jazzy1

I'm back again. You've been such a big help already. But here goes....I'm actually thinking about reversing our trip. For instance, starting in the Riviera and working our way down to Provence where we would fly out of Paris. Here's what's changed since we last talked.

We are going to eliminate Paris from our itinerary so not sure if we should still consider that in our flight path or look at Nice or Marseilles instead. The airport questions is not so much a cost thing as it is convenience/options.

Another thought (just a fleeting one), would be to see the Riviera and Luberon areas and eliminate Provence. Thinking that would keep the trip to a more focused area from mileage and airport access. Yes, I'm going nuts I need to stop thinking!!!

In the Cote/Riviera area do you think it would be good to stay in two different locations, i.e., Villefranche and St. Paul deVence or ???

Any comments or suggestions on reversing our plans shown below?

Here's my itinerary that Stu pretty much developed minus the changing ideas above.

September:
Tues: Depart from San Francisco. If we aren't going to Paris maybe we should re-route our trip and fly into Nice, do the Rivera, go to Luberon then Provence and then out of Paris??

Wed: Arrive in Paris or closest airport to Provence/Luberon?. We’ve decided not to stay in Paris (been there) but we may have better flight options if we land in Paris?. If we land in Paris, we will spend 1 night and take the TGV to Avignon to pick-up car. We are flying out of San Francisco.

Thurs: Already in St. Remy or take TGV to Avignon to pick up car. Stay in Luberon. Still trying to decide what town/hotel based on central location and restaurants, etc in town. Visit Senanque Abbey

Fri : Combe de Lourmarin, Lourmarin, the Chateau, Bonnieux & Saignon. How many miles from say Gordes or Bonnieux ?

Sat : I’isle la Sorgue, Dentelles Loop. How many miles from Gordes or Bonnieux?

Sun : Market in I’isle sur la Sorgue (same mileage question?)

Mon : Gordes, Roussilon, Menerbes (not sure if this goes here or not) ? (mileage question)

We want to have time to just wander around and spend time by the pool, however, not sure if I should condense the itinerary above or not.
================================================== ===========
Tues: Drive to St. Remy and check in. Visit Les Baux

Wed: St. Remy market in the a.m., Alpillies (Stu’s itinerary)

Thurs: Uzes, not sure about Pont du Gard?? Maybe Avignon or Nimes??
================================================== ============
Where would Moustiers-Ste-Marie fit in below? Should we stay in two locations/towns rather than one? Currently looking at Villefranche. For instance, Villefranche and St. Paul de Vence or ?

Fri: Leave early for Aix (spend the day only or 1 or 2 nights)?

Sat: Drive to Rivieria/Cote. Stay in Villefranche) – not sure about keeping car?

Sun: St Paul, Vence, Tourrettes, Gourdon (keep car or return??)

Mon: Visit Eze

Tues: Antibes

Wed: Cannes

Not sure about Nice (old town) or Monaco (just to say we’ve been there? Day trip, etc. I could also move a day Provence to the Riveria.

PBProvence

jazzy...

wow. Just back from a vacation myself (Israel and Jordan), and you've managed to confuse me.

If I were choosing, I'd eliminate the Cote d'Azur rather than Provence. But that's just me.

You could fly into Nice and proceed as you've outlined - but would you have to return to Nice to fly back ? Your other option is fly to Paris, then a flight to Marseille... easy driving up to the Luberon or St. Remy from there.

Or, you could hop on the TGV right at CDG after your arrival from San Fran... you'd have three hours to nap before arriving in Avignon and proceeding from there.

Isle sur la Sorgue is only about 9 kilometres from Gordes - something like 20 from Bonnieux. Lourmarin is closer to Bonnieux - but winding roads to get there take a little longer to drive.

don't know if this is of any help at all, but... !!

Patricia

luvparee

Most of the hill towns in the Luberon/Vaucluse are fairly close to one another.

Our itin was as follows (we were based in Pernes les Fontaines)

Day 1 - Bonnieux, Menerbes, and Lumieres.

Day 2 - Roussillon, Gordes, Abbaye de Senanque and back to Pernes via Joucas, Venasque, and St. Didier.

Day 3 - L'Isle sur la Sorgue market and at the pool in the afternoon.

Day 4 - Shopped at Tissus Gregoire (Provencal tabletop!) in St. Saturnin de Avignon and through Avignon to Pont du Gard

Day 5 - Up the wine route to Vaison la Romaine, Le Crestet, Seguret, and Gigondas.

Day 6 - St. Remy for market and pool in the afternoon.

We spent one day in Cassis and that was our longest trip of the week. Otherwise, all very easy driving.

Enjoy!

joy/luvparee

P.S. We boarded the TGV at CDG about 4 hours after landing. The train trip was very relaxing and enjoyable. Rented a van at the Avignon TGV and the rest is history!!!

hanl

Hi,
I'm by no means an "expert", but I read through your post and am a bit confused by your comment "...see the Riviera and Luberon areas and eliminate Provence" - as far as I know, the Luberon is *in* Provence. Not trying to nitpick, just unsure which area you are actually referring to...

cigalechanta

jazz, this little map will show the South of France that includes Provence. So you know where you want to go, the names in Red are the different areas of Provence.

http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/map-of-provence.htm

cigalechanta

An example to look at :
PB. lives in the Bouche de Rhone in the Alpilles in Maussane.
A map will give you distances betwen villages.

StuDudley

>>Another thought (just a fleeting one), would be to see the Riviera and Luberon areas and eliminate Provence. Thinking that would keep the trip to a more focused area from mileage and airport access. Yes, I'm going nuts I need to stop thinking!!!<<

Like others have said - the Luberon is in Provence. Don't skip other areas of Provence (St Remy & Alpilles, Vaison area & Dentelles. Pont du Gard & Uzes, etc)

>>In the Cote/Riviera area do you think it would be good to stay in two different locations, i.e., Villefranche and St. Paul deVence or ???<<

If you are only going to be there for 5 days, I would not change hotels or locations. If you stay in St Paul, you'll need a car the entire time. If you stay in Villefranche, you'll just need a car for the day you'll visit St Paul & surrounds.

>>Any comments or suggestions on reversing our plans shown below?<<

It really doesn't matter. Just make sure you're near l'Isle sur la Sorgue for the market.

>>Here's my itinerary that Stu pretty much developed minus the changing ideas above.

September:
Tues: Depart from San Francisco. If we aren't going to Paris maybe we should re-route our trip and fly into Nice, do the Rivera, go to Luberon then Provence and then out of Paris??<<

Patricia gave you good advice. the TGV to Avignon is very relaxing & easy. If I landed in Paris, I would choose to take the TGV to Avignon over flying to Nice. There are many flights to Marseille, Montpellier, & Niced that do not go through paris. In two weeks I'm taking Iberia (AA) from SFO to JFK, to Madrid, to Nice.

>>Wed: Arrive in Paris or closest airport to Provence/Luberon?. We’ve decided not to stay in Paris (been there) but we may have better flight options if we land in Paris?. If we land in Paris, we will spend 1 night and take the TGV to Avignon to pick-up car. We are flying out of San Francisco.<<

No need to take stay in Paris - take he TGV from CDG to Avignon, or Aix - depending on the schedule.

>>Thurs: Already in St. Remy or take TGV to Avignon to pick up car. Stay in Luberon. Still trying to decide what town/hotel based on central location and restaurants, etc in town. Visit Senanque Abbey<<

Don't understand the "already in St Remy". If you go directly to Provence from CDG on Wed, stay in the Luberon. The Luberon is smaller than you may think, and it's only 40mins or so from St Remy to Gordes.

>>Fri : Combe de Lourmarin, Lourmarin, the Chateau, Bonnieux & Saignon. How many miles from say Gordes or Bonnieux ?<

15 mins or so. However, don't take the main roads - the back ones are much more scenic. Like I mentioned before, the Luberon is smaller than you may think

>>Sat : I’isle la Sorgue, Dentelles Loop. How many miles from Gordes or Bonnieux?<<

Why go to l'Isle sur la Sorgue twice???? Just to the Vaison/Dentelles loop today. The miles from Gordes to Bonnieux on Sat are the same as the miles on Friday (if you take the same roads)

>>Sun : Market in I’isle sur la Sorgue (same mileage question?)<<

From Gordes about 10-15 mins.

>>Mon : Gordes, Roussilon, Menerbes (not sure if this goes here or not) ? (mileage question)<<

You're "hung up" on miles. The Luberon is small. Don't worry about the miles withing the Luberon

>>We want to have time to just wander around and spend time by the pool, however, not sure if I should condense the itinerary above or not.<<

You'll have plenty of time for the pool.
>>================================================ =============
Tues: Drive to St. Remy and check in. Visit Les Baux

Wed: St. Remy market in the a.m., Alpillies (Stu’s itinerary)<<

Fine

>>Thurs: Uzes, not sure about Pont du Gard?? Maybe Avignon or Nimes??<<

Didn't you previously indicate you don't want to spend much time in Big cities??? Visit the Pont & Uzes. If you're going to visit Aix, don't visit Nimes or Avignon.
================================================== ============
>>Where would Moustiers-Ste-Marie fit in below?<<

Visit it on the next trip.

>>Should we stay in two locations/towns rather than one? Currently looking at Villefranche. For instance, Villefranche and St. Paul de Vence or ?<<

I answered this above.

>>Fri: Leave early for Aix (spend the day only or 1 or 2 nights)?<<

Not 2 nights. It would ba a nice thing to visit on the way from St remy to the Nice area. You could spend the day or 1 night. If you spent 1 night, visit Moustiers on the way from Aix to Nice.

>>Sat: Drive to Rivieria/Cote. Stay in Villefranche) – not sure about keeping car?

Sun: St Paul, Vence, Tourrettes, Gourdon (keep car or return??)<<

You'll need a car for this

>>Mon: Visit Eze

Tues: Antibes

Wed: Cannes<<

Study some more options (Nice). I think you may get a little bored with Villefranche after a while. Eze won't take a full day, and neither will Antibres or Cannes (unless you want to shop a lot). If you choose to visit Nice, visit it on the same day as Eze - but not on a Monday when Old Nice is closed

>>Not sure about Nice (old town) or Monaco (just to say we’ve been there? Day trip, etc. I could also move a day Provence to the Riveria.<<

Nice yes, Monaco no. Even if you add Nice, your current Riveria schedule won't take more days than you already have allocated. IMO. Have dinner in Nice one night.


Stu Dudley

ddena

OK. Here is a wonderful website with very detailed information as to your queries: http://www.beyond.fr/villages/aix.html

If you click on "travel" you will also find distances and drive times. There are also suggested itineraries. Enjoy!
another Dena

cigalechanta

I don't know when you r leaving but you should decide now where. I'm not going til mid Septmber but it took me more than a month to find place we could afford. Our favorite village was booked at hotels and B&B, so we will stay in Maussane. We stayed in Maussane at PB's beautiful B&B one year but we need something less expensive this year.

StuDudley

Ditto about reserving ASAP

Stu Dudley

jazzy1

Thank you all sooooo much. Just saw all the responses. I will post an later. It's like Christmas. I'm going to quit drinking coffee, stop thinking so much and just focus. I have all the info I need now so I will get to work on finalizing things. I really do appreciate your input. I may post a few minor questions but will post my final plans in hopes that it will help someone else as well.

Bonjour

jazzy1

Quick question. If we fly into Marseilles we are thinking of staying in Aix one night because it's so close and I'm sure we will be tired. From there we will go to the Luberon/Provence and then back through to the Riveria where we will fly out of Nice. I think.....If we do that, should we rent the car at the Marseille airport or take a cab to Aix and then get a car on our way out to Provence. Does this all sound backwards?? Thanks again. Any suggestions on car rental agencies, etc. Merci!

Rastaguytoday

Aix is far enough away that renting a car from MRS should make more sense that trying to get to/from your destinations.

This particularly works if you get a rate of one week or more.

You can check the usual suspects that are at the airport (see the airport web site). I have a good value from Hertz beginning this Friday for 2 weeks. Their current generation GPS system is available in English. Also, get a diesel if you can. In France the current (translated) price for gasoline is about $6.50 per gallon, while diesel is about $5.25. You'll also get better gas mileage in a diesel.

StuDudley

Renting a car in Aix would be the simplest.... might be the cheapest also.

We always rent through AutoEurope (a US broker). Call (don't reserve on-line), and ask for any discounts (we got an 8% AAA discount).
www.autoeurope.com


Stu Dudley

jazzy1

Perfect! Thanks again. Will look into renting a car (w/GPS) through Auto Europe.

Also, Cigalechanta, you mentioned "We stayed in Maussane at PB's beautiful B&B", what BB is that? I'm not familiar with Maussane.

jazzy1

Dena: Just wanted to thank you for the beyond.fr link. It's fabulous!

cigalechanta

and don't forget www.provenceweb.com

jazz, patricia=PBProvence.
her B&B:

http://www.moulindegreoux.com/

StuDudley

Consider Kevin's B&B also - it's in the Luberon a bit northeast of Roussillon, just outside of St Saturnin les Apt.

http://www.masperreal.com/index.html

Stu Dudley

jazzy1

Excellent!!! Will check out your recommendations. Another quick questions from my "little black book file"...

now...hotel questions:

Do you have any comments on these hotels in terms of central location, quality, etc.? I'm not sure if they are too close together to warrant changing or not. We thought we might stay in St. Remy and then in the Luberon country side??

Le Clos Du Bois (luberon?)
Domain de Bournissac (luberon?)
La Maison sur la Sorgue (luberon)
La Cabro d'or (luberon)

Le Chateau des Alpilles (St. Remy proper)?

Mas De Cornud ?
Du Cote Des Olivades?

cigalechanta

Clos du bois is in one of my favorite villages, Bonnieux in the Luberon, and everyone I know who stayed there were pleased. The Bournissac(you can go just for dinner )it's a little more upscale and it's in Eyraques
in the Alpilles.
Chateau de Alpills has beautiful grounds and what I call shabby chic.
The other two never have seen or know anyone who has stayed there.