Dargle123

I am looking to organise a holiday in Provence via train/bus in late August/early September. I've read enough to know that travelling by bus around the ''beautiful villages' is difficult but I like spending some time in places so I'm thinking of the following itinerary and would welcome comments/views?

Travel to Avignon by train from St Pancras:
2 days in Avignon then down to Cannes for 2/3 days to take in a birthday party!
The bulk of the time I'm looking to book a place in Gordes or one of the other villages for a week? My thinking is that there is enough to see/do in Gorges for a few days including walks? I've looked up travel from Gordes to Rousillion for example and buses go about every 4 hours and it takes about 16 minutes? So travel to see another village is an option - perhaps walking all/part of the way and/or getting bus back?
I've checked travel from Avignon to Gordes which would go via Cavaillon, then either bus (every 4 hours!) or just get taxi from Cavaillon to Gordes - about £18-£21 perhaps?
I'm failing to figure out if it's possible to get a taxi from Cannes to Gordes and how much it would cost or if we have to go back to Avignon first, then Cavaillon to Gordes as described above?
The birthday party option came as a surprise 'add-on' recently which we are trying to work out if we can fit in since we are in the area, so to speak!
Any advice would be most welcome.

Christina

It sounds okay. I did Provence without a car once but hadn't been there before so mainly just visited the cities, anyway (Aix and Avignon). No, I don't think there is enough to do in Gordes for a couple days, but I don't know your tastes or tempo. It is extremely small, you know. But if you just want to basically walk around a bit and hang out, sure. But of you include buses to Roussillon, then that sounds not bad at all. As long as you get the schedules, it sounds do-able. If they have two a day for example, you just have to know when to be ready to leave. Then you could spend at least half a day in Roussillon.

If you like walking a lot, that would work, it's about 10 km.

Of course you can get a taxi from Cannes to Gordes, why not, if you are willing to pay enough. There are plenty of taxis in Cannes, if that's what you mean. I wouldn't even consider it unless you are filthy rich, it's over 200 km and will take a couple hours and about 50 euro in toll fares alone.

Sarastro

<i>My thinking is that there is enough to see/do in Gorges for a few days including walks?</i>

Gordes is a beautiful location but it is not somewhere you want to go without a car. You can see all that there is to see in Gordes in about 15 minutes, I do not agree that you´ll be happy there without a car for a few days.

It is possible to explore western Provence without a car but you´ll need to stick to places with good rail/bus service such as: Arles, Aix-en-Provence, St Rémy/les Baux de Provence and l´Ile sur la Sorgue.

StuDudley

Yep - Gordes is really small - and quite hilly. The "flat" section of Gordes will consume about 10-20 mins of your time to explore, IMO.

I think you are quite late in securing a place in town in Gordes for a full week. We usually book our accommodations 1+ years in advance - and we only go in June or Sept. Aug/Sept is quite crowded in Provence.

Stu Dudley

topeater

I agree with the others, Gordes is a great place to visit other places, but you really need the freedom that a car gives you in that area. Is there a reason you don't want to rent a car? Driving is really very easy in these locations.

swandav2000

Hi Dargle123,

I also visited Provence without a car, but I stayed in Arles. Arles is larger than Gordes and has lots of Roman ruins and artifacts, tons of cute tiny shops, a nice riverside walkway, loads of interesting restaurants, and many tiny and winding streets to explore -- so it really can keep you occupied for several days. It was easy to get to and to get out of by train. I don't like cities, so Arles was a nice size.

I arranged to take a small-van tour with a private company to see some other towns in the area and the lavender fields. The tour included Gordes, which I thought was one of the loveliest perched villages, but it is awfully small. It is also isolated, and busses every 4 hours wouldn't be sufficient for me to explore the area. If you are an experienced bike rider, that would be an option to see some of the area, or if you wanted to hire a local tour guide that would be another way.

So, I guess I'm recommending you use Arles as your base. It's big enough to keep you busy but small enough to explore fully in a few days, and it's got decent connections to get out & around.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Dargle123

Thank you all for your prompt and very helpful replies. I'm glad I consulted, I'm off to explore Arles more.

Sarastro

While you are exploring, I would take a look at staying in central Avignon, which is the transportation hub of western Provence. It would be much easier to visit nearby points of interest from Avignon than from any other location.

Gretchen

I'd choose Avignon also. Central, lots of possibilities. Consider taking tours, as others have done.
And Gordes, while quite beautiful is high and small--and maybe a little isolated with no vehicle.
Oh, and for fun, read Peter Mayle's Hotel Pastis.

Christina

Why do people constantly try to force people to rent cars when they have clearly said they don't want to? It's not a whim, I'm sure. Some people cannot drive, as shocking as that seems. Some people just don't want to, maybe they aren't even used to driving that much at home, and not in foreign countries. It is expensive, also. It really isn't that ncessary if you are flexible with want you want to do.

For example, the biking idea is a good one, if you wanted to bike a lot, you wouldn't need a car. And I don't even think a bus every four hours is that bad, it just meaning a little planning. If you go someplace and stay most of the day anyway, so what, it's perfectly feasible.

I wouldn't be personally interested because I like bigger places with more to do and more options with a train line. I think Arles is a good idea. Even Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has a train station although I don't thin it's on a main route (and isn't a town I'm crazy about anyway).

Someone who doesn't mind walking 10 km to another town or just hiking around a lot would be perfectly fine in the country without a car.

kerouac

I'm sure that some people would be very happy spending several days in Gordes. It can be very nice not to have anything on your agenda for a few days. And frankly, even if I only spent about 2 hours when I went to Gordes, it did not seem like a boring place.

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com...gordes-lacoste

TDudette

Trains are best IMHO. You might need to taxi from station to city center. Check "last train" schedule.

Busses are also good, but, when we were there, they were quite local and tended to travel at times convenient to commuters and students. Allow extra visiting time as you can easily land at siesta time.

DH and I took a van tour from our Aix hotel and we visited Gordes, Roussillon, Lourmarin and Bonnieux. We wanted longer times in some of the places but not over night. Not as cheap as bus.

Driving gives you the time flexibility but you have to find a place to get gas, to park and then get to the city center.

Sarastro

The OP planned on using Gordes as a base from which to travel to other locations. It would be irresponsible for anyone who knows this area well, not to point out that while Gordes is indeed a beautiful location, it would not be an ideal base from which to explore the Luberon without a car. I do not believe that the intent of the OP was <i>not to have anything on your agenda for a few days.</i>

There is absolutely nothing wrong with visiting western Provence without a car. But the OP´s interests would be better served, based upon his/her stated intentions, if the base location were one with transportation options. Avignon fills this unique requirement quite well.