Hi! I just posted a Paris itinerary and now here is the Provence one for some invaluable Fodors input. My husband and I are in our late 20s and we definitely want this part of the trip to be about relaxing since we are running around in Paris. So I've realized we can't see everything, but would still like advice on the most efficient way to fit some things in. The places we are staying are set (as the trip is quite soon). Thanks!

saturday 21st:
train to Avignon - arrive around 10/11, pick up rental car
explore Avignon
drive to Le Mas Perreal

Sunday:
L’isle sur la sorgue market
gordes, roussillon, other hill towns
overnight Mas Perreal

Monday:
relax at Mas Perreal - we really wanted a day of not doing anything planned

Tuesday May 24th:
3/4 day wine tour w/Olivier Hickman (10 am)n around Gigondas/ Chateuneuf de Pape

Wed: *This is a difficult day. I really want to go to St. Remy market, Les Baux, etc...but it's the wrong direction from Aix. Could do St. Remy and Les Baux (minus market) the day we arrive after Avignon but that seems kind of packed.
-St. remy market?
-Lex Baux
-Moussane les alpilles - olive oil
-drive to Aix
overnight at Hotel Aqubella

Thurs:
Cassis if good weather - boat ride to Calanques

Friday:
explore Aix

Saturday 28th
Aix market
train to paris
stay near train station - early Sunday morning flight out of Orly

What about staying in St. Remy or Aix the whole time and visiting your other locations?

>>we definitely want this part of the trip to be about relaxing <<

Mas Perreal will be a LOT more relazing than St Remy or Aix, IMO.

I don't think you will have a lot of trouble with your Wed schedule. However, after the l'Isle sur la Sorgue market, you may opt for a non-market itinerary on Wednesday - especially if you'll visit the Aix market too.

Stu Dudley

Well, as I said, the places we are staying are already set - a lot of different factors were taken into account there. I guess we'll find out if we made the wrong decision, but I am hoping for some advice going forward from that now. Le Mas Perreal looks like a beautiful place, even if not so central. If we can't see St. Remy we'll just have to come back someday. I also wanted to see Pont du Gard, but took it off as I thought we wouldn't make it there. Thanks.

Thanks Stu! I did not see your post before I replied. Thank you for confirming my instincts on the relaxation.

You're right, we probably won't need a market, as we will also see some in Paris the week before....perhaps we can skip St. Remy alltogether, in which case, is Les Baux a must see? Also, really wanted to go to a place where olive oil is made - is there another one besides the one in Mausanne les Alpilles that is better located for us?

And is there anything we should see on the way to Aix if we don't go to St. Remy that day?

One more question - could we try to see Pont du Gard on the first day after we leave Avignon, before going to Mas Perreal? Again I know it's out of the way, but perhaps not that much. We may be tired from getting up early so I suppose can always just play that by ear.

Others like Les Baux more than we do - but perhaps it's because we've seen years worth of other things in France that we've liked more. It is often hot & dry at les Baux, or windy (we visited it once during a Mistral wind). The touristy shops in the village can be a little "too much".

Consider visiting Lourmarin on the way to Aix, or ask for Kevin's advice at the Mas.

Don't know of any other olive oil place.

The Avignon TGV station is outside of town and not that far from the Pont. You will have just arrived from Paris and you'll be going to Aix next - so that is a lot of "big cities". Aix & Avignon are somewhat similar in "look & feel". Perhaps visit the Pont & Uzes on arrival day (see what you have time for)

Stu Dudley

>>Perhaps visit the Pont & Uzes on arrival day (see what you have time for)<<

I probably should have said:
Skip Avignon and perhaps visit the Pont & Uzes on arrival day". I actually prefer Uzes over St Remy for towns of similar size.

Stu Dudley

Thanks Stu. I actually didn't particularly feel the need to spend time in Avignon, but for some reason felt compelled to include it since we were arriving there...but since we have to get the car anyway and then probably won't want to deal with parking in Avignon, I like your idea!

Hi sharbear84

Your trip sounds wonderful and you are visiting a lot of the places we visited in 2009. We loved the Pont du Gard (visited Arles on the same trip) - didn't spend any time in Avignon only the train station. Absolutely loved the Luberon area, hill towns and markets.

We also did a day trip to Cassis, loved it. I wrote a trip report about our travels if you are interested, as we visited many of the same places you are wishing to see.

Thanks Aussie! I will definitely read your report.

I agree that unless you're market-mad, you've probably got two good market stops already scheduled, so you don't need to add another in St Remy. We stayed in St Remy a couple of years ago, and if you want to actually see things, apart from just wandering around villages soaking up atmosphere, then this is a good stop. There are two great places to visit: the Roman ruins of Glannum (1km outside St Remy)and the nearby psych hospital where Vincent Van Gogh spent a year and painted some of his most amazing pieces. Neither place takes long to go through, but both are very evocative and give you an interesting insight. Les Baux is pretty with its views over the valley and higgledy-piggledy medieval streets, but it is very touristy.

On the back side of Les Beaux, on your way back to St Rémy, is an old stone quarry carved into the hillside. Today, from time to time, it used as an exposition space, called Cathédral des Images. In 2009 the exposition was about the works of Picasso, A sound and light show displayed in n-dimensional space inside the quarry. Not only was it a nice temperature escape on a hot sunny day, the Picasso was AMAZING. Check it out, if there is some sort of exposition there when you are in that area.

I would highly suggest ditching Avignon for Uzes and Pont du Gard. That's a nice half day, and on your first day in Provence, you'll want to settle into your place in late afternoon.

Hi Vinrougesvp, I loved that Cathedral des Images at Les Baux too - but a friend told me recently that it is temporarily closed due to a dispute over the lease with the quarry owner. If that's true, it's a great shame as it was an extraordinary experience. It may be worth checking out first.

You are correct, rosemaryoz. Cathedrale d'Images is closed with no future re-opening planned at this point.