alldaytravel

Hi All - Finalizing my trip to Provence and I had a question which I wanted to get some opinions on...

I know many people rent cars in Provence and drive to the various towns and sites. BUT, it sounds like it is also very feasible to base yourself in Aix, Avignon and Arles and take organized tours by min-van with a guide to all of the major places of interest - Gordes, Roussillon, St. Remy, Pont du Gard, the Abbey, vineyards, etc.

Which would you recommend and why?

Also, how difficult is driving AND parking in these areas...I am not a big fan of driving, but my husband doesn't mind. With that said, if driving or parking is a big hassle, we would be open to the convenience of a tour...Any input? Thanks...

luvparee

I would certainly drive. That way, you're on your own schedule and not that of a tour director. We used an 8 passenger van and had no trouble at all parking anywhere.

You would have so much more flexibility in having your own car and if your husband is willing to drive, go for it!

Enjoy!

joy/luvparee

frenchwow

car read my trip log AH PROVENCE

Sarastro

Of the places you mention, only Gordes has a real parking problem in my view. It's also one of the only towns (if not the only town) in France with no Office de Tourisme. Probably because it doesn't (a) need to promote nor (b) have the place for more tourists.

Otherwise, driving and parking are not a problem keeping in mind that Aix-en-Provence has little free street parking and when in Avignon, I recommend using the garage below the Palais des Papes, entrance near the Rhone River.

Virtually all of this portion of Provence has bus service, but very limited frequency to many destinations does not make bus transportation a good option for tourism. Hence having a car gives one great flexibility and allows him to make the most of limited vacation time.

If someone is willing to base himself in either Avignon or Aix-en-Provence, from where a good selection of private tours and transportation links are available, he can forgo a rental car and still exhaustively visit the region.

For information about Aix-en-Provence:

http://www.aixenprovencetourism.com/

For Avignon:

http://www.ot-avignon.fr/

StuDudley

There isn't a problem parking in Gordes. There is a HUGE lot there. However, you must pay to park and the lot is about 1/4 to 1/2 miles from the center of town - all uphill on the way to Gordes. We've rented gites for 4 weeks near Gordes, and the back of this lot is the closest place for us to re-cycle bottles, paper, etc.

Don't know how you can explore the minute villages, lavender fields, gorges, caves, etc in Provence without a car.

Stu Dudley

alldaytravel

Thanks for the feedback! How are the road conditions in this area? I got into a car accident several years ago and have been a nervous passenger ever since - I hate very windy, steep roads, driving along cliffs, etc. which is another reason I prefer not to drive, even if my hubby is driving! Curious how this works driving in the Provence area - and perhaps even from Nice to St. Tropez...

Also, very worried I will park in the wrong place and get our car towed!

I would consider basing myself in Avignon and Aix and taking tours which would cover the small towns that I could not reach on my own...Lavender fields are not in bloom while I'm there. Very interested in little villages and wineries while there - less so in gorges and caves, but that's just me.

TDudette

If you have time, please read my "Provence Sandwich" trip report. We did take tours but the place where we stayed in Aix would be great if you have your own car.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-sandwich.cfm

Christina

The main roads are very good in Provence, but there are definitely windy steep roads (with cliffs) and some of them were a little scary to me when I was driving alone. IN fact, I'm surprised more people don't get killed as some of them were not real wide, so if someone came towards you around the curve and was just over the line a little, you'd be over the cliff.

I did park at the bottom of Gordes and it wasn't a problem, just a hike from the town center. Same for Roussillon, you can't park in town or even go there.

I read French so road signs weren't an issue with me, I knew what they said. You should know road signs and what they mean (like the one limiting cars to riverains, which means local residents and you might not know that -- some of these small, historic towns do that to avoid the bad effect cars would have on the town).

Avignon and Aix are cities of bigger size, so if you base yourself there, find a place on the outskirts. I actually did that once and it worked fine, I stayed at Mas d'Entremont just outside Aix, which was very nice.


If an organized tour fits your needs, it might not be too bad, you'd have to check the schedule and see if you like it. It would make it easy and sometimes those can be fun.

StuDudley

Roads are about the same as they are in the US (I live near San Francisco). Street signs are easy to figure out (but we've been driving in France for 30 years). Get a Michelin map and familiarize yourself with the position of all the major cities in the area. Direction signs point you to the major cities - not necessarily the road number. If you're in the countryside, getting lost is a plus.

Nice to St Tropez is extremely easy - freeway followed by a pretty fast road, to St Maxime, then along the gulf to St Tropez. Several round-abouts along the way. We've circled round-abouts multiple times just to make sure we get off the round-about at the correct exit. Just follow the signs to St Tropez. Almost all flat with no cliffs.

If you must stay in a large city - I would ceertainly stay in Avignon instead of Aix. Most trhe the sites you'll want to visit are much closer to Avignon. Aix is kinda in a corner.

Do you have my 27 page Cote d'Azur & Provence Itinerary???. It includes lots of my favorite small villages & scenic drives. If you want a copy, e-mail me at [email protected].

Stu Dudley

alldaytravel

Thanks! I am looking into both driving and tour options at this point to see what will work best...

Christina - Which areas would you consider "scary" windy roads - I don't want to go off a cliff! Maybe we can focus on a tour for these areas...

TDudette - Great trip report! Which tour company did you use for your day trips to Cassis and the villages of Provence?

Stu Dudley - Thanks for your Provence itinerary - it is fantastic!! Full of useful info and I have been using it for my planning...

LizQ

My husband and I rented a car and drove all over Provence without any problems. So renting a car is definitely my recommendation. Also, if you do rent a car, drive down to St. Tropez. We loved visitng that town and enjoyed lunch by the sea.

frenchwow

check my trip log AH Provence
there was one very treachurous road to avoid and a very easy alternative route we discovered after the fact.

Christina

I think the scary roads were the ones in the mountains, like I was driving around Mont Ventoux or Montagne Ste Victoire. I think the road between Venasque and the Abbaye de Senanque was somewhat scary. Basically, any road winding around mountains is possibly scary, and I'm sure some around some gorges but those are more in other areas, I think. No tour bus would go on those roads, they sure weren't on the small road going south of Venasque. You could get to the Abbaye from another direction without that problem, I was just coming from the north. And you don't have to drive up mountains if you don't want.

TDudette

Thanks alldaytravel, www.rendez-vous-provence.com is the web site but we just did everything through the front desk. We made no prior reservations. This was in September 2008 and things were winding down so there was some question about the van not being filled and the trip cancelled. They kindly let it go on with just the 2 of us! It was wonderful.

StuDudley

>>I think the road between Venasque and the Abbaye de Senanque was somewhat scary<<

Yep - that's a 1 car wide road between the Gordes hotels on the Route du Senanque, and past Senanque. There are pull-outs in case you encounter another car. There is a steep drop to the west looking down at the Abbey (fantastic view). The Route du Cretes along the Gorge du Verdun is another scary section of road. The route to Mt Ventoux from Bedoin is easy - mostly in a forest until you get to the bald spot where it is still an easy drive. The continuation on this road to Malaucene is a wide road. If you explore the Baronnies north of Ventoux, there are some winding roads - but none that are much different than the run-of-the-mill mountain roads. The Gorges de la Nesque just west of Sault is winding with some cliffs.

Stu Dudley

alldaytravel

Oh gosh - that does sound scary! I think I would need a valium for that drive - and I'm only half kidding! Is there an alternate route to the Abbey Senanque from Gordes which would help me avoid this route? I think I would freak...

Also, do you think I will encounter other scary roads driving between these destinations:

Nice to St. Paul de Vence
St. Paul de Vence to St. Tropez
St. Tropez to Aix
Aix to Cassis
Aix to St. Remy
St. Remy to Le Beaux
St. Remy to Gordes - Roussillon - Bonnieux - Loumarin (*I would imagine this is where I might encounter many!)
St. Remy to Isle sur La Sorgue
St. Remy back to Nice

Gretchen

There are many more charming towns in Provence than Aix. Parking and driving in that city is a nightmare with little benefit.

Barnum

Please do yourself a favor and rent a car. You will find it easy, and a lot of fun. Stop worrying yourself to death. The roads are terrific, the scenery beautiful. Plan your trip on YOUR schedule, not that of a tour bus. When we first traveled there 12 years ago we were apprehensive too, but never encountered any problems, and cannot imagine visiting this beautiful country witout a car.

StuDudley

>>Is there an alternate route to the Abbey Senanque from Gordes which would help me avoid this route? I think I would freak...<<<

Not really - the access from Venasque is better - but that's like getting from LA to San Francisco via NYC.

>>Also, do you think I will encounter other scary roads driving between these destinations:

Nice to St. Paul de Vence
St. Paul de Vence to St. Tropez

nope, nope


>>St. Tropez to Aix<<

If you take the D25, no. If you take the D558, yes

>>Aix to Cassis
Aix to St. Remy<<
Nope

>>St. Remy to Le Beaux<,

Not especially - unless you are VERY scared of winding roads. This is a beautiful drive, however.

>>St. Remy to Gordes - Roussillon - Bonnieux - Loumarin (*I would imagine this is where I might encounter many!)

Nope - pretty flat

>>St. Remy to Isle sur La Sorgue
St. Remy back to Nice<<

Nope, nope

Stu Dudley

Christina

I think it must have been Montagene Ste Genevieve where I encountered some semi-scary roads rather than Mt Ventoux. I know it is very flat around Bedouin (except to get up to it, but that's no problem).

YOu can get from Gordes to that abbaye on the part that isn't that scary, as I recall. The scary part is between Venasque and the abbaye, which is coming from the north. If you come from Gordes (which is to the south), I don't think it's that bad. It's sure not as long, anyway. I would think most people come that way as not that many spend a lot of time aorund Carpentras or the Vaucluse (to the north), which is where I was staying that time.