Provence: Fourth Time's a Charm?
 

After Fodorite assistance has sent me back to the drawing board, I've arrived at what I hope is an improved itinerary for the Provence portion of our next trip. En toto, I had actually ended up with five options before settling on No. 4 here (and dang it, I'm still forced to skip the Wed. market in St-Remy). I'm glad you are all so patient. I'm sure I'm driving my husband nuts. Please let me know your thoughts:

(3 Nights in Vaison-la-Romaine; 4 Nights in St-Remy)

Tues: TGV from Paris to Avignon; rent a car; park it and spend the day in Avignon>Orange (theatre only)>Vaison for 3 nights

Wed: Dentelles Loop from Vaison>Seguret>Gigondas>Caromb>Le Barroux>Crestet>

Thur: Scenic Loop Drive Combo (Lavender & Gorges de la Nesque) from Vaison>Mollans-sur-Oureze>Brantes>Montbrun>Sault>Gorges Drive (then D12 up through Bedoin/Malaucene)>

Fri: Linear Drive from Vaison>Carpentras Market>Venasque>Saint-Didier>Pernes-les-Fontaines>St-Remy for 4 nights

Sat: Loop from St-Remy>Arles>Montmajour Abbey>quick peek at Moulin de Daudet in Fontevielle>Baux-de-Provence>Optional short scenic Alpilles Drive on D24 and picnic dinner along the way>

Sun: Petit Luberon Loop from St-Remy>Oppede-le-Vieux>Menerbes>Bonnieux> Roussillon>Gordes>

Mon: Loop from St-Remy>Fort St Andre (?)>Uzes>Pont du Gard>

Tues: Depart St-Remy for Carcassonne en route to Albi

Anything I'm missing here? S'il vous plaît me dire que vous pensez.

Looks fine to me

>>Mon: Loop from St-Remy>Fort St Andre (?)>Uzes>Pont du Gard><<

Visit Uzes after the Pont, when the shops are open.

Don't know where this fort is located...

Stu Dudley

Hi, Stu: That fort is the 14th c. Capetian structure with the belltower in Villeneuve-les-Avignon. It had been off my radar for awhile, but several recent comments, sites, guidebooks & esp. photos kept leading me back to it. Anyway, it is situated such that spending enough time there (or maybe Glanum first) would allow me to time us to arrive in Uzes about 12:30 or 1 pm; have lunch and then do the town walk; visit the Duchy & maybe get a good impression of the place after it's opened up for the afternoon. I know it's not the best day for Uzes, but it beats Sunday and it's the way the chips kept falling. This then also allows me to see Pont du Gard later in the day to beat potential heat & crowds.

Thanks so very much for all your help. I spent some time today re-examining your terrific notes, including day-trips from Vaison and, as you can see, I've incorporated the shorter one. In fact, a significant portion of the itinerary is based on your suggestions. (You should seriously get paid for this, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth.)

Why not Mausanne instead of ST Remy? A smaller pretty little village with lots less tourists. IMO i think St Remy is a tourist trap and parking is tough. We received parking ticket from the town long after we got back home and they hounded us for months. Must have taken a picture of our car like they do in Florence.

Hi Sap,

Looks good.

I agree with Stu - see Uzes after the Pont.

The Villages de Bories, near Gordes, is worth a visit.
http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/l...des-bories/gb/

You might find my trip report helpful:
Ira Returns From 22 Loverly Days in Europe - Sep, 2009
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-europe.cfm

From Carcassone to Albi, I recommend taking the N113 to the D629, then NB to Revel, the D84 to Gaillac. Go around Gaillac to Cordes-sur-Ciel and then down to Albi, or take the D988 to Albi and visit Cordes later.

Details in http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34676645

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

It looks okay but I'm not sure why you are going to Saint-Didier which is in the middle of nowhere and nothing special that I know. I guess if you have a good map and just want extra driving time in the country, it is in-between Venasque and Pernes les FOntaines, but it's not on any major road.

Hi, Cornelius. I am still considering B&Bs in that entire area. I just felt that St-Remy is closer to most of what I want to see (and I can then visit it in the evenings after most of the tourists are gone). I'll certainly keep my eye on the parking situation, so thanks for that heads-up. The Dentelles drive (D24) on Saturday does take me through Mausanne, also.

Thanks for the links, Ira. I had read your great trip report before & plan to read it again before I leave. I probably will do the Pont-du-Gard first as you & Stu suggest.

Christina, the St-Didier visit/drive-through is mainly because I understand the D28 country road from Venasque to Pernes is more attractive than the D1, with only a one-minute difference in drive-time. If I'm pressed for time, I may not actually stop there. I think I had gleaned that from some of Stu's notes as he is always on the lookout for more scenic routes (like driving through Mazan even if one doesn't stop).

Thanks all!

Oops - I meant it is the Alpilles scenic drive that takes one through Maussane.

Also, Ira, I will make note of the D-road route from Carcassonne to Albi through Revel and Gaillac if it is considerably more scenic (and cheaper) than the A-road. It would, however, add 42 minutes to my drive time and we are doing the entire drive from Provence in one day with an estimated three-hour stop at Carcassonne. (Optionally, the D-road through Revel only adds 18 minutes if one then takes the route through Castres straight to Albi via D612 instead of the D84 to Gaillac. I'm wondering how much more scenic the D84 is than the D612 & will have to check that out.)

Anyway, we'll see how the timing plays out & make that decision when we leave Carcassonne.

I note you have mentioned Albi isn't exactly a destination town. I was wondering the same thing. I'm thinking about visiting just the cathedral (perhaps not the TL museum), doing the short town walk & having an afternoon coffee/drink before moving on to overnight in Cordes instead.

We've been to Albi twice - and really enjoyed the entire town. It won't take long to follow the walking itinerary in the Michelin Green Guide.

Ft St Andre - now that you mentioned where it is - we were there and toured the fort in '07. I'm pretty sure we enjoyed the place.

Stu Dudley