Where to stay in Provence?
Feb 22nd, 2004, 08:52 AM
#1
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Where to stay in Provence?
My husband and I would like to stop in Provence while we are in the South of France this September Does anyone have some suggestions on the best town(s) to stay in for 3 days? Provence is so large and we just want to get a taste of it while we are there.
Feb 22nd, 2004, 09:19 AM
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It would be easier to answer this question if we had some idea of which part of the South of France you'll be going to or coming from... As you said, Provence does cover a large area and has many contrasts.
Patricia
Maussane-les-Alpilles
Patricia
Maussane-les-Alpilles
Feb 22nd, 2004, 09:32 AM
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We are planning on staying in Juan les Pins or St Jean Cap-Ferrat. We will be flying in and out of Nice. Let me know if those towns are ok. We just want a relaxing vacation, not running all over the place.
Feb 22nd, 2004, 11:40 AM
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Juan-les-Pins doesn't have a lot of hotels, and traffic is horrendous; so St.-Jean-Cap-Ferrat would be my choice, and it's a beautiful area in which to stay. If you would like to consider something inland a bit, the old village of Mougins is delightful and has good access to regional sightseeing. There are, of course (as you will hear shortly), many other possibilities, one of which might be the hill town of Vence. For somewhere quiet and lovely, we are very fond of Le Hameau, which is just below St.-Paul-de-Vence. Happy choosing!
Feb 22nd, 2004, 03:15 PM
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In September the traffic won't be quite so awful in Juan LP, but it is an utterly graceless town. If I was offered a free room there, I'd stay, but that's the only circumstance. Its saving grace is a lovely sandy beach that is nearly empty in the early morning. We drove over from Antibes one year to swim and sun. Antibe is a lovely town but you will have the traffic problem there too.
Vence or St. Paul de Vence would be excellent choices and you could explore inland a bit. Nice is lovely. Actually, most of Provence is lovely. We prefer inland rather than coastal because the beachfront development on the Riviera is not to our personal tastes. Others may like it, so explore photo sites on the www and see what you think.
Underhill's advice above is excellent.
Have a great trip.
Vence or St. Paul de Vence would be excellent choices and you could explore inland a bit. Nice is lovely. Actually, most of Provence is lovely. We prefer inland rather than coastal because the beachfront development on the Riviera is not to our personal tastes. Others may like it, so explore photo sites on the www and see what you think.
Underhill's advice above is excellent.
Have a great trip.
Feb 25th, 2004, 04:23 PM
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A few years ago, my husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary (Sept. 14) in St. Jean Cap Ferrat. The weather was perfect and the crowds were manageable. We had a lovely time visiting the area ( Eze, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Nice,Cannes, St. Paul de Vence) but loved returning to the quiet seclusion of our hotel.
However, I don't think of Cap Ferrat as being in Provence...we were on the Cote d'Azur. If you want true Provence, you need to be north of the coast. There are beautiful towns and villages from Mougins all the way north to Orange. Some of our favorite towns in Provence include St. Remy, Gordes, Aix and Arles.
Obviously, we love both the excitement and fun of the coast and the beauty and charm of the hill towns... but they are very different places.
Enjoy wherever you stay. A bientot.
However, I don't think of Cap Ferrat as being in Provence...we were on the Cote d'Azur. If you want true Provence, you need to be north of the coast. There are beautiful towns and villages from Mougins all the way north to Orange. Some of our favorite towns in Provence include St. Remy, Gordes, Aix and Arles.
Obviously, we love both the excitement and fun of the coast and the beauty and charm of the hill towns... but they are very different places.
Enjoy wherever you stay. A bientot.
Feb 25th, 2004, 04:39 PM
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Stone1: I should have told you that we stayed at the Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat. Very expensive($500 per night in 1999), but truly one of the nicest hotels on the loveliest grounds I have ever seen. We had a gorgeous and large room that looked out over the Mediterrean and the hotel gardens. What can I say, it was our anniversary, so we splurged!
Feb 25th, 2004, 08:52 PM
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How odd. I've always thought of the Côte d'Azur as Provence. So has Michelin as it is listed as such on all their maps. Come to think of it, it's listed as Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur on all the French maps and information sites too.
There are six administrative departments in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and it covers quite a bit of territory . . . all absolutely beautiful.
We should pay more attention to Underhill. She knows whereof she speaks!
There are six administrative departments in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and it covers quite a bit of territory . . . all absolutely beautiful.
We should pay more attention to Underhill. She knows whereof she speaks!
Feb 26th, 2004, 05:08 AM
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Pardonnez-moi, mes amis de voyageur: Underhill and SalB are technically correct. Legally, Provence encompasses the Cote d'Azur.
However, as I stated originally in my comments concerning Cap Ferrat, TRUE Provence (i.e., Peter Mayles's Provence) is not to be found on the coast. As fantastic as the area is, and I have been fortunate enough to have stayed in Nice twice as well as St. Tropez and Cap Ferrat, the lavender and sunflower fields, mas, wineries, olive trees, Roman ruins and small, quiet villages are not lining the Mediterrean.
Clearly, it's up to Stone1 to decide which Provence she wants to visit. And it's all very wonderful.
However, as I stated originally in my comments concerning Cap Ferrat, TRUE Provence (i.e., Peter Mayles's Provence) is not to be found on the coast. As fantastic as the area is, and I have been fortunate enough to have stayed in Nice twice as well as St. Tropez and Cap Ferrat, the lavender and sunflower fields, mas, wineries, olive trees, Roman ruins and small, quiet villages are not lining the Mediterrean.
Clearly, it's up to Stone1 to decide which Provence she wants to visit. And it's all very wonderful.
Feb 26th, 2004, 09:56 AM
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I don't think of the Cote d'Azur or Riviera as being Provence, either. It isn't what people usually mean when they say Provence.
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur is simply the name of an administrative region and thus encompasses several departments. It also includes the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-Maritimes depts. but that doesn't mean the Alps are in Provence--I've never heard anyone refer to Gap, the capital of the Hautes-Alpes dept., as being in Provence. Provence is just one part of that region's name.
If you look on the official natioanl French tourism web site they don't include the Riviera/Cote d'Azur in what they mark as Provence and when you go into that section for info, they don't list a single city along the sea to the east of Toulon in the Provence section of interesting places.
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur is simply the name of an administrative region and thus encompasses several departments. It also includes the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-Maritimes depts. but that doesn't mean the Alps are in Provence--I've never heard anyone refer to Gap, the capital of the Hautes-Alpes dept., as being in Provence. Provence is just one part of that region's name.
If you look on the official natioanl French tourism web site they don't include the Riviera/Cote d'Azur in what they mark as Provence and when you go into that section for info, they don't list a single city along the sea to the east of Toulon in the Provence section of interesting places.
Feb 26th, 2004, 12:39 PM
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If we're going to to continue discussing what constitutes Provence, I should point out that "Peter Mayle's Provence" refers strictly to the Luberon region--and Provence takes in a lot more turf than that.
Feb 26th, 2004, 09:54 PM
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Hi Stone. At the risk of starting another geography lesson, I'm interpreting your terminology and question as the best town for 3 days in Peter Mayle Provence, with South of France implying the Riveria. My favorite towns would be Aix and Arles, or consider the alternative of staying in a smaller village and having a more rural and peaceful experience.
Feb 27th, 2004, 07:43 PM
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If it's Peter Mayle country tht you want, neither Aix nor Arles would be appropriate. PM country means the Lubéron, with villages like Ménerbes, Bonnieux, Oppède-le-Vieux, Gordes, and Rousillon, all of which are charming. Most have good open-air markets and restaurants and a variety of lodging. You could happily spend a week there just looking around.
Mar 2nd, 2004, 11:48 AM
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This seems like a perfect time to post this question. We are planning to go the region from July 1-11. I havent been to France since my honeymoon 13 years ago so I am ecstatic. Question(s). Flying in and out of Nice (from NYC) is most appropriate, correct? (2) We were hoping to stay 4 nights on the Riviera and the rest in mid Provence. It sounds like Aix, Gordes and thereabout have the highest ratings here. I was thinking of trying one of the "grand" hotels in st. Jean Cap Ferrat- any reccs. for charming inns in the other part of Provence? Also- is Vaison La Romaine the town with the awesome antique market (I thin once a month?) Thanks in advance!!!
Mar 2nd, 2004, 12:05 PM
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lbrawer - Flying in/out of Nice is great if you concentrate on the Cote d'Azur (Riviera). But if you plan on spending the last part in Provence - realize the drive from the Riviera to Aix can easily be 2-1/2 hrs. Then from Aix and Gordes is about 60-miles apart and going further north to Vaison Romaine is getting you further and further from Nice.
So I would like to suggest that you arrange to drive back to Nice the day prior departure and overnight there so you can make your non-stop flight home. An alternative would be to arrive in Nice (Delta's non-stop from JFK), but return from Marseille via Paris to the US. Or take the TGV from Avignon to CDG and catch the flight home from Paris.
The alternatives aren't as easy as in/out Nice, but I personally have a thing about back-tracking when it's not necessary and there are alternatives. While these places might look close on a map, there are distances to cover and they can be time consuming.
So I would like to suggest that you arrange to drive back to Nice the day prior departure and overnight there so you can make your non-stop flight home. An alternative would be to arrive in Nice (Delta's non-stop from JFK), but return from Marseille via Paris to the US. Or take the TGV from Avignon to CDG and catch the flight home from Paris.
The alternatives aren't as easy as in/out Nice, but I personally have a thing about back-tracking when it's not necessary and there are alternatives. While these places might look close on a map, there are distances to cover and they can be time consuming.
