aha

Hi, I’m planning a trip with my husband and 1.5 year old for end of June. We would like to spend around 4-5 days in Provence and 3-4 days in Cote de Azure. Because we have a little one, we are hoping to have a home base in each place and do some day trips within close driving distance. We want to explore at a slow pace and are open to hiking as well. Love exploring small villages/towns and taking in the beauty. We are also curious about the lavender fields but not sure if that is too far afield.

Any suggestions for itineraries, home bases to stay, other?

Thank you!

PalenQ

St-Remy-de-Provence is a favorite smaller town near Avignon - many here have loved St-Remy- well positioned for easy day trips to places like Avignon, Arles, Les Baux-de-Provence, Pont du Gard, etc

You can drive thru the lavender fields en route to Cote d'Azur (blooming in June) is you take the rustic inland route via the Gorges de Verdun (largest canyon in western Europe) and drop down via the Route Napoleon to Grasse and the coast. You may want to stop for the night in wonderful Aix-en-Provence en route to Avignon area (heart of touristic Provence).

https://www.provenceguide.co.uk/expl...nder-38-1.html

Antibes is a smaller regional town many like - again well positioned for several neat daytrips to iconic hill towns like St-Paul-de-Vence and Vence or to Nice area. You could for example drive one of the famous corniche routes via Eze to Monaco and come back along another one.

Along the Riveria coast you may want to take trains if going to Nice as parking is hard in that large city. For info on trains there and info on each area check www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

pariswat

You meant gorg s du Verdon. No artillery shells there.

We spent a nice week in Juan les pins close to Antibes when our kid was actually 1.5.


End of June is perfect. Not too hot and not yet crowded.
I recommend the Michelin green guide. Perfect for the region.

PalenQ

You meant gorg s du Verdon. No artillery shells there.>

"Verdun Gorge" in English.

isabel

I'm one of the ones that love St Remy, it made a great base. Then I moved for a couple days to Aix and then to Vence for the Cote d'Azure. Nice is a better base if you don't have a car but with a car I'd choose Vence again.

Here's my trip report
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...swiss-alps.cfm

Photos are at:
Provence http://andiamo.zenfolio.com/p233500526
Cote d'Azure: http://andiamo.zenfolio.com/p763350981

morvegil

Big fan of St.Remy. Did an AirBNB for 8 days there. Absolute great base.

Tulips

"Verdun Gorge" in English
It's always called the Verdon Gorge.

Juan les Pins is nice with children; sandy beaches, lots of casual places to eat and quiet in June. Not pretty - though the area around Les Pinedes and towards the Cap is very pleasant. Antibes is prettier, as it's an old walled town.

If you have a car you could stay further inland too, but I'd prefer to be by the seaside on the Cote d'Azur.

Hiking? if you have a backpack to carry your 1,5-year old, there's a nice path around Cap d'Antibes, park at La Garoupe beach.

StuDudley

Do you have my 35 page Provence & Cote d'Azur itinerary? My wife & I have spent 43 weeks vacationing is this region. I've sent my itinerary to well over 2,000 people on Fodors. It has lots of info about remote/small villages to visit, has 2 "lavender fields" driving routes, our favorite restaurants, markets, & scenic drives. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach a copy to the reply e-mail.

Stu Dudley

PalenQ

I've also stayed in Grasse - if looking for old regional town not all tourist-oriented check it out - no seaside views however which would be nice like in Juan-les-Pins or Antibes, etc.

Vence sounds cool too - not nearly as touristed as neighboring St-Paul-du-Vence - nice old hill town - still a lot of tourists however as anywhere in Cote d'Azur has.

pariswat

Hope you were polite with our Kong PQ.
The royal family has a property there in Grasse.
What was the name of the perfume plant there ? Fragonard or something like that ?

Time to buy a house on the Riviera Stu.

StuDudley

>>Time to buy a house on the Riviera Stu.<<

Nope. We like moving around to different regions. We've rented 69 gites throughout France, two apts in St Tropez, Nice, Lyon, and several different ones in Paris. Our closest friends who owned a home in Tuscany always went to Tuscany. And had to turn the boiler on when they arrived & let it run for a couple of days before the place heated up to their satisfaction. They sold it after about 7 years. Too hard to maintain from 6,000 miles away.

Stu Dudley

pariswat

I use to say the same.

Our friends turn the heater before we arrive. We have lots of friends there now and so have our children

We do a lot of gardening and seeing our garden grOw on the Riviera is a great satisfaction for us. And do some trips from there. Gorges du Verdon last year Luberin before that.
15 years now - about 150 weeks of happiness there to talk like you ;-)

I love to have that one place to stay and return to.
In paris I have stayed in 200+ different hotels I love to explore thé neighbourhoods.looks like I can have it both ways.

jtpj777

Surely , with modern central heating systems, one can control the heating remotely, so the heating could be switched on a couple of days before arriving?

PS We are currently in Nice; however, I received today a notification that our house in Scotland's temperature had dropped below the temperature I has set to receive a notification. I was then able to adjust the heating in the house remotely.

PPS I appreciate this won't work for an open fire!

aha

Thank you all for your great recommendations! We have a lot to think about - including Stu's 35 page tour guide

Lucky to have a forum like this. Thanks!