We've never been to these parts of France before and are trying to plan a trip for May. Which do you consider to be the prettiest, most quaint, charming or picturesque towns in each of these areas? Which towns are great for shopping, if you're looking for locally made items? And which towns on the Riviera have the prettiest beaches--not necessarily the nicest for swimming, as we won't be there in summer. We like to eat, shop, stroll and take pictures. Thanks!

Sue

Maybe it's easier if I can narrow it down to these places: Riviera--Cannes, Marseille, St Tropez, Nimes, and Nice. Provence--Aix-En-Provence, Arles, Avignon.

Sue

Nimes is in the Gard, the place to be for the gard and to visit the Camargue and Arles. Aix is fine to travel to the Riviera. The crafts shops may be closed wherever , not sure as I have not been in May but there will be signs designating the potters, woodworkers, etc.

The Riviera part of Provence is now known as the Côte d'Azur and would include St-Tropez east to Cannes, Nice, and Menton, but not Marseille or Nîmes. Both areas have their own attractions. I'd suggest that before much longer you pick up a copy of the Michelin Green Guide to Provence and the separate volume for the Côte d'Azur, along with the Michelin map of Provence, and get started on your trip research. Provence is quite large, and what you'll be able to see will necessarily be limited by the time available for your visit.

High on my list for charming towns would be St-Rémy in western Provence; a number of the Lubéron villages; St-Paul-de-Vence, near Nice; Eze-village to the east; Isle-sur-la-Sorgue; and a bunch of others.

St-Rémy is a good town for shopping, as is Nice. Grasse specializes in perfumes, and you can see them made. The peninsula of St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is beautiful if you like incredibly beautiful scenery and houses of the rich and famous.

So much to see...so little time!

I'll add to Underhill's comments. The Michelin map of Provence & the Cote d'Azur is available from amazon.com. I like to have more than one guidebook for an area. On my trip this past May I found the Lonely Planet Provence & the Cote d'Azur guidebook to be very helpful. It's written for the budget-minded traveler.

Tourette sur Loup has wonderful craft shops.

Provence includes the departments of Alpes de Haute Provence, Bouches du Rhone and Vaucluse, whilst the Cote d'Azur comprises of the Alpes-Maritimes.

( this is from a brochure from a real state office that I picked up many years ago in Vence)





There is an element of debate about where the Var belongs, and it is said that Provence is to the west of St. Tropez whilst anything east of this can be considered the Cote d'Azur (this does not include Monaco, of course, which is a separate principality altogether).

I stand my ground, Mimi--we'll just have to agree to disagree about whether the Côte d'Azur (actually an English invention) is part of Provence or not.

LOL, my gloves are on!!!

I'm not really saying it is not Provence but that locals consider it different and is, so they refer to it as not provence but the cote d'azur

for more information:
http://frenchvillas.com/provence/alp.../cotedazur.htm

Stephen Liégard coined the name 'Côte d'Azur' in a poem of 1887. It applies to the French Riviera between Cannes and Menton. As with all such contrived names -particularly those attached to tourist spots- it has its detractors, but the name
does seem to be appropriate. In the strong, overhead sun of the Mediterranean coast, the sea really is azure blue.

The visitor will also notice a cultural difference between the Côte d'Azur and Provence. The former is Italianate, reflecting the long periods in which the
County of Nice was part of Italy. Whole streets and squares in Menton, Nice and Villefranche are architecturally Italian.The traditional Nissard cuisine is also orientated towards Italy, and Italian - sounding surnames abound.

Densely populated, the Côte d'Azur is almost a conurbation between Cannes and Menton with driving and parking presenting familiar difficulties.

Stephen Liégard coined the name 'Côte d'Azur' in a poem of 1887. It applies to the French Riviera between Cannes and Menton. As with all such contrived names -particularly those attached to tourist spots- it has its detractors, but the name
does seem to be appropriate. In the strong, overhead sun of the Mediterranean coast, the sea really is azure blue.

The visitor will also notice a cultural difference between the Côte d'Azur and Provence. The former is Italianate, reflecting the long periods in which the
County of Nice was part of Italy. Whole streets and squares in Menton, Nice and Villefranche are architecturally Italian.The traditional Nissard cuisine is also orientated towards Italy, and Italian - sounding surnames abound.

Densely populated, the Côte d'Azur is almost a conurbation between Cannes and Menton with driving and parking presenting familiar difficulties. The traffic can be bumper to bumper in high season.
I think the people are different on the Cote and life very different, The terrain is certainly different.

There are great museums not to be missed and if beaches are your want, you should go but that is not what I consider the true Provence.

WHICH locals? Our friends, and their friends, live just below the town of Grasse, and them emphatically state that they live IN PROVENCE. So you pays your money and you takes your cherses!

I would agree with Underhill about the "not-to-miss" Provencal towns: St. Remy and L'Isle sur la Sorgue for quintessential markets and shops, villages of Menerbes and Bonnieux for their perched Luberon beauty, scenery around Vaison la Romaine and Nyons, and history abounds in Avignon.

We don't "do" the Cote d'Azur and Med scene - the closest we've come is Cassis and that was a one-time visit, so can't offer any help on beaches.

However, you might enjoy the Camarque region - check out some books on Provence because, as others have already pointed out, Provence is made up of many very different regions and scenery.