highflyer88

I have about 3 weeks vacation, travelling solo, that I'd like to split between a few cities in Switzerland and the Provence area. Provence would be my main focus, with the leftover time to be spent in Switzerland (I've already been to most of the cities, this would be to those that I missed last time). Currently I have about 12 days budgeted for Provence. Is that a good amount of time without rushing? Or too much time?

I'd like to visit Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Cote D'Azur, Marseille, and any other nearby cities and towns which should be visited. I'd like to avoid renting a car, but I'm open to it.

JoostvD

I don't think there is one thing that is ideal for everyone. A lot depends on when you go there and what your tastes are like.

If you are really on holiday and not between business conferences, I would suggest you should relax and take advantage of the local pleasures. You can easily do this without an auto. In other words, I would concentrate on the relaxing and enjoying rather than the travelling and seeing.

If you will be there after August, you might spend half the time in Aix-en-Provence and Avignon and the other half on the coast. Personally, I prefer Nice over Marseille, but that is my personal taste. There is a local train line that follows the coast and stops in most villages. You could easily travel from one village to another with this train.

If you enjoy beaches, you could spend a morning in Menton, have lunch somewhere, then walk to Italy and swim in a beach there. It is very relaxing and enjoyable.

JDiver

We'll most likely do a one week river cruise (Chalon-sur-Saône to Avignon), have six days in between that and one week in the Luberon (be based one week in Bonnieux (at Le Clos du Buis) doing local Luberon exploring (villages, historic areas, markets, etc.) Oh, in May 2012.

Ideally, we'd not rent a car, though for the six days it would be fine (Luberon we are covered, as we will be with a small group of 12 or so, two vehicles, etc.) We're considering some days in Aix en Provence, ending a couple of days in Avignon - but what may we be missing? Should we add Arles? (Etc.)

We have visited some of the coast (Nice to Monaco, and a little bit inland, hill towns, etc.) and wanted a more in depth time to experience Vaucluse, Luberon, etc.

We're well-traveled seniors, enjoy a moderate pace and like to walk, sightseeing, enjoying local meals, photography, etc. Your recommendations would be appreciated.

jaimemayo

Have you thought about Nîmes and/or Orange? Both have stunning Roman ruins. Nîmes has the Maison Carrée and the Arènes. Orange has a wonderful ampitheatre.

JoostvD

Through my Belgian-French brother-in-law, I have discovered several very lovely old towns in the area. I recommend all of them. They are Èze, La Turbie (the old village), Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (the old village up the hill, not the new village on the coast) and Sainte-Agnès.

All or almost all of these ancient towns should be reachable by bus. You can check the local bus information here: http://www.ceparou06.fr/

If you cannot find a bus, I would suggest a local taxi company. Either bus or taxi would be much more convenient than renting an auto.

JoostvD

I knew I had forgotten one town. Here it is: Saint Paul de Vence.

JDiver

Great suggestions - I will do some research. And I am not completely averse to renting a car for the six day interim between river cruise and Luberon stay at / around Bonnieux.

SanDiego1K

I'm an advocate of renting a car. Provence is a lovely area with many small delights. I can't imagine trying to rely on local transport. A bus might be fine to get between towns, but there are many things to see and do that are not in towns proper. A car is the only realistic way to access them. I've traveled with my husband in Provence and also with a friend while staying at her home in Apt. It's not only the sights, it's also the restaurants which can be tucked away in the countryside. A car simplifies planning a day tremendously.

JoostvD

1. The difference between an auto and public transport is like the difference between cable television and television on demand: for cable you pay for every programme transmitted, for demand only those programmes you want. An auto is 24 hours per day of both costs and care, public transport you pay only for the trip and there is no maintenance.

2. Most restaurants, probably like in the US, are not in the middle of fields in the countryside. They are in villages and towns. It makes more sense for a business to be where there are people, doesn't it?

3. If you really want to see the countryside, wouldn't you want to smell the flowers in the air, feel the breezes from the water (if there is any), feel the sun on your head? Can you do that in an auto? No, but you can do it on a bicycle or on foot.

JDiver

We'll possibly, er, take the middle road and use the riverboat* and foot on the cruise, rely on walking and the two group leaders' vehicles during the week-long Bonneiux stay** and maybe rent a car for the six days in the middle. We do love to walk. (We'll probably do a stay at Lyon at the Hilton on arrival to adjust to time etc. and depart from Marseille.)

*Boat starts from Chalon-sur-Saône, visits (directly or by land tour) Beaune, Tournus and Mâcon, Lyon, Vienne, Tournon, Viviers, Arfes and Avignon and vicinities.

**locally, Bonnieux, the market, a home with caves (inhabited by troglodytes in ancient days) under the home, Lacoste and Roussillon, Abbaye St. Hilaire and the ruins of the Marquis de Sade’s castle, Pont Julien, local restaurants, wineries, farms, etc. and ranging to market day at L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Saignon and a home/ goat farm, Fôret de Cèdres or Fort de Buoux, Gordes and the Abbaye de Sènanque, the Vaucluse Plateau and Lioux and Chateau la Canorgue, St. Remy-de-Provence / Glanum and Saint Paul de Mausole (and the Roman aqueduct ruins near Barbegal) and Maussane in the Alpilles, perhaps Aix-en-Provence, Oppède-le-Vieux, etc.

Skeeter.gogo

Depending on your preferences, you may very well want to visit the Camargue National Park which is south of Avignon. Lots to see and some striking towns nearby:
A remarkably preserved Romanesque facade in St. Gilles.
The now land locked historic town/port of Aigues Mortes
Now we're edging into Languedoc-Roussillon, granted.
In the other direction, I second the idea of a night in St. Agnes but it's a bit difficult, the twisting somewhat narrow road up to the highest coastal village in Europe.
"The one thing that saves Sainte Agnes from being overrun [with tourists] is that it's not easy to get to; only 4 km from the coast as the eagle flies, it's about 12 km of narrow and twisty mountain roads by car, above Menton at the eastern end of the French Riviera."
We arrived very late, in a heavy rain, found a place to have dinner and borrowed a market umbrella (HUGE!) to make it back to our room. In the light of the next morning, it did seem a little touristy for such a small, obscure town. There weren't many tourists there but quite a few stores catering to the daytrippers.

Just a warning: St. Gilles is an impoverished town (at least when I was there a while ago) and seemed to be a town where the Govt placed a lot of new immigrants. No problems but there were NO tourists there.

JDiver

Thanks for the advice, Skeeter and all! We're enjoying the planning of it, and am sure we will even enjoy it more when winter winds blow here.

JoostvD

Or one could take the #10 bus from Menton and let the professional driver worry about the difficult roads.

menton1

Provence covers 6 departments. A vast area. For me, Provence is the back country, the rural areas, stopping at little wineries to taste in the middle of the countryside, discovering little restaurants in tiny towns.

Impossible to do without a car!

Bicycle will certainly narrow your field, but sure, that's a swell way to see the countryside as well, as long as you are in shape to do the hilly areas.

RE: St Paul: A VERY over-touristed place, much too cutesy for my taste. Better, go to the larger and real town of Vence, with real people and a real environment.

What are your preferred activities for Provence?

number_6

Cannot agree more strongly with this, after spending 10 days in Provence (with a car). The cities/towns are OK but hardly worth visiting for the most part ... the villages are fabulous and difficult to get to without a car. It is pointless to visit Provence and stay in the cities, you will not get any of the benefits and endure all the hassles. Even many of the museums, for example the perfume museum, require a car to be reached -- this is not Paris!

I was astonished at the contrast, how much nicer the 'rural' parts of Provence were than the bigger towns.