you will need to stay in a gite. Sadly, most rent by the week. Try AirBnB for an apartment but it will likely be in a city rather than in a quaint village. You could always buy food at one of the wonderful outdoor markets and picnic if you stayed in B&B or chambre d'hote...