private tours to AVIGNON from Marseille

[wwinfl91]

Has anyone done any private tours from a ship that docked in Marseille and went on a tour to Avignon, the city of the French popes? The ships' tour lasts for 9 hours and includes a morning wine tasting, a 3 course French lunch and then finally a tour of Avignon and the Pope's palace there for $284 per person.

 

We would rather spend more time exploring Avignon and its medieval walls and streets and the papal palace and less time eating lunch and tasting wine. Not that we have anything against wine but when we are someplace in a foreign country we want to spend as much time as possible seeing the historic sites.

 

Thanks for any tour companies you have used and had a good experience with.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[Hlitner]

Have you thought about just taking the train from Marseille to Avignon. The regional trains stop at the station that is just across the street from the walls of the old city (where you want to go) and if you have no mobility problems the entire walled city is walkable. I did mention taking the regional trains since the TGV trains go to a different station that requires the use of a shuttle bus to get to the walled part of town.

 

Hank

[Wildblue]

wwinfl91, that's interesting--do you have a link to anyone that does that sort of tour?

[Hlitner]

wwinfl91, that's interesting--do you have a link to anyone that does that sort of tour?

 

Well, in my world the word "tour" is a 4 letter word :) When I see a large group of humans walking behind a tour guide who is holding up a paddle...it reminds me of a cattle drive where all the cattle are following the lead cow (who has a bell instead of a paddle). Ok. Am just teasing. But seriously, I was not talking about a "tour" but rather just taking the train to Avignon and doing your own thing. You can invest $8 - $20 in a decent guide book (many like the Rick Steves books) and follow their recommended walking tours. The "Palace of the Popes" is right inside the walls of the old city and is open to anyone (not just "tours") so when you get to that place you simply pay your fee and enter.

Then you can walk a few feet from that site and enjoy a drink (and perhaps good french food) in a nice outdoor cafe. To us, Avignon is a city to be enjoyed by simply taking long walks and soaking up the atmosphere. Within 2 blocks of the Palace of the Popes you have a large very modern shopping district...and walk another block and it feels like you have turned back the clock several hundred years as you see the old buildings and cute residential streets.

 

Regarding the trains, it takes about 45 min on the slower regional trains (from Marseille to Avignon) and costs less then $20 (one-way) for a ticket (if you are over 60 you can ask for a senior discount and save a few Euros). Once you are at the local train station (remember I said to avoid the faster TGV trains because they go to a different station) you simply walk out of the station and you will see the city walls right across the street. It is that simple.

 

Hank

[Sailmore]

Hi Hank,

I have another "unfair" question to ask of you. If you had to pick one city over the other to travel to and consider most manageable with a day from Marseille, would you pick Aix or Avignon. I know you have travelled the area extensively and just curious as to what you consider highlights.

Thanks again,

Linda

[Hlitner]

Hi Hank,

I have another "unfair" question to ask of you. If you had to pick one city over the other to travel to and consider most manageable with a day from Marseille, would you pick Aix or Avignon. I know you have travelled the area extensively and just curious as to what you consider highlights.

Thanks again,

Linda

 

That is indeed an "unfair" question because we like both places. We do love that entire region (have previously rented an apartment in nearby St Remy) but the truth is that when we are in that area we seldom go to the large cities like Avignon. Our preference is to spend time in the smaller villages, driving around the wine country in the Rhone area, and browsing various outdoor markets. We have actually spent several nights in Avignon (stayed at the Hotel d'Europe right inside the walls) but have never spent any nights in Aix. Since we have spent a lot of time in this region is has been years since we actually went to the normal tourist sites (like the Palace of the Popes). We love to browse cute little shops and walk the back streets to admire the architecture of many old buildings. DW tends to rate some places based on our eating experiences (very important in France) and when it comes to cafes our prize goes to Aix with its wonderful Cours Mirabeau area.

 

DW just reminded me that when we did rent the apartment in St Remy, which is about a 20 min drive from Avignon, we never even bothered to go into Avignon except when we were showing visitors the city (it was their first time in Provence). But, I cannot imagine being near Aix and not paying it a visit...so perhaps that is the answer.

 

Hank

[wwinfl91]

HI again,

 

Here is one tour company I found that offers tours for 2 to 4 people for an 8 hour tour to Avignon and Aix for 466 euros and 550 euros for 5 to 8 people. If you find others to share the tour that is pretty affordable given the ship's same type tour was $284 a person. Unfortunately I'm still looking for at least one other couple to at least split the cost of a 4 passenger vehicle.

 

http://www.marseille-private-tours.com/private-day-tours.html#

 

Hank, we may also end up trying to do it on our own but we aren't as adventurous as we were when we were younger.

 

Talk at you all later.

[Hlitner]

HI again,

 

Hank, we may also end up trying to do it on our own but we aren't as adventurous as we were when we were younger.

 

Talk at you all later.

 

DW and I have this discussion all the time. We are also not as young as we used to be (I guess the term Senior does apply) but we work hard at keeping our "spirit of adventure." At some point (usually around 70) it becomes very difficult to rent cars...and at that point we might have to change our attitude a bit or just use more trains. All I know is that when we do take a tour (very rare) we always feel a lot older :)

 

Hank

[lahore]

Hi Hank

 

You sound like our kind of person, I would sooner open a vein than go on a tour. We are on a cruise that stops in Marseille in April next year. I am, if I do say so myself, something of an expert in Asia and India, speak some of the languages, love to mix it with the locals and happily get around on public transport. We are 52 and 66 and still very young :D. But oh boy, I am out of my depth in Europe; no local knowledge, no language skills and no savvy :confused:. In fact I just ordered my Lonely Planet guides for France and Spain so I will start doing some serious research soon.

 

HOwever often I find the best hints are from fellow travellers who know a place well. We love to experience contemporary culture, love to eat at local places and generally get a feel of a place in that way. We are interested in history but not into religious history particularly. We are perfectly happy to take trains etc., but not to drive (because we are both used to driving on the other side of the road and find it not at all relaxing - we drove in Lousiana in USA and nearly killed ourselves so many times!). So, having that thumbnail sketch of us, what would you suggest for a day in port in Marseille? BTW we have been to Europe before but only Italy. Thanks for any ideas.:)

[Hlitner]

Hi Hank

 

You sound like our kind of person, I would sooner open a vein than go on a tour. We are on a cruise that stops in Marseille in April next year. I am, if I do say so myself, something of an expert in Asia and India, speak some of the languages, love to mix it with the locals and happily get around on public transport. We are 52 and 66 and still very young :D. But oh boy, I am out of my depth in Europe; no local knowledge, no language skills and no savvy :confused:. In fact I just ordered my Lonely Planet guides for France and Spain so I will start doing some serious research soon.

 

HOwever often I find the best hints are from fellow travellers who know a place well. We love to experience contemporary culture, love to eat at local places and generally get a feel of a place in that way. We are interested in history but not into religious history particularly. We are perfectly happy to take trains etc., but not to drive (because we are both used to driving on the other side of the road and find it not at all relaxing - we drove in Lousiana in USA and nearly killed ourselves so many times!). So, having that thumbnail sketch of us, what would you suggest for a day in port in Marseille? BTW we have been to Europe before but only Italy. Thanks for any ideas.:)

 

 

Your post made me smile :). A few years ago we flew from LA to Auckland and when we filled out our NZ landing form we put the word "various" in the block for a local address. The immigration officer, keeping a very straight face, asked us where "various" would be and we replied that we were renting a car and driving to "various" places on North Island. The immigration man, with a very serious face then said, "you are a Yank...you cannot drive a car in my country because we only drive on the proper side of the road."

 

Hank

[lahore]

Well he was right, of course :D, but I would love suggestions from this particular yank please for a day in Marseille and surrounds?

[hubofhockey]

I have recommended this company before. We had a great itinerary with them from Marseille to Arles, Les Baux, and Pont du Gard. They also do excursions from Toulon. But since that is in the other direction I would doubt that Pont du Gard would be included. To me, Provence was the hidden gem of our last Med cruise. If you love Roman ruins, the ones on our itinerary, in many respects, were better than the ones in Rome since they are much better preserved. Les Baux is just so different from any place I have seen as well.

 

http://www.provencereservation.com/

[Wildblue]

Wow! Great info there, Ljberkow. So you would recommend focusing on Les Baux during a stop in Provence? Will be there in about 2-3 weeks from now.

[hubofhockey]

Wow! Great info there, Ljberkow. So you would recommend focusing on Les Baux during a stop in Provence? Will be there in about 2-3 weeks from now.

 

My recommendation would be stops at Les Baux and Arles. How much time you spend at either depends on your interest in tours of the castle ruins at Les Baux. I think Arles. unlike Les Baux, lives in the present as well as the past and I would combine the two if you can. It may be worth an e-mail to the people at Provence Reservation. They can explain logistics and give you options. Their standard tour from Marseille includes Arles, Les Baux, and Saint Remy. They certainly allow derivations from that. We replaced Saint Remy with the Pont du Gard. I wouldn't change a thing from what we did (we had our kids with us and felt they might have been bored at Saint Remy and we all enjoyed our trip to the Pont du Gard).

 

I think many don't appreciate that this can be an amazing port and are content spending a day in Marseille. We viewed it as a rare opportunity to see Provence. I wasn't sure if we would ever get back to that area again and that was the one port where we invested more in a tour.

[Hlitner]

Well he was right, of course :D, but I would love suggestions from this particular yank please for a day in Marseille and surrounds?

 

Once you eliminate a rental car from your bag of tricks you really do limit your options. If you want to use the trains then you really need to settle on going to one of two major Provence cities which are Avignon or Aix en Provence (both easy to reach by train from Marseille). While it is possible to get other places on the trains, those 2 cities are the most convenient and also great tourist cities. For those who want to really explore the best of Provence outside the cities (many of us would say this is the best part of Provence) you must have a car whether you rent it or hire a private car/driver. Our recommended places for a first time visitor (with a car) would always include Pont du Gard, Les Baux and perhaps a short visit to St Remy (close to Les Baux). Since Pont du Gard is relatively close to Arles (this is a pretty large city) it also makes sense to stop in that city and at least visit the Roman Theater. You might have noticed this is similar to the tour mentioned in LJBerkow's post (above). A rental car might cost $100 - $150 for the day,,,but hiring a private car/driver/guide will probably cost at least 400 Euros (or a lot more).

 

I should also mention that Marseille does have some of its own charms..especially around the old port....but does not compare to the other mentioned places in Provence.

 

Hank

[hubofhockey]

Very underrated port for so many options.

[hubofhockey]

A rental car might cost $100 - $150 for the day,,,but hiring a private car/driver/guide will probably cost at least 400 Euros (or a lot more).

 

I should also mention that Marseille does have some of its own charms..especially around the old port....but does not compare to the other mentioned places in Provence.

 

Hank

 

Hank, of course, is correct. Provence Reservation is a good company. But our tour would have been €420 for four of us. We added two from the roll call and the cost was €480 and only €320 for our family. At €80 per person, seeing Les Baux, Arles, and Pont du Gard with a professional guide was a great deal for us.

 

The car rental option has issues beyond cost that include the following:

 

1. Cost and time in getting to rental car agency
   
2. Time and cost of parking at various stops
   
3. Time and cost of gas
   
4. Time and cost of returning car and getting back to the ship
   
5. Prices Hank quoted were for manual transmission. If you don't drive manual transmission cars, prices for automatics are €100 and more higher.
   
6. You may need a Garmin and if you are not familiar with an area, be prepared to add additional time working out logistics.
   

There aren't too many ports where I would recommend a driver/guide. But this is one of them if only because the sites you want to see are drives away from each other. If you just want to see one city like Aix, Avingnon, or Arles, then maybe a train DIY is the way to go. But it's great having the option to see the Pont du Gard, Arles (the arena is preserved and still in use and the city has a charm to it), and Les Baux. A day in this region does not do it justice. I would love to get back and spend more time there. Unfortunately, after two Med cruises in a row, we are focusing on Western Europe next and then Alaska followed by our return to Israel. Provence is a long way off for us. But it remains a favorite and we'd love to eventually return. I always get a bit envious when I read Hank's posts about his days in that part of France. You can tell how much he enjoys it.

[lahore]

Thank you Hank and friends. So Ok now I think we will either take a train to one of those places on our one day in Marseille or just simply stay in Marseille for the day because.....this is sounding so nice we might go back there after we disembark in Barcelona. My husband is retiring and I have a year's leave so we are doing an adult gap year. By that though, don't read that we are loaded. We usually manage to live a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget in Asia, but I am seeing that in Europe those sort of experiences might be much more difficult to come by.

 

So if we came back to the Provence area for a week or so, where would you suggest staying and, indeed, do you have any specific accommodation recommendations please. I really think the car option is out because we loathe driving on the wrong side of the road even though we are both highly competent manual car drivers. Also that is quite a price for car hire and the driver + car price is out of the question. We love trains and buses...., which in Europe would seem to be just as well!

 

Thank you, this is such a useful thread and I do apprecaite your time.:D

[Hlitner]

Thank you Hank and friends. So Ok now I think we will either take a train to one of those places on our one day in Marseille or just simply stay in Marseille for the day because.....this is sounding so nice we might go back there after we disembark in Barcelona. My husband is retiring and I have a year's leave so we are doing an adult gap year. By that though, don't read that we are loaded. We usually manage to live a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget in Asia, but I am seeing that in Europe those sort of experiences might be much more difficult to come by.

 

So if we came back to the Provence area for a week or so, where would you suggest staying and, indeed, do you have any specific accommodation recommendations please. I really think the car option is out because we loathe driving on the wrong side of the road even though we are both highly competent manual car drivers. Also that is quite a price for car hire and the driver + car price is out of the question. We love trains and buses...., which in Europe would seem to be just as well!

 

Thank you, this is such a useful thread and I do apprecaite your time.:D

 

If you want to spend a few days (or weeks) in Provence and want to avoid driving...you need to stay very close to a train station and major tour hub (so you can take some day tours). For a first visit we would recommend Avignon because of its central location to many places. Its also a walkable city (if you stay within the walls) and there are plenty of day tours you can arrange through your hotel/B&B or the local tourist office. Much of the charm of Provence is outside the major cities and in areas not accessible by any public transportation.. so in order to fully experience the region you will need to change your mind about driving or use the tours. The hotel we like in Avignon has priced itself out of the market of many travelers (including us) so you would need to do some homework. One of our favorite sites for finding hotels, inns or even B&Bs is the European-based travel site of Venere.com. This site not only lists all kinds of accomodations but has decent maps so you can look at location.

 

Hank

[lahore]

Hi Hank

 

I appreciate your time in answering, thank you. I have used Venere before and will use it again. I also like Agoda and even Priceline sometimes, but I use a huge array to try to get the best prices and all the options.

 

OK, so I will think about the driving thing. What is i it like driving in Provence? It's funny, we've driven in Malaysia and India which scare many people witless, its just the other side of the road thing that does my head in. :)

[Hlitner]

Driving in Provence (and France) is quite easy for those of us used to driving on the right side :) Most of Provence is very rural with excellent 2 lane roads (there are also some wider 4 lane roads) and driving is quite easy. Of course driving into cities like Avignon, Arles and Aix en Provence does involve lots of traffic like in most cities. We generally find the French to be very good drivers that tend to follow the rules. One problem many Americans have with renting cars in France (and Europe as a whole) is that their lower priced rentals tend to only have manual transmissions. Some of the best places in Provence (such as Pont du Gard and Les Baux) require a car (or a tour) for access.

 

Hank

[lahore]

Thank you, again really appreciate your help . I have been driving a manual for over 30 years so no problem there. Perhaps I should practice driving on the wrong side of the road here before we leave though :eek:

[Little Dinghy]

Thank you Hank for all of your excellent information. We may be taking a trip to France (NOT via a cruise this time) and thought that this site might be a good place to start. I was correct! You've provide allot of answers to questions I had - particularly driving!

 

Celia

[newaggieparents]

Hank...we are such fans of yours and have read many of your posts over the years and learned a lot from you about independent travel in Europe!

 

Just wanted to let you know that we spent several days in Provence in mid-October, taking your travel advice and enjoying thoroughly the Hotel d'Europe in Avignon for 3 nights, which was a truly wonderful experience. We used Avignon as a base and took day trips to St. Remy, Les Baux,Aix and the villages of the Luberon (Gordes, Menerbes, etc.) We rented a car and as you have said many times, it was easy to drive in Provence (although as you have said it's important to use a GPS). Fortunately, we both know how to drive a manual shift. The food was incredible and the trip was truly perfect.

 

We took the high speed train from Paris to Avignon (only 2 1/2 hours) and after our Provence trip, took the train from Avignon to Barcelona (via Montpellier) for our cruise. All very easy and enjoyable!

 

Thank you so much Hank for your great advice on these boards and for sharing your inspiring travel experiences....

 

Deb