The "lavender tour" of Provence
May 16th, 2003, 05:49 AM
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The "lavender tour" of Provence
My wife has wanted to see the lavender fields in bloom for as long as she can remember, so we're finally checking into the details. I gather the timing would middle of the summer, and no earlier than mid-June. Is that accurate? Is the area totally packed with tourists at that time of year?
We would much appreciate suggestions for a driving itinerary that would include areas with fields of flowers (sunflowers too!), ancient ruins, small towns, and any nice smallish inns you care to recommend. We were thinking a week, staying at two or three inns.
Is it best to fly into Paris and take the train down to, say, Avignon? Or fly into Marsailles and get the rental car there? (Flying out of Baltimore.)
We would much appreciate suggestions for a driving itinerary that would include areas with fields of flowers (sunflowers too!), ancient ruins, small towns, and any nice smallish inns you care to recommend. We were thinking a week, staying at two or three inns.
Is it best to fly into Paris and take the train down to, say, Avignon? Or fly into Marsailles and get the rental car there? (Flying out of Baltimore.)
May 16th, 2003, 06:35 AM
#2
Write the Comité Régional de touriseme Provence-Alpes-Cote-dÁzur
Espace Colbert-14 rue Sainte Barbe
13231 Marseille cedex 01
Like your wife that was my dream once
so I wrote here and they sent me a lovely book describing the different
lavender routes, where and when.
I have been several times and the roads were not heavy with traffic as one would think. The harvesting begins mid July.
Espace Colbert-14 rue Sainte Barbe
13231 Marseille cedex 01
Like your wife that was my dream once
so I wrote here and they sent me a lovely book describing the different
lavender routes, where and when.
I have been several times and the roads were not heavy with traffic as one would think. The harvesting begins mid July.
May 16th, 2003, 06:55 AM
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We have travelled to Provence in each of the last ten years. Every other year we arrive in lavender season which starts in late June. Cigalechanta's advice is excellent. Let me emphasize a few specific places.
The Abbey Senanque, a 12th century monastery, should not be missed. Monks cultivate vast fields of lavender. You have probably seen it on post cards or calendars. The road, near Gordes, to it is narrow but navigable. Directions to it will almost certainly be in the guide.
Driving in the Luberon and in to Haute Provence will present you with many photo-ops of fields of lavender and sunflowers.
We fly in to Paris, spend a few nights there then take the TGV to Avignon. We stay in St.Remy de Provence and take daily excursions of about 50 kms or so in to this lovely part of the world. There are a lot of tourists but the area is vast so it will not feel like the Riviera, for example.
Places one seeks to "always visit" occasionally turn out to be disappointing. Provence will not be one of them.
For more information please e-mail me at: [email protected]
The Abbey Senanque, a 12th century monastery, should not be missed. Monks cultivate vast fields of lavender. You have probably seen it on post cards or calendars. The road, near Gordes, to it is narrow but navigable. Directions to it will almost certainly be in the guide.
Driving in the Luberon and in to Haute Provence will present you with many photo-ops of fields of lavender and sunflowers.
We fly in to Paris, spend a few nights there then take the TGV to Avignon. We stay in St.Remy de Provence and take daily excursions of about 50 kms or so in to this lovely part of the world. There are a lot of tourists but the area is vast so it will not feel like the Riviera, for example.
Places one seeks to "always visit" occasionally turn out to be disappointing. Provence will not be one of them.
For more information please e-mail me at: [email protected]
May 16th, 2003, 07:08 AM
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BaltoTraveler,
Usually you can get better deals flying non-stop to Paris (CDG) and then you can take the the high speed train (TGV) right from Terminal 2 straight to Avignon. It only takes about 2-1/2 hours and it is a smooth, comfortable ride and very scenic. Also you can book RT fares as low as 66Euros. You can rent cars from Avis and others at the Avignon station. St. Remy (Glanum), Arles, Nimes, Les Baux are just a few sites for ancient ruins. Air fares are so cheap now - get going!.
JoeG
Usually you can get better deals flying non-stop to Paris (CDG) and then you can take the the high speed train (TGV) right from Terminal 2 straight to Avignon. It only takes about 2-1/2 hours and it is a smooth, comfortable ride and very scenic. Also you can book RT fares as low as 66Euros. You can rent cars from Avis and others at the Avignon station. St. Remy (Glanum), Arles, Nimes, Les Baux are just a few sites for ancient ruins. Air fares are so cheap now - get going!.
JoeG
May 16th, 2003, 07:09 AM
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I second Powell's recommendation for the Abbaye de Senanque near Gordes as well as other parts of the Luberon. Here is a site that should help you find other areas of interest.
http://www.provencebeyond.com/themes/lavender_th.html
http://www.provencebeyond.com/themes/lavender_th.html
May 16th, 2003, 10:22 AM
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The Abbey de Senanque is lovely and a prime spot, of course, but in that general area, you will see fields of lavender just driving around. I went early July and they were quite nice -- the sunflowers were in bloom but I think they peak a little later as they weren't at their best (but still fine).
Are you planning on this for next year or this year? Because it's really kind of late to be planning anything for 2003 unless you don't care about accommodations that much. When I went, I started booking in Feb and some were already full for July. You can find something, but if you really want a certain place or hotel, you probably wouldn't get it now (except maybe for cancellations).
There is an alternative in that the lavender blooms a little later I think in the area around Sault, and it wouldn't have as many tourists (I don't think). Their lavender festival is August 15th. There is a nice hotel there, also -- that's in the upper Vaucluse. However, if you haven't been there before, I think you probably would prefer a different area which would be closer to a lot of the other things you might want to visit easily (but if you want something different, it's a possibility).
I live in DC area and prefer flying into Marseille myself to the train. I hate long flights for one thing, and so am kind of out of it upon arrival after a transatlantic flight (I cannot sleep much at all--I simply cannot sleep sitting up) with sleep loss and jet lag. Therefore, for me, it is easier to simply take the shuttle around the airport and get on other plane shortly and then arrive in Marseille in another hour or so. Your bags are transferred for you, you don't have to deal with them until Marseille. The alternative, getting bags and getting to the train station at CDG, perhaps dealing with tickets, lugging baggage, and then taking the train for 3-4 hours is just not something I want to do with little sleep. Also, by the time you get down south it will be very late in the day and if you have to then rent a car and drive -- well, it's nothing I would do. You can be in Marseille by noon if you fly, and it's a much smaller and easier airport to get bags than Paris. Fares are about as cheap as the train when it's an add-on flight to your ticket to Paris (I fly Air France for that route).
If you want to stay in Paris a couple days first, I think the train is a good idea.
Are you planning on this for next year or this year? Because it's really kind of late to be planning anything for 2003 unless you don't care about accommodations that much. When I went, I started booking in Feb and some were already full for July. You can find something, but if you really want a certain place or hotel, you probably wouldn't get it now (except maybe for cancellations).
There is an alternative in that the lavender blooms a little later I think in the area around Sault, and it wouldn't have as many tourists (I don't think). Their lavender festival is August 15th. There is a nice hotel there, also -- that's in the upper Vaucluse. However, if you haven't been there before, I think you probably would prefer a different area which would be closer to a lot of the other things you might want to visit easily (but if you want something different, it's a possibility).
I live in DC area and prefer flying into Marseille myself to the train. I hate long flights for one thing, and so am kind of out of it upon arrival after a transatlantic flight (I cannot sleep much at all--I simply cannot sleep sitting up) with sleep loss and jet lag. Therefore, for me, it is easier to simply take the shuttle around the airport and get on other plane shortly and then arrive in Marseille in another hour or so. Your bags are transferred for you, you don't have to deal with them until Marseille. The alternative, getting bags and getting to the train station at CDG, perhaps dealing with tickets, lugging baggage, and then taking the train for 3-4 hours is just not something I want to do with little sleep. Also, by the time you get down south it will be very late in the day and if you have to then rent a car and drive -- well, it's nothing I would do. You can be in Marseille by noon if you fly, and it's a much smaller and easier airport to get bags than Paris. Fares are about as cheap as the train when it's an add-on flight to your ticket to Paris (I fly Air France for that route).
If you want to stay in Paris a couple days first, I think the train is a good idea.
May 16th, 2003, 10:44 AM
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Balto Traveler:
Not sure if you want my idea - this is just an alternative if you are interested on an escorted tour thru Trafalgar Tours especially going during peak season. They do have an itinerary that covers Paris and Provence. From Paris you take the TGV train to Provence and stay for 4 nights and proceed to other towns.
TT has a current promotion of $1 for companion fare if you book the land/air package; I believe you must book by June 6 and travel must end in October.
If you book thru Affordabletour.com you get 14% discount if you purchase the whole package.
I am headed to France end of June joining TT for the 3rd time.
good luck!
Not sure if you want my idea - this is just an alternative if you are interested on an escorted tour thru Trafalgar Tours especially going during peak season. They do have an itinerary that covers Paris and Provence. From Paris you take the TGV train to Provence and stay for 4 nights and proceed to other towns.
TT has a current promotion of $1 for companion fare if you book the land/air package; I believe you must book by June 6 and travel must end in October.
If you book thru Affordabletour.com you get 14% discount if you purchase the whole package.
I am headed to France end of June joining TT for the 3rd time.
good luck!
May 19th, 2003, 08:30 AM
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Thanks, everyone, for the good info!
We'll be traveling next year. I'm just getting a head-start on planning (which is almost as fun as actually traveling!).
Although we briefly considered one of the organized walking tours, they seem to be quite expensive and, in any case, not scheduled during the lavender blooming season (no doubt because of the heat). But we've had a lot of success over the years with renting a car and touring on our own, so that's the way we'll do Provence.
We'll be traveling next year. I'm just getting a head-start on planning (which is almost as fun as actually traveling!).
Although we briefly considered one of the organized walking tours, they seem to be quite expensive and, in any case, not scheduled during the lavender blooming season (no doubt because of the heat). But we've had a lot of success over the years with renting a car and touring on our own, so that's the way we'll do Provence.
May 19th, 2003, 11:06 AM
#9
Balto, glad you will rent a car, it's the only way to really enjoy the countryside. And It is hot there in summer as here in Boston. They don't have the humidity.One tip. Valensole is maily where the lavandin grows, the true lavender is in the "mauve triangle"Banon, Sault and Sederon districts.But other departments have their routes. In Digne is a festival, first week of August that lasts four days, floats, grand feast and so much more.In Sault, every day in August and July, is a lavender garden with a collection of all the species and a tour of the greenhouses with sales of products.You can visit a ditillery in Lagarde DÁpt and again buy products(end of July thru end of August) but that was a few years ago, dates may have changed.So many fetes and farms to see, you will only see few but it will be enough to remember for a long time.
I still have a fragrant bouquet, I "picked"myself a few years ago and still has it's strong fragrance.
I still have a fragrant bouquet, I "picked"myself a few years ago and still has it's strong fragrance.
