Provence Base--Help!
 

We will be in Provence two weeks during June and have booked a B&B in Goult (near Gordes) for the first 5 nights. We're avid walkers and will enjoy walking to small villages around Goult, but will have a car. We don't like congestion. We enjoy museums, ruins, local restaurants and wine. Beyond Goult, we have no booking because we don't know which area will appeal to us. Can you recommend an area? Also, please recommend B&B (around $60-$70), restaurants/cafes frequented by locals and your favorite local wine. Thanks for the help.

Oops! Forget to tell you we're not interested in the Cote d'Azure section of Provence. <BR>

C'mon, guys! Help this gal out! I know there are lots of you with Provence experience out there. Where are you?

Why didn't this go to the top? I think I've jinxed it!

Do you mean a different area from where you are starting around Goult? <BR> <BR>See the following: <BR> <BR>www.provence-beyond.com/map/map_d2.html - - which is primarily in Vaucluse (where Goult is) <BR> <BR>and compare with <BR> <BR>www.provence-beyond.com/map/map_d3.html <BR> <BR>which is part Var, part Alpes de Haut Provence - - and by the way, you can't get "there" (map) from "here" (D2 map) - - or at least not easily, except as the crow flies. <BR> <BR>Anyhow - - consider Moustiers-Sainte-Maries - - or alternatively, Dr. Betty went to Forcalquier last summer (both on the D3 map) - - write to her for her opinions. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Dear Willibob, <BR>We stayed for a week last June in the Alpes De Haute-Provence. From Avignon, go south through the Luberon valley to Forcalquier. This is a hilltop village with a Monday market that is spectacular, very un-touristy and undiscovered by Americans. The only English we heard was from an occasional Brit. Food, history and architecture exquisite. There is lots of hiking and bike paths and other wonderful hilltop villages to discover in the area. Lurs being our other favorite spot. La Bello Visto is a resturant in Lurs to be sure to visit and make reservations ahead of time. There is an intercommunal tourist office of the region of Forcalquier- Montagne De Lure with a web site: www.forcalquier.com We rented a gite outside of Forcalquier, but it was rather remote and a big pain to drive in and out of without a jeep. We did see several very appealing Chambre d'Hotes in the area and you could probably get a listing from the tourist office. A really wonderful day trip was to the Verdon and the town of Moustiers Saint-Marie. If you need any more info, feel free to email me directly.

I mean you go East from Avignon through the Luberon valley to Forcalquier. I quess you would have figured that out when you looked at the map. <BR> <BR>Good Luck <BR>Dr. Betty

Sounds interesting. Here's another Forcalquier site: http://forcalquier.enfrance.org/index-br.html

Topping for Sue's question about Forcalquier.

Topping

Sending this one back to the top. I've already visited the provence beyond and the forcalquier sites. That area looks terrific! Any more favorite villages for renting a gite? Little Simiane La Rotonde looks nice.

ttt