Heading to Nice and Avignon in September. Naturally I will check the forecasts right before leaving.

Assuming temp forecasts (reliability always in question) to be mid-80s (which is the current forecast), I am mulling over the number of pants vs. shorts to bring.

Where is it inappropriate for a man to wear shorts?

Thanks.
ssander

Where are you planning to GO?

Sure, if it's warm enough. It may well be in September.
I think it's inappropriate to wear shorts in a nice restaurant (fine for pizza/burger places, not so much for Michelin-star type restaurants). But there is normally not a dress code. I've seen men wearing shorts to dinner in fine restaurants on the cote d'azur in summer.

I am wearing shorts right now.
I was yesterday in an upscale restaurant and had pants on because I am a pompous a$$ but my friend and half the customers were wearing shorts.
Jus as long as they are clean and correct.

Define "correct" please, Whathello. Are those shorts which make your "thing" look bigger? Smaller?

This whole notion about not wearing shorts in Europe is bogus unless we are talking about a house of worship.

Dukey1... (not exactly what I was concerned about, but probably should be. )

Nice 4 nights

Avignon 7 nights (with train day-trips to Nimes & Arles and possible bus excursion to Pont du Gard)

Overnight driving trip to Roussillon

I guess I need not be too concerned about wearing shorts.

ssander

My things are big enough thanks Dukey ;-)
Correct in my mind means not iverwirn with stains of paint or such.
I just bought a new one and am looking around.
9 out of 10 men are wearing shorts right now.
30 c. Riviera. Small town. 2 pm.

Parisians wear shorts when it is warm, including to the restaurant. I hear that in the south of France, they run around completely naked.

Dukey, it is only Americans who think Europeans, of whatever gender, do not wear shorts.

Europeans know better, and Aussies and the like are self confident enough not to care what we might think of them.

If you like wearing shorts wear them. Ditto denim jeans, Capris, Hawaiian shirts, baseball caps and white trainers. There is no dress code for Europe.

"There is no dress code for Europe"

hetismij, you try telling the Milanese that ;-)

What is "overnight driving from Avignon to Roussillon"?? Is Roussillon the perched village 30 mins from Avignon, or the region in southwest France around Perpignan?

Why would you have a car to drive to Roussillon but take trains & a bus to visit the sites around Avignon?

Just curious!!

Stu Dudley

The short of it is shorts are perfectly fine just like at thome. Where you would wear them at home wear them there.

Been this way for years now.

Why do Americans think French are any different than us in this matter?

There's no dress code for Milan, either. You see people dressed in all kinds of outfit there, even in Piazza della Scala. Shorts are perfectly fine.

<i> I think it's inappropriate to wear shorts in a nice restaurant (fine for pizza/burger places, not so much for Michelin-star type restaurants). </i>

Between pizza/burger places and Michelin-star restaurants, there's a whole gamut of restaurants where you'll see plenty of people wearing shorts.

Disappointed. I have always found people in Milano or Torino etc so well dressed.

I find Torino much more casual in every way than Milan. However, I must be honest. I do see lots of people wearing shorts in Milan, including teenagers with ripped shorts that don't come down to the tops of their legs.

Stu...

Our plan is to take a leisurely drive to Roussillon, stopping here and there (not firmed up yet), spend the night and most of the next day in Roussillon, and then drive back, taking a different route (also not firmed up yet).

I am reading your treatise (2017 revised) for ideas.

ssander

OK - so Roussillon is the small ocre village 30-45 mins east of Avignon. It's no big deal driving there. Why an overnight drive??

Stu Dudley

We decided to stay overnight there so that we can spend the two days in the car driving around the area. Seemed like a decent town to stop in.
ssander

>>Overnight driving trip to Roussillon<<

OK - now I understand. I originally thought you were embarking on a nighttime drive to Roussillon - either the village less than 1 hr away or the region many hours away.

I'm still curious as to why you would take a bus to the Pont dy Gard instead of driving there so you could visit Uzes and other sites in that same area. Same with taking the train to Arles, where you could also visit Les Baux.

Stu Dudley

Stu...

You've got a good idea about Pont du Gard. I'll give it some thought.

We were thinking a tour might be better. But you make sense.

ssander