Whathello

Lavender fields without a car would be imo difficult. What was nice to us was to stop whenever we felt like it.

They were starting to harvest the lavender last week-end (21st of july).

Actually the lavandin (bigger plants) was usally without colour anymore and the lavende - usually higher in altitude was still more in blossom.

We saw the largest fields and the biggest concentration around Aurel. (a village that is linked to Lardy). We slept close to Apt but the hotel would not break 3 legs of a duck (do you have such an idiom in English ?).

mikster

Thank you...we will have a car.

mikster

We have decided on Bonnieux for sure but are still undecided about flying in to Nice (direct) or connecting through to Marseille. The flight back from Nice would require us to stay the night before in Nice as it looks like the one flight departs back to NY at 12:35 PM. It wouldn't be awful to stay in Nice the night before but I would prefer to stay where we are and Marseille is just over an hour as you know so no real need for the extra night elsewhere. My concern with Marseille is the connection. That always stresses me if our first leg is delayed and we miss the flight to Marseille but it does sound like Marseille airport/car rental all the way around is easier. Plus we only do carry on so. Decisions, decisions!

StuDudley

Drive from Bonnieux to the Nice airport - 2 1/2 hrs
Drive from Bonnieux to the Marseille airport - 1 1/4 hrs.

I would certainly be willing to depart Bonnieux at 7:30am to drive to Nice to save a flight leg and a connection in CDG. "No brainer" for me!!! CDG ain't fun!!!

Stu Dudley

mikster

Thanks Stu. I think I will likely heed your advice! I guess I was also thinking about the hassle of getting the rental in Nice as opposed to Marseille but I think you are right!

Whathello

There is no hassle to get a rental in Nice, small airport, well organized. I rented there several times and it was quick and efficient. And easy to find.

I'd advise to stay the first night in Nice in order to get over some of the jetlag.
Don't know the way to Bonnieux by heart from Nice but I can imagine you start on A8 towards Toulon via le Muy and it is a winding road, with a lot of tolls, boring and not totally straightforward.

French drive better now than a few years back (meaning slower) but you'll probably be entangled in a lot of trafic nevertheless.

And Nice is very nice.

mikster

That's great to hear...thank you!

maitaitom

Thanks to Jamikins, we stayed at Les Terrasses du Luberon in Bonnieux and enjoyed it very much. Walking distance to restaurants...and Bonnieux has some good ones.

Check out Chapters Five - Seven (our time in Provence last autumn...with photos). It tells more about the property and the three places we dined.

<B>http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/france-2016/</B>

StuDudley

>>Don't know the way to Bonnieux by heart from Nice but I can imagine you start on A8 towards Toulon via le Muy and it is a winding road, with a lot of tolls, boring and not totally straightforward.<<

Are you sure about that????

I would take the A8 to Aix en Provence, then the A51 north towards Pertuis, get off the A51 at exit #15 & go to Pertuis, and then the D973/D943 to Lourmarin, and then over the Combe de Lourmarin to Bonnieux. The A8 is actually scenic one past the Nice spraw and around the exit to St Tropez. The road from Pertuis to Bonnieux is also scenic.

Stu Dudley

mikster

Thanks all. Has anyone stayed at le clos du buis by chance?

mikster

Awesome report maitaitom!

tom_mn

Just a note that Delta / KLM / Air France have a nice connection via Amsterdam to Marseille (3+ flights/day each way AMS/MRS so a CDG transfer is not required.

MRS is similar in size and layout to Grand Rapids MI or Orange Cty CA or Dayton OH airports for size and simple cross-the-road-for-rental-car ease if that helps. You will have to do an extra passport check this way (Schengen + France) but the French one is brief.

mikster

Thank you.