Provence - where to go?
May 23rd, 2005, 12:33 AM
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Provence - where to go?
I'm heading to France mid July. We're staying in Paris for 5 days, then thinking of heading to Provence for 4-5 days, followed by a trip to Bordeaux (my cousin has bought a house there).
But where should we go in Provence? I've been to Nice/Monaco before, and prefer to 'branch out' from Avignon. Your recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thankyou!
Lisa
But where should we go in Provence? I've been to Nice/Monaco before, and prefer to 'branch out' from Avignon. Your recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thankyou!
Lisa
May 23rd, 2005, 06:31 AM
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From Avignon, you will need a car:
Visit St. Remy on its market day 8 to 1 on Wednesday morning. 20kms (prox.) from Avignon.
Visit Luberon area, villges like Lourmarin; Gordes (Abbey Senanque for lavender)40/50kms.
Visit Aix en Provence - have lunch at Hotel Piggonet, about an hour from St. Remy.
Anthony
Visit St. Remy on its market day 8 to 1 on Wednesday morning. 20kms (prox.) from Avignon.
Visit Luberon area, villges like Lourmarin; Gordes (Abbey Senanque for lavender)40/50kms.
Visit Aix en Provence - have lunch at Hotel Piggonet, about an hour from St. Remy.
Anthony
May 23rd, 2005, 08:10 AM
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We stayed in Arles and did day trips from there to Pont du Gard, Nimes, the Camargue, etc.
We did a few days in Paris and then picked up a rental car, spent the night in Lyon and made a stop at Vaison la Romaine en route to Arles. We drove from Arles to Avignon, where we dropped off the car and took the train to Paris. Spent another day or two there prior to going home. It was a terrific trip except for lots of rain.
If you'd like more detail, feel free to e-mail me.
We did a few days in Paris and then picked up a rental car, spent the night in Lyon and made a stop at Vaison la Romaine en route to Arles. We drove from Arles to Avignon, where we dropped off the car and took the train to Paris. Spent another day or two there prior to going home. It was a terrific trip except for lots of rain.
If you'd like more detail, feel free to e-mail me.
May 23rd, 2005, 09:20 AM
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I have a 20+ page itinerary on Provence that I've e-mailed to several hundred people on this message board. We've vacationed 14 weeks in that region recently. Contact me at [email protected] if you want a copy - but do so soon, because we're leaving for 5 weeks in Paris, Ardeche, and Provence in a couple of days.
Don't drive from Paris - take the TGV - little less than 3 hrs to Avignon.
Stu Dudley
Don't drive from Paris - take the TGV - little less than 3 hrs to Avignon.
Stu Dudley
May 25th, 2005, 09:44 AM
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I second StuDudley's advice not to drive to Avignon from Paris. We recently spent our 10 day honeymoon in Paris (first and last night) and Provence. We took the TGV to Avignon and picked up a rental car there.
We stayed at Domain Le Vallon in Aubignon (about 20 minutes north of Avignon) and I can't say enough good things about this place! www.vallon-provence.com.
We made up our itinerary once we got there and loved every minute of it!
I have part of my trip report buried somewhere on these message boards and when I find it again, hopefully will finish and update it.
We ended up driving back to Paris b/c the TGV prices for our return day were really high (we tried booking weeks ahead). WE split up the drive by stopping for one night in Beaune. WE had a beautiful and painless experience (but then again, this was early May, not July which from my understanding is the height of the season, sorry if I'm incorrect) until we hit Paris. Big mistake. Especially the part where my poor husband tried to return the rental car. In hindsight, we wish we would have returned it somewhere outside Paris and taken the TGV back in.
There's a restaurant somewhere in Avignon whose name in French is The Three Crazy Brothers (sorry, can't remember the word they used for crazy. I don't think it was Fou). Anyway, someone who has spent alot of time over there said it is the best restaurants in avignon and one of the bset culinary experiences in the region. If anyone finds it, or knows it, please post a review! (It totally slipped our minds to even try to find it and we ended up dining at Cafe Wooloomooloo on Rues des Teinturiers)
We can't wait to go back to Provence!
We stayed at Domain Le Vallon in Aubignon (about 20 minutes north of Avignon) and I can't say enough good things about this place! www.vallon-provence.com.
We made up our itinerary once we got there and loved every minute of it!
I have part of my trip report buried somewhere on these message boards and when I find it again, hopefully will finish and update it.
We ended up driving back to Paris b/c the TGV prices for our return day were really high (we tried booking weeks ahead). WE split up the drive by stopping for one night in Beaune. WE had a beautiful and painless experience (but then again, this was early May, not July which from my understanding is the height of the season, sorry if I'm incorrect) until we hit Paris. Big mistake. Especially the part where my poor husband tried to return the rental car. In hindsight, we wish we would have returned it somewhere outside Paris and taken the TGV back in.
There's a restaurant somewhere in Avignon whose name in French is The Three Crazy Brothers (sorry, can't remember the word they used for crazy. I don't think it was Fou). Anyway, someone who has spent alot of time over there said it is the best restaurants in avignon and one of the bset culinary experiences in the region. If anyone finds it, or knows it, please post a review! (It totally slipped our minds to even try to find it and we ended up dining at Cafe Wooloomooloo on Rues des Teinturiers)
We can't wait to go back to Provence!
