Provence "travel pros" I need your help!!!
 

Would like to make a side trip to Provence while staying in Montpellier. Will only have three days and two nights to allot for this trip. What do you Provence "travel pros" recommend as to the town to base ourselves (hubby and I), hotel to stay, sights to visit, day trips and towns to visit, and restaurants to enjoy. We will have an auto and the trip will be in early August. Thanks in advance for ANY suggestions or advice.

My personal preference is Avignon, but you may want to go farther as Avignon isn't that far from Montpelier. The other logical choice would be Aix en Provence. <BR> <BR>Check out my page on our trip to provence: <BR>http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/57.../provence.html

I would head toward Avignon, using it or someplace nearby as a base for visiting the Palais des Papes, the Pont-du-Gard, Arles, St-Rémy, Les Baux, Glanum, and perhaps a bit of the Camargue.

As you will be staying in the city, I'd suggest staying in a smaller town or village to really get the feel of Provence. <BR> <BR>St. Remy or one of the villages in proximity (Les Baux or Maussane-les-Alpilles), or further into the Luberon - Rousillon or Bonnieux. <BR> <BR>From St. Remy, the Pont du Gard, the Camargue, Arles and Avignon are easy day trips. From Rousillon you can explore Gordes, l'Isle sur la Sorgue, Pernes la Fontaine, etc. <BR> <BR>In August, the villages around here are usually 'hopping' and there is plenty to keep you occupied. Simply sitting and having coffee at a cafe can be an experience in itself. <BR> <BR>PB

Thanks for city suggestions. How about hotels and restaurants in those cities; <BR>Avignon, St. Remy, Aix en Provence, etc. Thanks for all the ideas so far.

ASs for hotels and rtestaurants: the area is crowded wiuth excellent and/pr charming places to stray and eat. BVuy yoiurself a copy of Guide Michelin Red Bok (lists most hotels and restaurant in France). It's available in an English edition. <BR> <BR>Also I suggest you read a bit about this fascinating part of ERurope in one or more of the several ex cellent books about Provence and the Cote d'Azur. <BR> <BR>You have received several good pieces of advice already. You may also want to speed on to the Cote d'Azur and see Monaco. There are many fascinating hotels in the hills of Provence between Nice and Aix-en-Provence, some of thewm several hundreds years old (as in Vence). <BR> <BR>Three days are too few to really explore Provence, so I would recommend that you concentrate on the main tourist sights, wjhich are the same as the most see-worthy places. <BR>Rolf