Although originally deciding not to go to Provence this summer, the family has changes its mind. Me, my wife, 6 yr-old son, 18 month-old daughter, and my mom (who lives in Luxembourg) will travel to southern France at the end of July. How does the following look in light of the family make up and time of year.

Wednesday, July 20: Leave Waco, Texas at 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, July 21: Arrive in Avignon 1:00 p.m. or so. Stay in St. Remy. Relax and see the town.

Friday, July 22: Recoer and visit Les Beaux late in the day.

Saturday, July 23: Arles in the morning through lunch. On to the beach for a couple of hours (for the kids).

Sunday, July 24: Peter Mayle country with dinner in Avignon (see the bridge). My mom and I have been to Avignon before, so it is not high on the list. My son knows about the bridg and wants to see it.

Monday, July 25: Uzes and swimming in the shadow of the Pont du Gard.

Tuesday, July 26: Niems

Wednesday, July 27: Orange and wine.

Thursday, July 28: TGV to Paris at 10:00 a.m.

We will finish with two days in Paris and go home on Sunday, July 31st. This will be our second trip to Paris this year and fourth trip to Europe since Christmas of 2003.

Thoughts? Thanks for the help.

Most, or all of the shops in Avignon will be closed on Sunday. See the Luberon (Peter Mayle country) instead - starting with a visit to the outdoor farmers, crafts, and antique market in l'Isle sur la Sorgue. Get there by 9:00 to avoid the huge crowds. I don't think it would be enjoyable (for me, anyway) any time after 11:00. Shops in Gordes & many in Roussillon will be open on Sunday.

Most shops in Uzes will be closed on Monday morning - and won't open till the afternoon - around 3:00. Do the Pont in the morning, and also visit the museum (don't know if a 6 year old will last long, however). There is actually a nice beach below the Pont - try to take picnic provisions with you. There is a cafeteria style lunch place in the museum complex.

Remember, shops close for a 2-3 hr lunch - starting at 1:00.

St Remy might be smaller than you think. Unless it really takes you a long time to recover, you can visit some other sites the first two days in Provence.

On Saturday, what beach had you planned on visiting?? Perhaps if PBProvence responds to your post, she can advise you about visiting a beach on a Saturday during the last weeks of July - it might be a zoo then.

Stu Dudley

As far as I know, there are no beaches in Provence unless you go to the Camargue or the Cote D'azur.

Camargue is what I planned. I am hoping it will not be too busy then. I am trying to remain flexible and plan on hitting areas around where we visit on a given day depending on how people our feeling and what the day is like.

Stu- I looked over you itenerary and used in in formulating ours. I am trying to avoing my tendancy to cram to must into too little time and to allow enough time just to play and relax. I will certainly follow you advice on the Luberon and Avignon. There is not really any reason for me to go to Avignon other than my son wants to see the bridge after learning to play the "Bridge at Avignon" in piano. I have been and my wife does not really care.

I really want to take it esay will still getting a brief glimpse at what makes Provence, Provence. Most of our vactions are full of museums and places to see. I want to relax and enjoy the culture around us while at the same time seing some of the Roman ruins and the wine country around Orange. Everything else is just extra. While I care about the food and all of the perfect views from this or that village, this will not be the trip for thos types of things. Once the kids are older we will be able to do that.

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the input.

DanM

Dan - try the beach just west of Stes-Maries in the Camargue. It's not too built up and quite large and long, so even at the height of the season you are not face to foot with other beach-goers. Just try to get there VERY early for parking. Afterwards, take your kid for a walk around the walls of Aigues-Mortes.

-Kevin

Thanks, Kevin.

In addition to shops being closed on Sunday all day & Monday morning, they can look quite ugly also - especially University towns like Aix, Avignon, & Montpellier. There's a lot of graffiti. To protect against this, the shopkeepers install corrigated aluminum shutters which the pull down during lunch, and when the stores are closed. Often these shutters are solid graffiti - not a pretty sight. Some sections of otherwise very pretty storefronts, look like war zones when these shutters and metal bars are pulled.

St Remy is delightful on Sundays, so is Gordes. Never been to Uzes on a Sunday, but have been there for lunch several times. Stores are closed, but no ugly shutters, for the most part.

Don't forget to take my Lavender route - hopefully it will not have been harvested by the time you are there.

Stu Dudley

I would advise strongly against trying to visit ANY beach on a Saturday or Sunday toward the end of July. The roads going to the beaches (les Saintes or near the Salins de Giraud - which we call the "Arles Beach&quot are all two lane - very little passing possible. They will be jammed with tourists and locals alike heading to the sea....

Return traffic is worse and I, completely forgetting my own rule about beaches on weekends in the summer, spent two and a half hours going little more than 20 kms.
If you could do it on a weekday, I would say you'd have better luck.

The big market is in Arles on Saturday mornings, and parking will be a problem unless you arrive early, or closer to noon when everyone starts leaving.

You are right to visit Les Baux late in the day - fewer people and easier to navigate the narrow streets.

It will be a bit harder to swim in the shadow of the Pont du Gard - after the floods of a couple years ago, the river changed course and the water is deeper right under the aqueduct - and not as easily accessible. You'll have to be farther downstream, so if you would like to swim with the kids, I'd advise driving to the right bank entrance instead of the visitor's center entrance on the left bank.
Patricia

Thanks for the great replies.