Sunday in Provence
Apr 3rd, 2012, 02:20 AM
#1
Original Poster
Sunday in Provence
I will attempt to keep this simple. Unfortunately most weeks have a Sunday in them and I realize most/all stores will be closed.
However, does that mean people hibernate and the streets are empty?
Will tourist stores (if they exist in my list below) be closed?
Will they be abandoned?
Our interest on a Sunday would be to wander thru the streets of an historic district, see people and go into an occasional tourist store.
I would like to select from the following list for a Sunday:
Arles
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Pont du Gard & Uzes (together)
Montpellier
St Remy & Les Baux (together)
Thanks.
However, does that mean people hibernate and the streets are empty?
Will tourist stores (if they exist in my list below) be closed?
Will they be abandoned?
Our interest on a Sunday would be to wander thru the streets of an historic district, see people and go into an occasional tourist store.
I would like to select from the following list for a Sunday:
Arles
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Pont du Gard & Uzes (together)
Montpellier
St Remy & Les Baux (together)
Thanks.
Apr 3rd, 2012, 02:46 AM
#2
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 12,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
lecalendal.com Arles was wonderful for this for me last market shops arena where Van Gogh painted Starry Night and lost his ear.Bullfights in season so Provence Roman Catalan Impressionist a 4 for 1 simply brilliant.
Happy Trails...
Happy Trails...
Apr 3rd, 2012, 03:02 AM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You don't say when you are going to be there, and that does make a difference.
These are all well-known tourist places (with good reason) so in season, I think you will not have any trouble doing what you want to do. If you wanted to do anything useful (go to a hardware store,for example), you would likely be out of luck.
Two things may impact your planning: (1) Sundays and holidays are days when the French themselves descend on restaurants with their families for lunches that last all afternoon, so you will want to figure out fairly quickly where you want to eat and make a reservation when you arrive in town (2) the kind of place you might go to buy picnic supplies etc is likely to close at 12:30 or so and may or may not reopen later in the afternoon, certainly not before 3. This varies from town to town and is hard to predict.
These are all well-known tourist places (with good reason) so in season, I think you will not have any trouble doing what you want to do. If you wanted to do anything useful (go to a hardware store,for example), you would likely be out of luck.
Two things may impact your planning: (1) Sundays and holidays are days when the French themselves descend on restaurants with their families for lunches that last all afternoon, so you will want to figure out fairly quickly where you want to eat and make a reservation when you arrive in town (2) the kind of place you might go to buy picnic supplies etc is likely to close at 12:30 or so and may or may not reopen later in the afternoon, certainly not before 3. This varies from town to town and is hard to predict.
Apr 3rd, 2012, 07:04 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Myer -
I'd go with either Pont du Gard/Uzès or St. Remy/Les Baux .
All of those places are very tourist oriented, so you'll find most shops open and doing a pretty good business I bet.
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue will be in it's post-market hangover during the afternoon and of course, a mob scene in the morning.
Arles wouldn't be a bad choice either on a Sunday.
Montpellier risks being a bit quiet.
- Kevin
I'd go with either Pont du Gard/Uzès or St. Remy/Les Baux .
All of those places are very tourist oriented, so you'll find most shops open and doing a pretty good business I bet.
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue will be in it's post-market hangover during the afternoon and of course, a mob scene in the morning.
Arles wouldn't be a bad choice either on a Sunday.
Montpellier risks being a bit quiet.
- Kevin
Apr 3rd, 2012, 07:31 AM
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,690
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Uzes will have many shops open beyond the usual boulangeries and tabacs. For instance the large Carrefour supermarket at Pont des Charrettes on the road in from the Pont du Gard will be open in the morning as will the little Carrefour City on Av. de Gare. Also most all the tourist shops, galleries, gift stores etc. There's also an antiques/brico-jumble market held with stalls under the trees all along Blvd Gambetta. That'll start to pack up mid-afternoon if not earlier.
I mention the supermarkets because if I were you I'd hit Uzes early, stroll the town, pick up and peruse the papers over a restorative coffee taken outside anyone of the numerous cafés before picking up the wherewithalls for a picnic lunch - and for that the Carrefour City is more than adequate - before heading off to the Pont Du Gard for said picnic.
Advice for PdG:- for those wishing to visit the Pont du Gard and not too keen to stump up the cost of the parking I offer below a response I left on a previous post - note this is not something I'd consider doing if the car were loaded with my stuff... but then again it's a pretty busy road so you'd think thieves wouldn't chance it, but to be on the safe side I too would plump for a busy spot of the main carpark site.
But for everyone else out there...
<i>"Quote trotsky: "In May I was on a bus from Nimes to Uzes & two people were put off at an intersection (roundabout?) & told to walk. Signs said at least 1k to the Pont du Gard."
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ah... but if you get off at that roundabout (on the <b>D981</b
you'll see that there are a fair smattering of vehicles parked up on the shoulder of the road. That's becasue if you walk along the path under the trees up a small rise you'll eventually arrive after 5 mins at the undisturbed remains of the aqueduct, half tumbled down, some arches still intact and entirely free to explore. From there you can wander down a well marked path (the Chemin de Valive) - complete with little information panels discussing mediaeval agriculture and its effect on the landscape, and down through a couple of olive groves before arriving at the main path just below the restaurant you mention, about 100 meters from the Pont proper.
As a car driver I always use this approach - I save the parking fees and get to enjoy more of the aqueduct and the walk through the olive trees."</i>
I strongly recommend this approach - you'll see a lot more of the aqueduct, parts that most visitors never see and it's a far more more pleasant approach to the site than getting out on the carpark and fighting your way through the coachloads of schoolkids on the concourse and the ambling and frankly self-absorbed folk blocking the path to the bridge.
Dr D.
I mention the supermarkets because if I were you I'd hit Uzes early, stroll the town, pick up and peruse the papers over a restorative coffee taken outside anyone of the numerous cafés before picking up the wherewithalls for a picnic lunch - and for that the Carrefour City is more than adequate - before heading off to the Pont Du Gard for said picnic.
Advice for PdG:- for those wishing to visit the Pont du Gard and not too keen to stump up the cost of the parking I offer below a response I left on a previous post - note this is not something I'd consider doing if the car were loaded with my stuff... but then again it's a pretty busy road so you'd think thieves wouldn't chance it, but to be on the safe side I too would plump for a busy spot of the main carpark site.
But for everyone else out there...
<i>"Quote trotsky: "In May I was on a bus from Nimes to Uzes & two people were put off at an intersection (roundabout?) & told to walk. Signs said at least 1k to the Pont du Gard."
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ah... but if you get off at that roundabout (on the <b>D981</b
you'll see that there are a fair smattering of vehicles parked up on the shoulder of the road. That's becasue if you walk along the path under the trees up a small rise you'll eventually arrive after 5 mins at the undisturbed remains of the aqueduct, half tumbled down, some arches still intact and entirely free to explore. From there you can wander down a well marked path (the Chemin de Valive) - complete with little information panels discussing mediaeval agriculture and its effect on the landscape, and down through a couple of olive groves before arriving at the main path just below the restaurant you mention, about 100 meters from the Pont proper. As a car driver I always use this approach - I save the parking fees and get to enjoy more of the aqueduct and the walk through the olive trees."</i>
I strongly recommend this approach - you'll see a lot more of the aqueduct, parts that most visitors never see and it's a far more more pleasant approach to the site than getting out on the carpark and fighting your way through the coachloads of schoolkids on the concourse and the ambling and frankly self-absorbed folk blocking the path to the bridge.
Dr D.
Apr 3rd, 2012, 07:43 AM
#7
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Most shops in St Remy & Les Baux will be open on Sunday as will shops in Gordes & Roussillon (not Bonnieux, however). Of course, shops & the morning market in l'Isle sur la Sorgue will be open.
Kevin & Dr_DoGood - are you sure shops will be open in Uzes on Sunday? We've stayed right outside of Uzes for 2 weeks and I don't recall if we ever visited it on a Sunday. I do recall one shop which had their store hours posted, that said it will be open on Monday or Sunday (don't remember which). Uzes seems like the type of town which would not have most shops open on Sundays.
Stu Dudley
Kevin & Dr_DoGood - are you sure shops will be open in Uzes on Sunday? We've stayed right outside of Uzes for 2 weeks and I don't recall if we ever visited it on a Sunday. I do recall one shop which had their store hours posted, that said it will be open on Monday or Sunday (don't remember which). Uzes seems like the type of town which would not have most shops open on Sundays.
Stu Dudley
Apr 3rd, 2012, 07:44 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,857
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
People do things other than shopping for entertainment, so even if all stores were closed, there are other things to do. I've been to Montpellier in summer and on a Sunday, and had plenty to do, but I don't much like shopping anyway. There are parks, museums (at least the Fabree is open Sundays), monuments, churches and concerts to go to and cafes to hang out in, etc. Montpellier is a rather large city, with a big student population, also.
I don't really remember tourist stores being a big thing in central Montpellier, that city isn't just for tourists like Gordes, etc. mainly is. I don't even remember any of them, tourists don't search out Montpellier souvenirs, but there are some small shops open on Sunday, mainly in the morning, though. If you are big on wanting shops for tourists, I don't think Montpellier is the place to go anyway, actually. Here's a patisserie/gourmet shop open Sunday mornings, for example http://patisserieauxgourmets.jimdo.com/
you can see what there is to do in the city at the OT http://www.ot-montpellier.fr
I don't remember Montpellier being any quieter than Uzes, for example, but it is true that "most" shops are not open in Montpellier on Sunday afternoon. Uzes is a nice enough place, though, if you want to go there, it would be pleasant, but it isn't in the same area (I don't think either of them are Provence). One big advantage is that there is a big Sunday market in Uzes so that sounds like a winner for you, see http://www.uzes.fr/Calendrier-des-ma...ires_a126.html
Of course Pont du Gard and Les Baux are tourist sites in and of themself, so you can't really compare them to regular towns/cities. So if you combine Pont du Gard with Uzes, I think that would be a good choice.
I don't really remember tourist stores being a big thing in central Montpellier, that city isn't just for tourists like Gordes, etc. mainly is. I don't even remember any of them, tourists don't search out Montpellier souvenirs, but there are some small shops open on Sunday, mainly in the morning, though. If you are big on wanting shops for tourists, I don't think Montpellier is the place to go anyway, actually. Here's a patisserie/gourmet shop open Sunday mornings, for example http://patisserieauxgourmets.jimdo.com/
you can see what there is to do in the city at the OT http://www.ot-montpellier.fr
I don't remember Montpellier being any quieter than Uzes, for example, but it is true that "most" shops are not open in Montpellier on Sunday afternoon. Uzes is a nice enough place, though, if you want to go there, it would be pleasant, but it isn't in the same area (I don't think either of them are Provence). One big advantage is that there is a big Sunday market in Uzes so that sounds like a winner for you, see http://www.uzes.fr/Calendrier-des-ma...ires_a126.html
Of course Pont du Gard and Les Baux are tourist sites in and of themself, so you can't really compare them to regular towns/cities. So if you combine Pont du Gard with Uzes, I think that would be a good choice.
Apr 3rd, 2012, 09:23 AM
#9
Original Poster
Thanks,
It looks like St Remy/Les Baux on a Sunday will work fine if I need it.
In my original post I wrote "tourist store" when I really should have written "store". It's not a shopping trip but I'd like stores to be open if my wife decides she see something and wants to pop in.
Also, I want to make sure the streets aren't empty with an abandoned look and feel.
It looks like St Remy/Les Baux on a Sunday will work fine if I need it.
In my original post I wrote "tourist store" when I really should have written "store". It's not a shopping trip but I'd like stores to be open if my wife decides she see something and wants to pop in.
Also, I want to make sure the streets aren't empty with an abandoned look and feel.
Apr 3rd, 2012, 01:08 PM
#11
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,690
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For a fact Uzes has shops open on a sunday as noted above.
Similarly there is also a brico/jumble/antiques market on a sunday.
My wife and I keep a small pied a terre in the town.
Stu is correct though - the <i>big</i> produce and general wares market is on a saturday. There is a smaller bio-marché on wednesdays. Incidentally there is often something on in Place Aux Herbes on a sunday like an art market or there's a flower market two or three times during the spring/summer etc etc.
Dr D.
Similarly there is also a brico/jumble/antiques market on a sunday.
My wife and I keep a small pied a terre in the town.
Stu is correct though - the <i>big</i> produce and general wares market is on a saturday. There is a smaller bio-marché on wednesdays. Incidentally there is often something on in Place Aux Herbes on a sunday like an art market or there's a flower market two or three times during the spring/summer etc etc.
Dr D.
