Provence itinerary

Daughter and I spent a week in Languedoc/Provence last year and loved it; we were focused on Roman antiquities and there are many wonderful sights in that region. I would highly recommend the Pont du Gard, in particular; it's slightly west of your Avignon - Nice route, but it is simply spectacular. We also enjoyed the Popes' Palace tour in Avignon; the audiotour does a good job of providing a lot to see/hear/think about.

It will be easier to make recommendations if you tell us your interests. Roman ruins? Lovely small villages and markets? Van Gogh? Hiking? So many options!

We spent a week in Provence last September and loved it all. The highlight of our stay was a visit to the Carrieres de Lumieres in Les Baux de Provence (http://www.carrieres-lumieres.com/). It is magnificent. We recommend arriving early in the morning to avoid some of the crowds. The town of Les Baux is a lovely perched village and is worth a visit as well. We had lunch at Au Porte Mages in the village and enjoyed the meal.

Èze, in the mountains above Nice, is worth a visit. Jaw-dropping views, worth the challenge of getting there. Normally I wouldn't recommend hanging onto the rental car in Nice (parking, traffic), but Eze might be worth it. You can also get there by train and bus. Maybe you want to google the views before deciding it's too much of a hassle.

Thanks for all the tips! Our main interests are probably excellent restaurants and good scenery. Did an extended trip to Rome last year so seeing the Roman ruins would probably be lower on our priority list.

Considering staying one night in Luberon--maybe Gordes or Bonnieux and then taking A8 through Aix en Provence to Nice.

Is there enough to see in Aix en Provence to warrant spending the night there or would it be best as a short stop on the way to Nice? Open to any other suggestions on where to spend a second night as well.

We have been to Provence several times, including last month. I suggest you check out Rousillon, a medieval village made of the local red rock. There is a trail to walk on through the red rock area, with lovely views and explanations of the geology. I agree with the poster who nentioned that Eze is quite amazing. I think Gordes and Rousillon could be combined in one day, or one of them with Lourmarin, another very pretty village with a chateau that you can visit. Not a fan of Aix.

I would spend the night in the Luberon valley; the villages are situated pretty closely to each other so it almost doesn't matter which you choose. However, it would be good to stay in close proximity to a good restaurant as French DUI laws are strict.

I suggest Cassis for the 2nd night. See Lourmarin, Cucuron and Ansouis on the way to Aix. Have a look around there then go on to Cassis, one of the most picturesque ports in Europe. Aix is too flat for our taste while Cassis is absolutely charming. Hotel Le Liautaud has a fantastic location on the port, however it is a very ordinary hotel. OK for one night, though.

From Cassis drive the coast to Nice which is much more interesting and scenic than the A8. This will take much of the day as it is a winding slow drive most of the way and you'll want to make stops. When we made the drive we had a leisurely lunch on the quai in St. Tropez. btw ignore the comments you'll read about St. Tropez being touristy, too much traffic, etc. We found it still quite an attractive and photogenic place. Then between St. Raphael and Cannes is some really great scenery.

My wife and I have just spent a week in the Luberon and can enthusiastically recommend spending a night there on your way to Nice.We also spent a day on the beach at Bandol with late afternoon stop in Cassis, both are lovely and worth at least a half day. I can support the recommendations of Lourmarin, Cucuron, and Ansouis. We spent the week in a gite between Ansoius and Lourmarin...all are quite close as is Bonnieux. Cucaron has a quieter village vibe and a nice restaurant next to the Etang ( pond). Ansouis is a hilltop village and a bit more difficult to access lodging though still lovely. Lourmarin is a bit touristy due to its central position in the book A Year In Provence...still worth a visit at the least. You won't have enough time to do the area justice,but it's hard to make an error in choosing any of these towns east of Avignon, by the way...do go see the Pont du Gard!

I would agree with previous posters who recommend a night in the Luberon, with Rousillon being my favorite town. Gordes is a nice stop along the way, especially if you can be there on market day.

Ménerbes was the village in A Year in Provence. The author, Peter Mayle, now lives in Lourmarin, which I didn't find touristy. It has a large outdoor market on Friday mornings but the rest of the week was quiet.

Read https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/8-days-in-provence-in-july-rental-car-for-5-days-and-4-days-using-public-transport if you haven't already. I posted the Provence-Riviera itinerary we took there.

If you take the train to Avignon on the 8th, you have 6 nights to play with. I'd spend at least 3 nights in Provence before moving on to Nice, if not 4.

Others have recommended Cassis, and I do too, but I think that the drive through the Gorges du Verdon beats it, hands down. Just remember to get gas in Moustiers.

We are in St Remy now (5 nights). We love it! We've made our way from St Emilion, to Sarlat, to Carcassone and now St Remy.
It is a very quaint, clean town. Great restaurants and cute shops (some nice, artsy shops rather than all the touristy stuff). We have a rental car so we can take day trips. We are staying at Hotel De L'Image which is fabulous! It's pricey, but it was a special treat for us. Great pool which is a blessing after a long, hot day of touring around. We went to Pont du Guard today and spent 3 hours there. Very enjoyable and interesting (go to museum, too---all part of same cost). Stopped in Uze on way back and had lunch (small town, nothing too exciting--i wouldn't recommend it although we had a nice lunch). Tomorrow, we are wine tasting in the Chateauneuf du-Pape region. We are also going to the lavender fields around Salut and later visiting Arles (roman stuff, which you might not find interesting).

We stayed 1 day in Nice and Eze last year, on a stop on cruise ship. Eze is charming! Wish i would have had at least one full day to explore Nice.
Have fun!

@Carol... that is an incredible hotel.... I have stayed there a few times... Please tell Antoinne (if he is still the owner) that one of the photographers from the US....( part of Joyce's group) says hello and that we miss his beautiful place....

Eze... most definitely worth the effort... it is a wonderful place.