Provence by rail/bus vs. car
 

I've done some research into vacationing in Provence and am really torn on using rail/bus only or renting a car. From what I can tell it is certainly possible to use public transportation only and see a fair amount but it is more convenient, more efficient and allows you to see more (especially the small hill towns and vineyards which I do want to see) if you rent a car.

I really don't want to rent a car because I don't speak French, view driving in a foreign place as stressful and therefore counter-vacation by nature, generally prefer public transpo when vacationing and really intend on sampling some of the local wines (and not spitting it out!). But, I have this nagging feeling if I don't rent a car I will regret it and feel like I spent all my time at bus stops and (hopefully!) interpreting train schedules.

Is this doubt all in my head or is a car really, truly a must have if one really wants to "experience" Provence?

If you want to experience what brings us, and many "frequent" visitors back to Provence each year - rent a car!!!!!

Stu Dudley

I also hate to drive, even in the US. The stress of dealing with an accident or fender bender with a rental car combined with night driving in a foreign country, especially after sipping wine all day :) is not a vacation for me. What I do is use day tours to get where a bus or local train cannot. Viatour is excellent. It's true it's a tradeoff- you don't get to stop where and when you want, but I've always been able to see what I wanted to see without the stress. If you look carefully, not all of them are the tacky kind where they herd you around to shop- those I have taken are essentially a big or small air-conditioned bus or van that takes you where you're going and just picks you up ____amount of time later. No awful group shuffling around. The Rick Steves Provence book also lists some private companies that provide day tours of the countryside for fairly reasonable prices.

stu is absolutely correct!

One really has to rent a car to experience the local towns in the area.

Language is not that much of a barrier if you are very polite, always smile, say 'merci' and 'bon jour' and can drive at all. Learn the phrase "Je ne parle pas francais" and you will be surprised at how many folks speak English.

The small town roads there are good two lane roads, with not as much traffic that I am used to, given I live in the Bay Area.

It's my 'sad' duty to report that American drivers are the worst that I've ever seen. Not so much in the craziness that you might see, but in the fact that they don't know to get out of the faster lanes; when they are not passing another car, and pay much less attention to their surroundings than European drivers do. What's crazy to you is normal for the French and vice versa.

Thanks all for your replies. I did see those tour companies in the Rick Steve's book and Viator looks a little better than any of them, though they all seem steep for what you get.

Am in St Remy now. Rained some Wed, Thurs and Fri but good now. have been amazed at how little traffic here is except in Aix. maybe because of the rain. Roads are good and drivers will let you in and not block side streets. Will wave thanks when u let them in or let them pass. so would not be afraid to drive and would be impossible to see it all without a car. just get a gps and don!t drink too much. sorry using French keyboard.

and if u use Stu and PB*s suggestions u wouldn*t go wrong. But Would not comehere in the summer. driving would be a nightmare with the summer crowds bunch of caravans on the roads.

If I did not speak the language, I would find travelling by bus MUCH more stressful than car travel.

Right bus? Right stop? When does it depart? Yadda, yadda.

French roads are a dream (compared to Canada, where I live). Drivers are efficient and speedy and most of all PREDICTABLE -- it is as though everyone had gone to the same driving school.

So the annoyance factor is way less than in those parts of US that I know. EG Boston last weekend -- now THAT is a stressful situation, with abundant bad manners and everyone glued to a cell phone while making unsignalled left turns and lane changes.......

Tegdale, yes Boston has some of the most stressful driving anywhere.

cGibson, we'll be there in early September which is probably close enough to summer that the traffic will be horrible. That's already set. But I am leaning toward skipping the car, we'll only be there 3-4 days anyway and between rail service from home base of Avignon and a tour or two such as sglass suggested I think we'll easily stay occupied for the duration. I do NOT intend to skimp on the wine during my time in Provence and the mere thought of having the keys to a car in that circumstance stresses me out.

Thank you both for your comments.

Gee - we've been in Provence many times in Sept & the traffic was not bad. If you head into a large city like Avignon or Aix, it's a little tough, but in the Luberon, around the Dentelles, Alpilles, Rhone winegrowing areas - it's not bad at all - about 20% less each week you get towards Oct. Love the wine harvest in late Sept.

We return to Provence quite often because of the small villages & remote countryside - places you can only get to by car.

GET A CAR

Stu Dudley

I am not thrilled with the idea of driving in Provence either but will be there 7 days and in order to see everything in which I'm interested it seems less hassle to just get the car.

I'll be in Avignon without one for 3 nights then will be basing myself in St. Remy with a car for the last 4 days so I can make leisurely drives to even the smallest Luberon hilltowns.

Tedgale makes a good point - if language is an issue (although why should it be? - a smiling "Bonjour, parley-vous Anglais?" works wonders), getting around on public transport would be much more stressful than driving oneself around.

Ted -

It's not "AS IF they have all gone to the same driving school" - THEY HAVE all gone to the same driving school !

I totally agree, they may drive fast, but predictably so.

-Kevin

It is a tossup.

My son, who lived in Aix for a year, chose to take his honeymoon in Provence without a car because he wanted to be able to look out the window at the scenery instead of looking at the road.

They stayed in Aix and took daily tours from the main tourist office in mini-busses to various sites and scenes, exactly as sglass describes. Although my son is fluent in Provencal French, his wife appreciated the fact that the tour guides spoke English.

They then moved on by regional railway to Cassis, where they enjoyed the water and the calenques where he had climbed as a student.

That being said, driving in France is not horrible. The roads are well marked. It is parking that is a pain.