Provence - Secondary Sight Towns
 

Our itinerary is basically set for the second week of June.

Our plans include:
Aix
Avignon
Arles
Saint Remy & Les Baux
Isle sur la Sorgue (market day)
Tour to Gordes, Roussillon, Lacoste & Menerbes
Pont du Gard & Uzes
Montpellier

I'm looking for a few secondary or extras, in the event we have more time on our hands, that are accessible from Avignon by train and are less than 60 minutes away (probably more like under 45 min).

Since we are not students of Roman ruins I have omiitted Orange and Nimes but included Arles. If there are enough other reasons to visit Orange or Nimes one or both could be included in the list as they are very close to Avignon.

Others?

You are doing all these by train? I suspect you have more than enough by the time you accomodate yourselves to the train schedules.
If indeed you are just "training", any reason you aren't renting a car? You actually have enough if you rented a car.
Don't forget the markets in the various cities.

If you are not into Roman ruins forget about Orange and Nîmes, you will be having a hard time as it is fitting everything into one week. And I agree with Gretchen - do rent a car, doing all this by public transport is just not doable.

Gretchen, nuggi,

I have planned many trips before and I expect this one will work out as well as the others. I do expect that things will happen along the way but that's part of travel.

We fly to Marseille and will be in Aix for the better part of two days (one night) and then based in Avignon for seven nights before taking the TGV to Paris in the early evening for 4 days (been to Paris three times over the years).

No, not all by train. Some by bus and Gordes, etc by van tour.

Arles, Isle sur la Sorgue (10 minute walk to main square) and Montpellier are easy trains.

Pont du Gard and Uzes is by bus.

Saint Remy & Les Baux is by bus. The bus runs daily to Saint Remy but in June & Sept only on weekends to Les Baux. This bus was really the only issue as we can be in each of Saint Remy and Les Baux for multiples of 2 hours (2, 4, etc). We do have the option of taking a one-way taxi from St Remy to Les Baux and avoid the 2hr multiples. We'll see how we feel when there.

As to markets, we should be in Aix, Avignon and Isle sur la Sorgue for markets.

It does take some planning to use public transportation and visiting some places is just not feasable but I managed to put together the puzzle.

Being based in Avignon we may or may not have too much time there. That's why I'm trying to have a list of secondary visits just in case.

How about the Camargue? Not sure if trains run to either Aigues Mortes or Stes-Marie-de-la-Mer, though.

Collioure for colors.

For me, you already have too much time in Aix. I think you have more than enough time, BUT you have the actual schedules and amount of time your tours spend in the places you go.

Sounds ambitious! But I'm an ambitious planner too so perhaps not in a position to judge. I'd also recommend hiring a car if possible.

I wouldn't, though, recommend Collioure in July as noted above. It'll be far too busy and I think you are already on quite a packed schedule.

Gretchen,
The only tour we're going on is to Gordes, Roussillon, etc.

Everything else is on our own.

About time in Aix. Our timing has changed several times. First we were to arrive at 1PM. Then AA changed it and we were arriving at 6PM. That caused us to have them add a day at the end in Paris.

Then I got annoyed with them and got them to put us on a flight that had no air miles seats. Now we arrive at 11:30 AM.

If things don't change and we feel that by noon the second day we've had enough of Aix we could leave for Avignon earlier.

Well, additionally you know the train or bus schedules and how much time you will spend on these. I guess a car is just not in the loop.
As others, and I have suggested, I think you have plenty planned without more. Unless you want to substitute something.

Gretchen, You are correct. At this time a car isn't an option. I wavered a bit but my wife is totally against it. We've done fine until now.

While I definitely don't rush around, I'm really not used to sitting around either. Maybe I'll learn to do that on this trip.

We probably have enough to do. It's just that we most likely have more blocks of time in Avignon than necessary. Maybe go across to Villneuve-les-Avignon and spend time just wandering around.

Maybe what I should have done is make a list of towns on the various rail routes from Avignon that are within 30-40 minutes away and ask for any comments.

I have seen people who did Provence completely by bus and train--they did not drive--at all. It wasn't an option. Provence is such a rich pallette when you can explore it on your own. Whatever.Have at it. It is easy.

Anything appealing about Cavaillon or Carpentras?

Carpentras has a famous synagogue and terrible traffic. Not
necessarily in that order. Also, a very large market that
winds through the inner town - sorry, forgotten the day it's
on - but it's well worth a visit.