Provence visit, need help with itinery
 

This is my first time in Europe, and I have 3 days in Provence during June 15th to 17th, so please please suggest a good itinery considering the fact that I stay at Marseille and I'm more interested in the western part of Provence. Please please suggest a good ititnery as I would be renting a car.
Underhill, u seem to have a good knowledge, do u stay there, curious! Please help with my itinery. Suggest what places I should not miss, the things to see and do there!
Also, I would like to see Lavender and sunflower fields
Thanks,
Preeya

I would be interested in your replies as I have booked a week in Provence for the summer. I am more conversant with the Languedoc area than Provence. We will fly into Marseille (staying near Gordes) and would therefore be interested in the same part as you - although we have more time.
According to my guide book, it has a section of 25 things not to miss, and the relevant ones for the Western part of Provence are:
Arles (following Van Gogh's footsteps)
Mont Ste-Victoire
Abbaye de Senanque
The vinyards of Chateauneuf du Pape
Marseille
Avignon
Aix
Cassis
Grand Canyon du Verdon
Orange

Perhaps others can comment?

Suggested itinerary.

Day one: drive from Marseille to the Alpilles region and see Les Baux, then visit Arles and St-Rémy on the way back.

Day two: drive to the Pont du Gard, then visit Uzès, and finally Avignon.

Day three: visit Cassis and Aix-en-Provence. Finish up with sightseeing in Marseille.

Unfortunately you will be in Provence before the lavender blooms, usually in July.

Do pick up a copy of the Michelin Green Guide to Provence so that you can read about the major sights before you leave; you may find things that especially appeal to you. You might be able to fit in a quick visit to one or two of the Luberon villages and the Abbaye de Sénanque. (If the lavender blooms early, that's a spectacular place to see it.)

That should keep you quite busy and let you have a nice sampling of that region of Provence.

Outside of the Roman theatre, which is the only one to survive with its back intact, I didn't care for orange. My destination was the JH Fabre Museum outside of Orange. preeya will get to see the Abbaye in june with its lavender field, a much photographed place. The moss fountains of Aix are another. I love the Grand canyon of Verdon. You will be able to visit the village of Moustiers, famous for its faience. Lunch at Les Santons. We didned at the Chateau fines Roches in the vineyards of Chateauduneuf du Pape
in Cassis, I tasted my first sea urchins(oursins) and Bourride years ago. Any good guide book will advise you on what to see in all the towns and villages like Glanum outside St. Remy. First time visitors should visit Les Baux Gordes, Roussillon. Even in Summer, the.
crowds do not annoy me. In Languedoc/Roussillon, there is much to see like the fetes featuring water jouting in August in waterfront towns.
Collioure is wonderful, Albi, Beziers, Carcassone Castlnadary, Cordes. My favorite beautiful village is St Guilhen-le-Désert(and Abbey). Peter lives in L/R. I'll post his site. He has lots of information.

Here's Peter's Languedoc site.

http://tlp.netfirms.com/

THank you all very much for sharing this information. Now I wish I should have kept more days for Provence, but maybe next time. I will definitely give a report once I get back.
Preeya

Have a good time--I'm sure you will enjoy Provence.

Underhill's itinerary is a good one. Actually the lavender will probably already be blooming in the St Remy, Les Baux area - I live just outside of Les Baux and my lavender is going to start to bloom within the next week. But the sunflowers won't be out until July.

Patricia

I live in northern California, and my lavender is in full bloom right now. Must get out and pick some.

Really? Send me a box-full :)

How about some rosemary to go with it?

OOOooooooo! I love rosemary! Thyme, and most herbs, alas, I don't have much sun.

Can't help with thyme; my plant died lasst fall, and the local nurseries seem to have had a run on the herb. I did finally get some silver thyme and will see how it does.

Underhill, I'm jealous. The most hardy lavender I've found here is zone 5. I think we're a 4 and most of the area is advertised as a 3. Am also jealous because we're originally from OR -- driving distance from your Smith River, Mendocino, redwoods, etc. Maybe someday we'll get to move back......

We live near Sacramento, which means summer heat--and the lavenders love it! I have Hidcote, Spanish, and the "real" Provençal variety, which grows into huge clumps and requires shaping every year. It blooms 2 or 3 times, depending on hot cold/wet our winter is. This year we had a cold AND wet winter, and the silly lavender just loved it.

AR,

Which guide book are you refering to?

thank you

Some things are missing from AR's guidebook, like the Pont du Gard (quite possibly the most impressive of all), Uzès, the Abbaye de Montmajour, Les Baux, St-Rémy, Tarascon and Beaucaire...there are quite a few. I'd really recommend getting the Michelin Green Guide for Provence, which has dandy itineraries laid out by the day and gives you all the necessary driving information