Provence Trip
 

My wife and I are from Canada. Can somebody suggest:

-the best time to visit provence
-as a home base, would you recommend nimes or arles
-is it essential to have a car
-if we don't rent a car, are there day tours offered

Thanks in advance for all of those who would reply

Firstly, decide whether or not you will have a car. Without a car, Avignon has the best connections throughout western Provence. Technically, Nimes is on the wrong side of the Rhone to be considered part of Provence so connections from Nimes are not going to be as plentiful as Avignon. Much of Provence is not available to those without a car. If you do have a car, I would not base myself in any of the mentioned locations. There are many great small hotels or chambres d´hotes where you can stay and be very central to those sites you consider most important.

Secondly, decide how much time you will spend. If you are planning on just a day or two, there will be plenty to visit without a car. If you are staying 3-4 days or longer, most will strongly recommend a rental car.

Thirdly, I believe either spring or fall are the best times to visit.

Hi Bobby,

I agree very much with the previous poster. I also think you should have a car. You really need one to see this part of France. Additionally, I found the smaller towns to be much more pleasant than places like Arles or Avignon. In fact, we stayed in a bed and breakfast near Lirac that was in the country.

But giving you advice would be helped by some additional informatioin like, how much time will you spend? Further, I would check out the trip reports on this area. There will be a lot of information there for you to consider.

tn

first, thanks for your replies. its certainly provides insight.

rick steeve's mentioned arles as his favorite base to explore Provence. from our readings, aix en provence seems to be another destination. we intend to spend 5 nights which would include seeing arles,nimes, and aix en provence. our schedule is flexible although 7 nights is all we may allow to visit this region.

if you have any recommendation gor b$b's, apartments or boutique hotes, again all your opinion are welcomed and valued.

>>seeing arles,nimes, and aix en provence<,

Don't forget to explore the beautiful countryside & small hill villages.

Stu Dudley

Neither Arles nor Nîmes makes a particularly good base, though I do love Arles (hate the traffic, though).

I would pick St-Rémy or a base in the Lubéron. Don't just go to the cities - that's not what Provence is all about.

Go in spring or fall.

You need a car.

We really can't recommend places to stay without knowing your budget and the type of accommodations you prefer.

There are many good guidebooks available in Chapters/Indigo
which will give you a needed overview of the area - which is
large and varied.

IMO, you cannot see Provence without a car. Period. The
driving is easy and the roads are good. A vehicle allows
you to see the wonderful villages and rural areas that make
this part of France so charming and unique.

Hi BT,

My trip report might help you: Ira Returns From 22 Loverly Days in Europe - Sep, 2009
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-europe.cfm

I would definitely get a car, and wouldn't stay in either city.

((I))

thanks everyone. i guess our modest budget is about 100 euro a night. i am flying from calgary. if there are any canadians on the forum, please suggest an itenerary on how to get to provence---do i fly to paris and take a train or fly to paris and take a connecting flight to avignon.

for the general public, please suggest a 7 night stay in provence---luberon is a great idea for a home base. can we just do day trips using a car? we'd like to see arles,nimes,avignon and a couple of small areas. we're planning a 17 day euro trip but we hav not stayed in one place that long. it seems provence mught be the first one.

Can we respond if we're not Canadians?

Fly into Paris and take the TGV to Avignon and pick up your rental car there. If you book online at www.voyages-sncf.com 3 months out from your date of travel, you should be able to get PREM fares (deeply discounted, but nonexchangeable, nonrefundable).

Yes, you can do daytrips all over the place in a car. But since you seem really interested in visiting Nîmes, you might want to choose to stay someplace a little bit west of the Lubéron.

like, Uzes? Actually it is in Languedoc-Roussillon, but a sneeze away from "Provence" and parking is not difficult, there are places to stay for under 100euro, and it is a lovely town to use as a base. Actually, I'd stay in Uzes for 3 or 4 nights, and someplace like Bonnieux for the rest of the time. That way you can see SO much and be close enough to the "cities" (Nimes, Arles, Aix) to see them too.

i apologize. what i meant was for canadians flying out of canada what would be the best way i.e. fly straight to london and then connect to avignon or fly to paris. my fault for not being clear.

If you like delays and loosing your bags - connect through London. Otherwise, fly to Paris & take the 3 hr TGV from CDG ro Avignon.

I have a 27 page Provence & Cote d'Azur itinerary that I've sent to around 3,000 people on Fodors (really!). If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach a copy to the reply e-mail. Do so ASAP - we leave for 3 weeks in London in 16 hours.

Stu Dudley

It's more than 7 days, but here's what we did 2 years ago: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-provence.cfm. More suggestions shortly, as we are currently in France, and will transition shortly from the Cote d'Azur to Provence. Watch for a trip report in the same phototravelogue style in October.

Why travel via London? AirTransat flies Calgary to Paris then as suggested TGV to Avignon...

Or fly to Montreal then to Nice or Toulouse via AT...

in our travels to europe, we've always stayed in the urban centers. this is our first venture to the rutal countryside. outside of the token french, we do not speak the language which hasn't been much of a challenge since we stay in the city. so renting a car,driving around, and being immersed in provence, do you think we'll manage co-existing in a rural center?