weeks in Provence too long??
 

I am trying to plan out trip for next year and starting looking at renting a villa in provence (maybe near Avignon?) There are 7 of including 2 children 11 and 7. Is 2 weeks to long to stay in 1 place in Provence? I would be looking for a place with a pool as well.

I would recommend a week near Avignon and another week in Cote d'Azur or Languedoc. We did all 3 contrasting areas with our kids (7&9yr olds)in 15 days and enjoyed them all. <BR>The Luberon mountain range (east of Avignon) is a fun & relaxing area to stay. You can spend days visiting the hilltop villages(similar to Chianti, Tuscany). Menerbes & Lacoste are artsy trendy villages. My favorite towns are Bonnieux & Roussillon. Gordes is unique because it looks like an italian village due to its darker colors. There are so many other towns to visit. If any of you are into wine you have to venture north to the Chateuneuf du Pape. Avignon is one of my wife's favorite little cities in France(good shopping helps). You need another day for StRemy, Les Baux. We didn't enjoy Arles & Nimes as much because they are rether too big & bland(but the arenas are nice). <BR>After Luberon, Languedoc offers a contrast, we like Perpignan for a contrasting spanish feel, & Coullioure, a wonderful beachtown (discovered by Matisse)with great scenery. Of course Carcassone is the highlight for adults & kids. You can fly out of Toulouse to avoid backtracking. <BR>Cote d'Azur probably deserves a separate trip. We had combined it because we've spent two weeks there on a previous trip. <BR>

Two weeks in Provence is not too long. There are so many things to see and do, that you would have no trouble keeping yourself occupied for that length of time. Of course, if you wish to move further afield, that would work too. <BR>A group of us plan to spend 4 weeks in one place next summer in the area, and envision no problem at all keeping busy.

Beth, <BR>Probably 2 weeks is not too long, as I can imagine there are many daytrips you can do. <BR>I think children, at least mine, like to have a "home" base . <BR>But, is there another area that interests you? <BR>We are doing 8 days in rome (an apt.) and then 8-9 days at a beach area south of rome. <BR>This gives us a change of scenary , and 2 areas from which to explore from. <BR>Have fun with your planning!

My wife and I just spent two weeks in Provence in October and I would agree that it is definitely NOT too long. We did however split trip with one week in Avignon and one in Aix-en-Provence. You could spend at least a couple days seeing the sights in Avignon itself. We took day trips from Avignon to St. Remy, Les Baux, Pont du Gard, Villanueve les Avignon, Luberon Range, Chatueneuf du Pape. (I know, I have butchered some spellings) <BR> <BR>We found Cassis and the area between Cassix and Marseilles worth the trip for a day or two of hiking. This area is reachable from Avignon but we made the trip from our base in Aix.