Second thoughts about Provence - help!
 

I have been planning this trip for over a year and a half. My plans have changed along the way but essentially it was to fly to Nice and then to train to Avignon or Arles and do day trips from there. I was going to stay half the time or so in Nice.

My dilemma is that I don't drive. I have read the posts and have posted some myself. I have looked at your photos (thanks to all who share their lovely photographs). I understand that having a vehicle makes this part of France far more enjoyable. Am I really doing the trip an injustice by not having a car? Should I wait for this part of France until I can find someone who can drive?

I look at the photographs of lavender fields and think about how beautiful it must be. I am willing to take day trips with an organized tour if need be.

Has anyone done this trip with both a car and then by public transportation and did you still enjoy yourself and get to see a lot?

Everyone is different - I am just seeking some opinions.

Thanks for all of your input in advance.

Driving is essential to see the small villages in France. The local buses are too infrequent to allow for an efficient (and I do not mean hurried or crowded) day of visits. Go to the Provence and enjoy the larger towns and cities more accessible via public transportation. Friends of mine did just that and do not regret it.

If you base in Aix en Provence thru the tourist office they have days tours to see the lavender and some of the other small villages. I am at work so I do not have their website info but try googling Aix en Provence tourist office.
If you can't find post back and I will look up their website when I am at home.

We did the area by car, and it was fine for us and what we wanted to see. We stayed in Ville Franche sur Mer, half way between Nice and Monaco. When we wanted to do Nice, we took the bus (a 5 minute ride), when we did Monaco, we drove and explored the villages there and back on different corniches'. Did a morning in Cap Ferat, drove there, and returned and spent an afternoon just on the beach.
The real key is figuring out what you want to see and then figuring out how to make it work. We did drive to other areas of France which were not as readily accessible with train.
Good luck with your planning.

Provence is beautiful and I wouldn't wait to find a driver to go with you. If there are some small towns that are not readily accessible by public transportation you could always hire a car for a day. Meanwhile, there are lots of towns to explore that are on bus/train routes.

I looked at one of your other threads and see that you have about 2 weeks. There are plenty of wonderful towns you can get to. It would be different if you were going for a couple of months; then you would want a car to get around. But for 2 weeks you'll be fine with public transportation.

I think Avignon is more centrally located than Aix is to visit the lavender fields in the Luberon and around Sault. Aix may be closer to the fields near Valensole, however - but most of the "stuff" first-timers want to see is closer to Avignon than Aix.

When we were in the Luberon in '10, there was a small organized tour that was out of the van & taking pictures of a spectacular lavender field near Gordes. I've seen a few posts recently by people seeking out guided tours like this. Do a search, or a new post titled something like "Seeking info on small guided tours of lavender fields, small villages, and sites in Provence".

Don't wait - go while you can if you find a tour.

Stu Dudley

I sometimes wonder if people read what the OP wrote before posting a response. If someone says they CAN'T drive, suggesting hiring for a day or talking about where you drove, is of no use to them at all.

Kelsey, you will be limited in where you can reasonably go using public transit, that's a fact. Whether to live with it and go where you can or wait till you can 'find soemeone who can drive' is up to you.

Personally, I would say you will be able to find more than enough to see and do for 2 weeks with or without a car. Other than that, I don't see what you can expect anyone to tell you.

<< suggesting hiring for a day >>

Duh...the car would have a driver. It's a reasonable suggestion and an alternative to public transportation or group tours.

Thank you for all your helpful comments and recommendations. I have had very useful, insightful valuable information from fodorites...so keep it coming. I am going to post for a recommendation on a mini tour. I often want to do everything and perhaps with a taste of Provence, I will be inspired to come back. Obviously, it will be my decision but I hope that this post will be useful to not only me but to others who would like to do the same.

Adrienne - you always make me laugh!

:)

Here's how one fodorite did it:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-june-2012.cfm

Stay in Avignon

- Take trains to Arles, Nimes, l'Isle sur la Sorgue, Orange, Montpelier, Cavaillon, Marseille, and Aix.

- Buses run down the N100 from Cavaillon to Apt. You could get off the bus and visit some of the hill villages if you are a good walker. There are other buses too - but like the N100 schedule, you may be "waiting" a bit.

- Hire a car & driver as adrienne suggested

- Inquire in Avignon about group tours

Plenty of ideas.

Stu Dudley

Hello - I am new to the forums but have been reading them for a long time. To the OP, I did this trip in reverse Sept '13 starting in Avignon (5 days), then took the TGV to Nice for another 5 days.

I traveled with 2 others and we did not have a car. We booked mini van excursions from both places, took the local train from Avignon to Nîmes one day and also booked a private driver one day. We did several excursions from Nice to Monaco, Antibes and Cannes plus did many things in Nice.

Not having a car didn't mean we didn't get around! I would not let not being able to drive keep you from going!

What great responses!

@powhatangal -do you happen to remember the company?

I don't drive and stayed in Avignon one year and took the trains to many places. There were excursion buses back then that took you to some villages. Don't know if they still exist.

Someone recently posted this link on another thread for daytrips that I saved:

http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/t...m#.UuXOeGg76f0

Bookmarking

Kelsey: We used Viator for their Tour of Provence. I was hesitant about a 10 hour day but it was lots is fun. There were 8 of us and the driver Anne was very knowledgeable and spoke perfect English. Viator has many other Provence excursions (many are 1/2 day) to choose from.

If you take the train to Nîmes, the arena and Maison Carrée is a pleasant stroll from the station. I had a wonderful lunch at Café Jazz on the square at the Maison Carrée!

Have fun planning!

Many years ago on an AOL board there was a nice fellow from NYC who didn't drive either. Everyone sort of poo-poohed his ability to get around but he did, and had a great trip. It will take some planning and flexibility, but I'm sure it can be done. After all, if you take a bus (or a tour bus), you are seeing the same scenery en route to say, Gordes, that we did when driving. Persevere!!

Hilarious adrienne. You wrote, "you could always hire a car for a day." Where in that is "Duh...the car would have a driver."???

In what country is, 'hire a car', understood to include a driver? Duhhhh.

I, for one, assumed that adrienne implied that a driver was in the "hire". Where I live (Calif), "rent" a car means a car only. Hire means something else. Usually a person is involved in a "hire" - a butler, chauffeur, waitress, shopkeeper, janitor, etc.

Stu Dudley

Yes, I'm with Stu--car and driver. Taxi!! Don't know if it is available, but worth an inquiry.

I have decided to do it and experience all I can do without a car.

I have the following questions:

Has anyone used a reliable car and driver to go to see the lavender fields? I don't want to be rushed while visiting so hiring a driver might be the way to go.

I am looking for a wine tour or cooking class - something different. Any recommendations?

We had exactly this dilemma and knew we couldn't afford to hire a driver.

We stayed in Avignon, which is a stop on the TGV and well connected with other train and bus routes. We loved being there (stayed at R. Steeves favorite B&B) and were able to use the full time we'd planned for exploring right there with a wish to linger much longer. (We had a memorable anniv. dinner courtesy DS at Christiane-Etienne near the palace -- pricey but once-in-a-life time good.)

To get to Arles, we took a train and had a great day's walkabout there, coming back after dinner. Then we signed up (at tourist ctr in Avignon, not far from train station) for a tour to Nimes, Pont de Gard, and little town Uzes. We don't normally love tours, but knew we'd never see Pont de Gard without someone driving there, and this was a very small group (about 6 of us) in a van with a very friendly, knowledgable driver-guide. It was a great day.

We could easily go back and use Avignon as base again, although next time we might get ourselves to Montpelier, Aix, etc. to expand the radius. Haven't looked into going closer to the Mediterranean, but I'm sure it can be done without a car - even sacrificing some convenience and spontaneity.

Posted when you did. The tourist info ctr. in Avignon can help with car/driver if no one here has a good referral.

We took this cooking class last year http://tessa-cooking.fr/ We met Tessa in Aix, had a quick walking tour of the city, went to the market and then drove to her home for wine and cheese and the class. We all helped cook then had a wonderful meal. If you are interested, you might ask if she could drive you and take you back to Aix as it wasn't far.

Thanks - I will be based in Avignon. I thought about Aix but people dissuaded me. I won't have a vehicle so I am a bit at a disadvantage.

Even though many recommend like reflex Provence=must drive, Tuscany=must drive, etc, renting a car is never essential if the term is used as having no other options. There are other options – sometimes at similar overall cost, sometimes it costs more, sometimes with time constraints, but options nevertheless. If I drive, I stay somewhere in Luberon where I don’t have to deal with pita traffic like Avignon. If I don’t care to drive, I would stay in Avignon being the hub of trains, buses, and small group tours. If one wants full flexibility, negotiate a fixed day/half day price with a taxi. For those from the U.S. , people do not necessarily want to say why they do not want to drive lest the statement comes back to haunt them in employment, insurance, etc.

you really need at car top see the countryside.
either find someone over there or at home to drive you around.

towns are gorgeous, but you will miss out on more than 50% of the value of the place.

Thanks for your replies - but I am not driving for the simple reason that I do NOT want to drive - I am happy to take public transportation and I have already established that I know I will miss out on some aspects. In any case, I am interested in people who have used a private driver there or have taken a day tour. I appreciate the comments but driving is not an option. I am ready to lose "50%" of fun and value...oh well....

I will start a new thread at this point to avoid confusion. I am going based on the wonderful encouragement!

Any taxi driver can be rented for a full day. Rates vary.

Thanks Kerouac.

I have been to Provence without a car and certainly did not regret going and had a great time. I have never hired a private driver, I get around by public transportation and day tours. So don't let anyone tell you it is impossible because that is absurd, or the idea that you have to pay for private drivers.

We saw a great deal from the bus, van, and train windows and were not distracted by trying to figure out where we were and how to get to the next place, or trying to avoid getting caught doing night driving.

You'll be FINE!!! Have a great trip - I'm envious.