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travel from paris to south of france

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Old May 26th, 2012, 07:39 AM
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travel from paris to south of france

I will be leaving Paris and thinking about taking a train to provence for 4 days. I have looked at marsielle, montepelliar and cassis( maybe spelled wrong) How would you so this? Get a car in Provence or train or taxi
Which would you leave out if you had to????
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Old May 26th, 2012, 07:51 AM
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the classic Provence area for tourists IME is in and around Avignon/Arles - so much to see and do here - only a few hours by TGV train from Paris - base in lovely Avignon or Arles and day trip to such gems as Les Baux, the Pont-du-Gard, Nimes and many more - public transporation can do it all.
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Old May 26th, 2012, 07:53 AM
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If it's your first trip to Provence, I'd leave out all of those and just take the TGV to Avignon, rent a car, and explore the Bouches-du-Rhône. To get the best train fares, plan three months ahead of your travel dates, fo to www.sncf.com, and buy PREM fares (they're deeply discounted but nonexchangeable and nonrefundable).
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Old May 26th, 2012, 08:16 AM
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I would also visit the Vaucluse - lavender fields (July), the Luberon hill villages, pretty countryside, Mt Ventoux, Vaison, Cote du Rhone wineries & villages.

If you are spending time in Paris, I would spend all of my Provence days visiting the countryside, cute hilltop villages, Pont du Gard, Uzes, - stuff you don't find in Paris. I would skip Avignon, Arles, Nimes, & Aix with just 4 nights/3 1/2 days.

Rent a car - I disagree with PalenQ that you can "do it all" in 3 1/2 days by public transportation - maybe the large cities but not the countryside, Luberon, hilltop villages, etc.

Stu Dudley
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Old May 26th, 2012, 08:50 AM
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You can do "something" but far from all by public transportation, and have a far more enjoyable time renting a car and nosing around.
And not the first towns you mentioned.
How long will you be in Paris? and where else?
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Old May 27th, 2012, 05:55 AM
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Paris 4 days, Provence, really want to see cassis the old fishing village, then barcalona, madrid, flying out of there.
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Old May 27th, 2012, 06:34 AM
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Cassis may have been an old fishing village a long time ago - but it isn't today. IMO, it is about a 1 1/2 hr visit - unless you have lunch there and/or take one of the Cadeques boat trips. On our first 3 trips to Cassis, we didn't think it was that great compared to other places in the region. We enjoyed it a lot more on our fourth trip when we stayed overnight & took the boat trip early in the am. Parking is difficult.

Stu Dudley
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