Which Cities and Villages in Provence Pre-Cruise?

[MalibuCA]

My husband and I are taking the Crystal Serenity for two B2B cruises - first, Marseille to Lisbon, and then, Lisbon to Miami beginning in Marseille on November 29. We would like to spend time - perhaps a week - pre-cruise in Provence before embarking the ship in Marseille. We would definitely like to visit Aix-en-Provence, Arles and Avignon, where we have been previously on a river cruise. We are also considering St. Remy and Les Baux. We are hoping to use one of the cities as our base, and then, each day visit a different city or town as a day trip. Our hope is to avoid packing and repacking to move to different locations, but instead, to sleep in only one hotel. Our first thought was to use Aix-en-Provence as our base, and then, it's an easy drive from there to Marseille for embarking the ship directly on November 29. We do not need to spend any nights in Marseille. Is this possible given the distances? Which city do you recommend we use as our base - keeping in mind that we want luxury accommodations and great dining opportunities. Recommendations for those would be appreciated, too. Should we include St. Remy and Les Baux? Which other cities and/or villages should we include or eliminate? Thanks so much for your valued advice!

 

Shelley

[cberge]

Hopefully Hank will reply to this as I think he has the most experience in this area. If he does not I will then put in with my advice. All I will say now is do not misss Le Baux. Avignon would be a btter choice to stay as more options and larger city. No matter what you do it will be a wonderful pre trip!!

[MalibuCA]

Thank you, Karen. I have a question about Le Baux. I read somewhere that it can be combined with St. Remy for one day trip. Would you agree with that? It seems like there's enough to see in both cities as to merit a day for each. What do you, or anyone else, think about that?

 

Thanks,

Shelley

[Hlitner]

Yeah, I will jump in :). Base cities are actually a tough decision since much depends on your personal preferences. Avignon offers some major advantages since its a pretty large city with many dining options (in all price ranges) and it also has its share of hotels and even apartment rentals (what we did last spring). What I like about basing in Avignon is the central location and our ability to go out to dinner every night without driving (so I can drink lots of vino). For those that prefer a smaller village as a base we really like St Remy de Provence. But the key here is to find a place within walking distance of the center so you do not have to drive (or use a taxi) for dinner venues. We once spent 2 weeks in St Remy in an apartment rental which was 1/4 of an old villa about a 5 minute walk from the center of town. We loved staying in St Remy and the only negative were the limited number of restaurants. However, that was with a 2 week stay...and for 1 week (or less) it is a great option. From St Remy you can drive to places like Avignon and Les Baux in less then 30 minutes. And then there is the amazing Sunday market at Isle Sur la Sorgue (one of the best markets in all of France).

 

A couple of extra thoughts. You need a rental car to fully enjoy and explore Provence (public transit does not work). And as much as we do like Aix en Provence, we prefer the base areas further west (like Avignon) because we think the location works better for day trips.

 

Hank

Edited February 9, 2015 by Hlitner

[MalibuCA]

Thanks so much for your response. We were looking at St. Remy as a base as well as Aix-en-Provence. We will look at Avignon, too. Can we figure that one day in each city or village is sufficient? In addition, I have a question about combining villages for one day. I read a suggestion that we combine St. Remy with Le Baux. Is that sufficient time, or should we allow a day for each?

 

Thanks,

Shelley

[Hlitner]

Thanks so much for your response. We were looking at St. Remy as a base as well as Aix-en-Provence. We will look at Avignon, too. Can we figure that one day in each city or village is sufficient? In addition, I have a question about combining villages for one day. I read a suggestion that we combine St. Remy with Le Baux. Is that sufficient time, or should we allow a day for each?

 

Thanks,

Shelley

 

Combining a visit to St Remy and Les Baux in a single day is no problem if you have your own car. In fact, it makes a lot of sense. One also should take a good look at the schedule for weekly markets throughout Provence and plan accordingly. For example, St Remy has a terrific Wednesday morning outdoor market which is worth a visit. The Sunday market at L'Isle sur la Sorgue is probably worthy of a 2 hour drive (if the weather is good).

 

As to Les Baux, DW and I always drive over to that town for a visit if we are in the area, but we would not suggest it as an entire day destination. In fact, most would be content to spend 2 or 3 hours at Les Baux unless you want more time for a long lunch (or dinner). And it is the same with St Remy. Other then the market day we would be hard pressed to suggest spending more then 2-3 hours in St Remy (unless you have a long meal). One can get tired just browsing shops..although there are actually some decent Roman ruins just outside of St Remy worth a visit.

 

When we stay in Provence (usually for 2 weeks) we do not think in terms of spending a day in any place. Driving in Provence can be more like a continuum where you simply drive around to various towns and villages, enjoy the views, stop for a drink, snack, market, etc. As an example, we never miss that incrediable Sunday market at L'Isle sur la Sorgue but never know how long we will spend in that town. On one visit we were out of there by noon and found ourselves driving over to Gordes (and later Uzes) which are other interesting villages. But on another Sunday visit we decided to have a long lunch in a café along the Sorgue...started chatting with some locals, and did not get out of town until nearly 3pm. While Les Baux is often mentioned here on CC, it is only one village among many beautiful villages in the region.

 

We just find that getting hung-up with a specific itinerary and pre-planned time frames is not the way we want to enjoy a day. Rather, we just go with the flow and change our plans on the fly to accommodate the weather, our desire for a quick meal versus slow meal, etc. It really helps to have a decent guide book (and map) in the car (not to mention GPS) and have an idea of options. You can then do what feels right at the time.

 

Hank

Edited February 9, 2015 by Hlitner

[marazul]

Also consider Arles. It is half way (more or less) between Avignon and Marseille. It would make it easier for day trips in the direction of Avignon and Les Baux, or to Nimes, or to the wonderful Camargue region with Ste. Maries de la Mer and Aigues-Mortes. Aix is also easy access from Arles. Look them all up in a map and plot more or less the center of what you want to see. And, also, lots to see, restaurants, hotels, etc at Arles.

Edited February 9, 2015 by marazul

[marymcgol]

We used St Remy de Provence as a pre-cruise base a year ago. We had stayed 1 night in Avignon, then picked up rental car at the Avignon TGV rail station and went to St. Remy. I would highly recommend as a base - easy drive to Les Baux, Arles, Pont du Gard, Chateauneuf du Pape, and the small charming villages of Provence. We stayed at the Hotel de l'Image and were very pleased. It is on the "ring road" and they had a large parking lot so we could park after a day of touring, walk to dinner, enjoy our wine and not worry about driving. The grounds were lovely and our balcony had a beautiful view of Les Appilles.

 

I enjoyed staying in Avignon, but given the narrow streets, I think a car would be a liability.

[buggins0402]

If we returned, we would probably base more east then we did - perhaps somewhere in the Luberon. We prefer smaller towns, because car parking can be difficult in the mid size towns.

 

Just a note....we didn't like Arles at all. Actually left a day early and went west to Ste Maries de la Mar. Loved that town - it was just so weird (French, Spanish and American west rolled up into one). Aigues- Mortes, while pretty, just didn't seem to have a soul.

[Hlitner]

.................

 

I enjoyed staying in Avignon, but given the narrow streets, I think a car would be a liability.

 

You are quite right that parking inside the walls of Avignon's old town area is very difficult. They also have parking meters which are a pain during the daytime. When we rented our apartment we were only a short 3 blocks to one of the gates (entrances into the old part of the city) and took advantage of the free parking just outside the walls. And even that is a bit tricky since only some of the large parking lots are free, and others have various costs. Actually, when we were deciding which apartment to rent in Avignon we paid close attention to the distance from the apartment to free parking.

 

Regarding St Remy, we also loved it as a base other then not having the large selection of restaurants we can get in Avignon (I prefer to walk to dinner so I can drink wine without worry).

 

You really did hit on an issue when driving in Europe and its parking. We spend a lot of time looking at "parking strategies" when selecting where we will stay and have often advised others to do the same. For us, parking is a much more difficult issue then the driving :)

 

Hank

[Can'tstopcruising]

Hi! We booked 3 weeks in October at the Thames Residence Hotel in Avignon. Do you know it? If so, what is your opinion? Thanks.

 

Last tme, we spent a week in Aix en Provence. A lovely town. Many restaurants. We did have a car although we didn't enjoy driving and that is why this time we are staying in Avignon , which is a rail and bus hub.

 

The highlights from Aix were Gordes and Roussillon in the Luberon. You do need a car to go there. They are very small towns and you can do both in one day. The narrow 2-way road up a winding hill to reach Roussillon can be quite daunting. We beeped the horn every 2 minutes because there wasn't room for a car going the other way to pass and we couldn't see eachother around the curves!

 

Another highlight was Cassis and a boatride through the callanques. Gorgeous. We left the car in the garage and took a bus! Best decision!

 

Enjoy!

[Hlitner]

Hi! We booked 3 weeks in October at the Thames Residence Hotel in Avignon. Do you know it? If so' date=' what is your opinion? Thanks.

 

Last tme, we spent a week in Aix en Provence. A lovely town. Many restaurants. We did have a car although we didn't enjoy driving and that is why this time we are staying in Avignon , which is a rail and bus hub.

 

The highlights from Aix were Gordes and Roussillon in the Luberon. You do need a car to go there. They are very small towns and you can do both in one day. The narrow 2-way road up a winding hill to reach Roussillon can be quite daunting. We beeped the horn every 2 minutes because there wasn't room for a car going the other way to pass and we couldn't see eachother around the curves!

 

Another highlight was Cassis and a boatride through the callanques. Gorgeous. We left the car in the garage and took a bus! Best decision!

 

Enjoy![/quote']

 

We are not personally familiar with that hotel (which does not mean much). As to cars, although one can use public transit to get between a few of the larger cities in Provence...public transit is near useless for exploring the bulk of Provence (and the Luberon) which is very rural. Just trying to get from Avignon to a place like St Remy or Les Baux can be a daunting task on local buses that do not run as often as one would like. And say, for example, you want to go to the amazing (and huge) outdoor market held in L'Isle Sur La Sorgue on Sunday mornings (we often recommend this weekly event). Without a car you are simply out of luck. Want to explore some of the cute towns of the nearby Luboron? Not without a car. Want to go to Pont du Gard on a nice morning and then come back to Les Baux for lunch? Not without a car. Or, lets say you wait an hour and manage to get a regional bus from Avignon to St Remy de Provence. And after a half hour in that small town you decide you want to visit the interesting Roman ruins of Glanum which are located right outside of town. With a car you would be there in less then 10 minutes. Without a car ???????? Guess you would have to skip Glanum.

 

Hank

Edited February 18, 2015 by Hlitner

[Can'tstopcruising]

We are not personally familiar with that hotel (which does not mean much). As to cars, although one can use public transit to get between a few of the larger cities in Provence...public transit is near useless for exploring the bulk of Provence (and the Luberon) which is very rural. Just trying to get from Avignon to a place like St Remy or Les Baux can be a daunting task on local buses that do not run as often as one would like. And say, for example, you want to go to the amazing (and huge) outdoor market held in L'Isle Sur La Sorgue on Sunday mornings (we often recommend this weekly event). Without a car you are simply out of luck. Want to explore some of the cute towns of the nearby Luboron? Not without a car. Want to go to Pont du Gard on a nice morning and then come back to Les Baux for lunch? Not without a car. Or, lets say you wait an hour and manage to get a regional bus from Avignon to St Remy de Provence. And after a half hour in that small town you decide you want to visit the interesting Roman ruins of Glanum which are located right outside of town. With a car you would be there in less then 10 minutes. Without a car ???????? Guess you would have to skip Glanum.

 

Hank

 

Wow! That is discouraging!

 

But there are still many place we CAN go without a car. If we decide to go to one of the mentioned, we can always rent a car for a day. But we find it very stressful.

[Hlitner]

Wow! That is discouraging!

 

But there are still many place we CAN go without a car. If we decide to go to one of the mentioned' date=' we can always rent a car for a day. But we find it very stressful.[/quote']

 

Driving in France, outside the major cities, is actually quite easy. But when folks talk about visiting Provence, the Luberon, the Loire Valley, etc. we urge them to take a good look at a map of the regions. You will see that the major cities are few and far apart with lots of space (the rural areas) between. Although some of the cities are nice places, we think the real charm of Provence lies outside these cities in areas that are not even serviced by public transit. When we spent a week in Avignon (last spring) our local apartment was simply a base from which to explore the region. Every morning, after breakfast, we walked out of the walls to our car and did not return to Avignon until late afternoon. We have literally spent months in Provence and I doubt if we have spent more then 3 or 4 days staying within a large city for an entire day.

 

When Peter Mayle published his wonderful book "A Year in Provence" millions of readers found themselves wanting to see the Provence (the Luberon) referred to in the book. Mayle's book did not talk about large cities with train stations, but rather the charming areas outside of these cities. Anyone going to Provence for the first time would be well-advised to read Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence and perhaps also "Toujours Provence" to get some of the flavor of the region.

 

Hank

[Can'tstopcruising]

Driving in France, outside the major cities, is actually quite easy. But when folks talk about visiting Provence, the Luberon, the Loire Valley, etc. we urge them to take a good look at a map of the regions. You will see that the major cities are few and far apart with lots of space (the rural areas) between. Although some of the cities are nice places, we think the real charm of Provence lies outside these cities in areas that are not even serviced by public transit. When we spent a week in Avignon (last spring) our local apartment was simply a base from which to explore the region. Every morning, after breakfast, we walked out of the walls to our car and did not return to Avignon until late afternoon. We have literally spent months in Provence and I doubt if we have spent more then 3 or 4 days staying within a large city for an entire day.

 

When Peter Mayle published his wonderful book "A Year in Provence" millions of readers found themselves wanting to see the Provence (the Luberon) referred to in the book. Mayle's book did not talk about large cities with train stations, but rather the charming areas outside of these cities. Anyone going to Provence for the first time would be well-advised to read Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence and perhaps also "Toujours Provence" to get some of the flavor of the region.

 

Hank

 

On the National roads, the ronds points are daunting.

 

Each has a list of 10 names. Who can read them all while going around?

And if there are other cars, the drivers certainly don't have patience.

Maybe with a GPS? We didn't have one.

 

I do have a list of towns that can be reached by train or bus. We will have lots of choices. I can report back how we fare, and we can compare.

[marazul]

Ah, the rond-points! Traditionally, the right of way was for vehicles ENTERING the circle. This is called "priorite a droite" (right of way on the right) and it still applies to, practically, all intersections and side roads! In recent years, the French have made a distinction between "rond point a sense giratoire" or "carrefour (crossroad) giratoire" or "those despicable English roundabouts" and the traditional rond points. The giratoires look the same as any other rond point, but the difference is the right of way is for vehicles inside the circle (giratoire), or "priorite a gauche" - right of way on the left. The traditional rond points conserve the old rule of "priorite a droite" that give the right of way to entering vehicles.

 

How can you tell the difference? Well, the "giratoires" are preceded by a triangular traffic sign showing three arrows in a counter-clockwise circle. Some of these signs even add: "Vous n'avez pas la priorite" or You do not have the right of way.

 

Traditional rond points normally have a structure - fountain, statue, etc - in the center and no triangular sign. It will have a circular sign or no sign at all. The most famous rond point is the Etoile (Arc de Triomphe) in Paris. Many of the old style roundabouts are preceded by a round sign showing the circle of three arrows. If there is no sign at all, it is priorite a droite!

 

Here are pictures of the signs:

https://www.maif.fr/conseils-prevention/sur-la-route/prevenir-les-risques-routiers/adapter-conditions-circulation/circuler-sur-rond-point/circuler-sur-rond-point.html?xtmc=rond_point&xtcr=2

 

The moral of the story is: ALWAYS look for cars entering from the right! Someone may be making a geopolitical statement using the "priorite a droite" regardless of the signs.

 

Have fun!

Edited February 18, 2015 by marazul

[ptrpanpens]

Hotel D'Europe in Avignon is one of the best hotels I have stayed in Europe. (Napoleon stayed there.) It is very convenient for driving out to the small villages every day.

 

I second the recommendations to not miss Isle Sur La Sorgue, especially if you like antiques, go on weekends, although it is crowded. Do not miss Bonnieux and Menerbes, less touristy than Gordes and Rousillion, although we drove to all the Luberon villages and loved them all.

 

Aix and Arles, Les Beaux, St.Remy, all wonderful places. It helps to spend at least two weeks in Provence to see as much as you possibly can because each place is unique.

[Mrs Miggins]

Based on this thread I have just booked 5 nights at the Hotel L'Image in St Remy since it seems to have everything we need. We will drive from Nice and then after five days possibly try to find a hotel in or near Sanary Sur Mer before returning to Cannes to join our Star Clippers cruise.

Whilst in St Remy would love to visit Aigues-Mortes. Husband would have liked to go back to Carcassone, but too far on this trip, so I hope this may be similar if less touristy. There was a mention of this place but it was not liked. Any other views? Where else should we visit in the Camargue.

Want to go to the market in L'Isle sur la Sorgue. Will be tired on Sunday, but want to go so what time should we arrive. or is the market on other days as well ?

[buggins0402]

Based on this thread I have just booked 5 nights at the Hotel L'Image in St Remy since it seems to have everything we need. We will drive from Nice and then after five days possibly try to find a hotel in or near Sanary Sur Mer before returning to Cannes to join our Star Clippers cruise.

Whilst in St Remy would love to visit Aigues-Mortes. Husband would have liked to go back to Carcassone, but too far on this trip, so I hope this may be similar if less touristy. There was a mention of this place but it was not liked. Any other views? Where else should we visit in the Camargue.

Want to go to the market in L'Isle sur la Sorgue. Will be tired on Sunday, but want to go so what time should we arrive. or is the market on other days as well ?

 

There is also a market on Thursday - but Sunday is the big day. Parking can be a nightmare for Sunday. Food market closes down around lunch time. Antique market goes on a bit longer.

 

I'm the one that didn't like Aigues-Mortes, above. But, that was just me. I just couldn't find the town's heart and soul, among all the touristy cookie stores, candy stores and L'occitane outlets. On the other hand, some would probably hate Stes. Maries de la mer, because it wasn't cute and true Provence, but we loved it. It is an oddball French beach town, that feels Spanish, with a touch of cowboy. The Carmargue is a fun drive, wherever you go, if you like nature.

[marazul]

I had mentioned Aigues-Mortes and I do like it a lot. It is quite beautiful. The ramparts are well worth visiting. As for the shops. etc that buggins mentions, it is no different from Carcassonne. The price of a scenic village. Then again, it is not nearly as crowded as Carcassonne.

 

One thing to buy in Aigues-Mortes is fleur de sel. Harvested in salt ponds right outside A-M.

 

And I do like Stes. Maries very much. Just different. Just drive some of the small roads in the Camargue to get a feel for the place.