Will My Husband Be Bored in Provence?
 

I know this is blasphemous to some, but I feel the need to be honest and ask this question. We're going to Paris next May for a week, followed by a week in Provence. I know he will love Paris, but I'm a little worried about the slow pace of the south of France. I have no doubts that *I* will love the scenery, the markets, the food, the swimming pool at our B & B, etc. I could sit at a cafe for a few hours sipping wine and people watching, and being blissfully happy. But my dear hubby is not a "sit in one place and watch the world go by" kind of guy. I don't want him to be disappointed by Provence, and I'm considering changing our agenda.

I'm also worried he'll get bored by me wanting to go to all of the markets. Not that he doesn't like shopping, he does like it quite much. I just think he'll be like... "oh another market?" Will it be where after we've seen one, we've seen them all?

What else is there to do that I could entice him with? We will not go see a bullfight in Arles so that is out. And I know the idea of driving around and seeing beautiful sights is appealing to him, but what specifically should we try to see?

I'm hoping that you can assuage my fears or tell me more things about Provence that will make me say, "a-ha, that sounds like something he will love!" :)

Well yeh drive around then, go to the Pont du Gard, Les Baux, the Camargue and go horse riding, wineries at Chateauneuf-du-Pape or anywhere in the area, Aigues-Morte, the medieval looking seaport where French kings set sail for the Crusades, etc. Once in a town plop him in an Internet cafe whilst you do the markets.

Will you be close enough to the Riviera to visit the sea towns there? St. Tropez, Antibes, Nice, St. Jean Cap Ferrat...?? They are pretty places, and will give him a change of pace. Nice to visit for you, too. We especially liked Antibes. Didn't go to St. Tropez.

We will be spending the last 2 nights in Nice. We leave from the Nice airport at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday so moving to Nice Saturday was a no-brainer, but then I decided to add on an extra night so we can see more of the French Riveria. I have heard that Antibes is great and think that's where we'll spend our Saturday.

Train to the seaside town of Eze-sur-la-Mer and hike up to Eze. Tour Eze, have lunch and hike back down. Great exercise with great views.

Hubby may love the topless scene on practically every beach in France, including the Riviera! That's one place he may want to linger a while!

There are a lot of Roman antiquities in the area (particularly in Arles), if he likes history. The scenary is beautiful; we just enjoyed the drives from place to place. There might be places to go biking. And there are several well-known modern art museums in the Nice area.

Deos he like to eat, drink, and look at beautiful women?

Heard on street in Aix on last visit (in English): "My god, this place has more beautiful women than any place I have ever been in my life!"

Dubrovnik has more, but I didn't know that then.

WHat does he like to do? THere are art galleries, roman remains [not many ops mention Orange which has a Roman amphitheatre] walks, cookery classes, language classes ...the list is almost endless. THe week will fly past.

I'm a bit dumbfounded by your supposition that Provence is boring. It reminds me of the woman I encountered here in the States who stated "she didn't get Paris after spending a week there". Upon inquiry I learned she had not learned anything about the city prior to her arrival and just hung out by her hotel--Duh!
You, of course are doing the research but honestly, Provence is a veritable cornucopia of treasures. You don't say what he likes beyond not being a "sit in one place and watch the world go by kind of guy". History? Art? Wine? Architecture-new & old? Restaurants? Artisans? Hiking? Canoeing? Markets? Antiques and memorabilia?
We just spent 17 days in May of this year and everyone of them was filled with activity from as early as we could get going until we dropped--fabulous time.
The medieval ruins of Les Baux, the grand Pont du Gard and its excellent museum telling the story of the roman dominance of the topography, the old city of Uzes with its tales of the Wars of Religion, the markets in St Remy, Arles, Isle Sur la Sorgue, Vaison la Romaine, Lormarin, and Nyons, The ancient roman ruins in Arles, Vaison la Romaine, and Glanum, the great wine village tours of Gigondas, Beaumes de Venise and the Dentelles, the perched villages of Seguret, Crestet, Gordes, Joucas, Lacoste and Bonnieux. Seriously, you can't cover it all and it has options of every variety and direction---and May is a great time to be there--cerise(cherries) are in season along with strawberries, melons and lots of other things--picnics are a joy so come prepared. Have fun-Paul

Did your husband have an interest in Provence? I mean did he read up on the destination or is it your choice to go there? I think perhaps you would know best if he would be bored since you know his likes and dislikes more than anyone else.

My husband and I are city people who like active vacations. We loved Provence. As many other posters have indicated there is a lot to do ( or not do).

Yes, I'm planning the trip. He basically told me he wanted to see France (he's a huge cycling and Tour de France fan) and then left the rest up to me. He did mention wanting to go to Switzerland in addition to France, so we are going there for 4 days at the beginning of the trip (before Paris).
He also has never been to Europe before, so I think he's a little nervous about the language barrier (I have assured him it's nothing to fret about) But this is our belated honeymoon, so I really want him to love it!!

As far as what he enjoys - he is a history buff, an oenophile, and likes cycling and walking. Not too big on museums or art (although I think Orsay and Rodin museums might change that). And like I said before, he does like shopping, just not to the same extent that I do.

He's the type of person for whom it takes a while to warm up to an idea. Like, I might meet someone and then before introducing him say to him "I know you'll really hit it off with this person," and he'll doubt that he will. Four weeks later he'll comment that he really enjoys spending time with so-and-so. It was the same way when we bought our house - I knew instantaneously that this was the house I wanted to buy but it took him about a week. :)

I know when the trip gets closer he will start planning and researching more on his own. Here it is, still 9 months away, and I'm completely immersing myself into it... so we're just on different "timetables" when it comes to stuff like that.

Thanks for your suggestions, I definitely feel better. I want to show him some of these places so he can know what to look forward to!

Just my feeling, but I hate when someone leaves it all up to me to plan something especially if it's a trip. I have to second guess what they may like, but then in the end they may not. I really suggest that your husband get involved now so that he can form some ideas of what he wants to see.

I am getting him involved by narrowing down things like hotels and apartments and then letting him make the ultimate decision. He usually ends up picking out the same place that I wanted to stay; we have very similar tastes!

jenblase, I understand exactly how you feel. I am planning a trip to Provence and Barcelona. My husband wanted to go to Barcelona, and I picked Provence. I have been having a bit of a hard time explaining to him why he will enjoy it. Just today I went and bought the Rick Steves Provence book, it is very easy to absorb, and I have been reading about all sorts of activities I know he will love. My other books are less "activity" based, and have so many details that they are a bit hard to wade through. Buy him the Rick Steves book.

Thanks, Salty. That one is in my order of books from Amazon so I should see it shortly!

Then that's great you're slowly getting him involved in the trip including the accomodations part of it. I need to get my other half's input in accomodations because I will be the one to hear about it. Like in Florence we can stay at a well-regarded hotel but it's 20 mins. outside the center yet it's 50 euro cheaper than the more plush, central hotel. I had to be sure which he prefers before I book.

............have him rent a bike, buy
a team jersey at almost any sport shop
and then cycle part of the Tour de France route - i.e. Mont
Ventoux (that'll keep him busy!). Or
just visit a bike shop - almost every
village/town has a good one.

...........rent a canoe from a shop
near the Pont du Gard and float down
the river...

...........pack a pique-nique and take
a hike around the Dentelles....

Provence in May is perfection whatever
he does.

Since I'm usually the one planning the trips (I pick the cities to visit and hotels), my rule is, if you don't do any research of what you want to see and do, then you are not allowed to complain. Period.

If you like to hike, we did a walk from Bonnieux to Lacoste. You can find the directions for the hike on www.slowtrav.com It's not necessarily a marked trail, but the poster lived in the area for a while and gives you landmarks to look for.

You (and your husband) will love Provence!

Here is your solution. Leave him at home and take me instead. I love Provence, know the area, speak the language and I am of course very charming.

Larry J

Llamalady had the best thought. The Mt.Ventoux was one of Tour de France stages and it's very difficult for novices. This would keep your husband for a bit of time.

Also, you can buy some good souveniers (sp?)of jerseys, shorts, or other types of French and Italian team memorabilia.

Or, even better, he could buy a little &quot;Toy&quot; to bring back home. In France the word <b>La Petite Reine</b> is used for a bike, so he should take good care of his little queen. Queens always want new gifts-I know this is correct. I have about seven queens at home now.

Blackduff

HI,
I understand that some people like to move around and get exercise. I was going to suggest that you canoe in the river that goes under the Pont du Gard, but I see someone has already done that. There are other water sports near Uzes. You can canoe, kayak and swim in the river Gardon and Ceze. Also there are walking paths and a golf course near Uzes. Have a wonderful time.

Mont Ventoux!! That is a great idea. In fact one of the hotels we were looking at (Crillon de Brave I think) overlooks it. I had forgotten that was a big stage in the Tour de France.

Hey Jen...if your husband gets bored easily, beware of Crillon le Brave..even with the famed super-luxury hotel smack in the middle of the village, IMHO the village is one of the least charming, attractive and active ones in all of Provence....boring, in a word.
Jen: remember, just my opinion, shared by my DW, and also two friends who have since tried it against our recommendation.
Stu T.

I agree with Tower - the hotel IS the
village!

However, it is used by many bike tours
as a starting point for some great rides. And I'm pretty sure you can
rent a decent bike in Bedoin. In
Malachene for sure.

I identify with your problem! My husband doesn't like to laze around either (and on top of that, he likes to schedule, schedule, schedule and go go go). He tried to learn French for our last trip, but the results were minimal at best. I am not fluent, but can get by...

We went to Provence for our honeymoon last year and both had a wonderful time(not just because it was our HM). We liked it so much, that we went back this year again, adding on more--- Langeudoc (Cevennes) and the Dordogne. I made my husband get more involved with the planning this year and although I had some trepidation towards this, it worked out really well. Last year we spent 10 days, this year just over two weeks and we already started thinking about going back next year for 3 weeks.

On a side note- my husband is a ski fanatic and I don't ski due to an old knee injury (can't afford to be sidelined again due to my profession). His ski trips (sans moi) are a point of contention between the two of us...

Anyway- 4 days into our trip, he was already talking about ditching his ski vacation to be able to spend more time in southern France next year. This is a huge concession for him (especially since I didn't prod him into it!)

In Provence, the pace is slow, but there is so much to do, that you shouldn't get bored.

In Provence, there are some good hikes in the Dentelles.

Visit Pont du Gard.

Near Baux and st Remy- visit Glanum (one of my husbands favorites) and right next door- the monestary where Van Gogh spent his last year.

Spend time in avignon- it's a great little city. There's a great wine bar on Rue des Teintures (sp?) and several good restaurants also.

BTW_ my husband HATES shopping, and I love the thrill of the hunt (not necessarily buying). Just drop your husband off at a cafe, or let him go off on his own. Remarkably, my husband tolerates shopping much better when in France.

I agree that May is a wonderful time to be in Provence. We were there in May last year. This year because of circumstances, we went in July. It was hot, but still extremely enjoyable.

If you want to read my trip report from last year- look up Trip Report- HM in Paris and Provence (long)

......today's NYT Travel has an article
about mountain biking on the Chemin de
Petrarch on Mont Ventoux.

.......I misspelled Malaucene!

I just wanted to post a follow-up to this thread since I am the OP and we went on our trip this past May/June. I laugh when I see this now because... my husband LOVED Provence!! :) So much so that we are returning there next summer!!

I don't think he enjoyed being dragged around to all the markets, but he was a good sport. He certainly found lots of things to EAT at the markets!!

But what he did love was the scenery... and after a &quot;hectic&quot; (his word) week in Paris, he just loved being able to relax at our charming B &amp; B, either at the pool or in their salon. Plus it didn't hurt that the dinners (30 euro per person) at our B &amp; B were AMAZING!!

Jen, thanks for the update and glad you both enjoyed it!

Could you let me have the name of your B&amp;B? You've awakened my interest in Provence and here in Ireland we are in the lucky position of being able to hop on a cheapo flight to the south of france for a long weekend.

Did you need a car?

Thanks

Jane

Our B &amp; B was Les Carmes in Thor (about 5 min from L'Isle Sur La Sorgue so if you're there on a Sunday, very convenient to get to the market). It was a terrific bargain for how nice it was. We paid 150 euros a night but that was for their most expensive room. They have rooms starting around 80 euros a night.

www.lescarmes.com

Mike and Ann are lovely people and James is an excellent cook. Make sure you have at least one dinner there!

~Jennifer

Glad your husband liked it. We were there for the entire month of June, so we were probably at the l'Isle sur la Sorgue market at the same time you were.

Try a Gite next time. We rented a stand-alone 3 bedroom, 2 bath, Kitchen, Living room, Dining room, large private grounds, and a large private swimming pool. 465E per week in May &amp; 675E per week in June. Walk to town, which has an excellent weekly market.

I won't reveal specifics (our neighbors are renting it in '08 &amp; we want it again in 09 - don't need any more competition), but this is one of the more expensive ones you can rent from Gites-de-France. There are hundreds of others in Provence (60,000 in all of France)

Stu Dudley

You say your husband &quot;is a history buff, an oenophile, and likes cycling and walking.&quot; I can't think of anything that could go wrong with taking him to Provence for a week.

My wife and I just spent <i>three weeks</i> in one small village in Provence, using it as a base, and we had no trouble keeping busy. To see what we did day by day, see our report at:

&quot;Trip report: 3 weeks in Bonnieux (Provence)&quot;
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=35087107

Provence is crawling with Roman ruins, and vineyards where you can do wine tastings. The markets have something to interest everyone (L'Isle-sur-la-Sorge on Sunday and Carpentras on Friday are particularly large).

As always, I recommend that anyone visiting France read &quot;French or Foe&quot;, by Polly Platt, to tune in to social expectations. It will improve your experience greatly, especially if you don't speak the language.

My wife and I have similar compromises to yours. At three in the afternoon, she'd just as soon start back to our home base to relax a bit, and I'm looking for another activity. But if keeping busy with interesting things is what you want, you won't have any problem in Provence.

- Larry

I am with your husband.

Provence is not my cup of tea; &quot;exploring&quot; every little town is a bore . One day in Aix was enough for me. I would rather be on the Riviera any time.

I'm already back guys - but thanks for your thoughts. :)

Jane I forgot to mention - YES I feel a car is very much needed in Provence. We rented one in Avignon at the TGV station and returned it 5 days later in Nice on Rue Massena.

aargh. I often forget to look closely at the date of the original posting.

So: How did your husband like it?

- Larry