A group of foodies (6 of us) would like to rent a house for a week in France near markets in May. We love to cook and our ideal time would be to shop locally, fix meals together and drink the local wine. In addition we'd like to take day trips to interesting sights. Any suggestions?
David
How are you going to be traveling: train or rental car or both?
It makes a difference in the advice given.
No specifics on a house to rent... but look at the town of St. Remy. Centrally located to lots of wonderful towns as well as its own great food market. You would need a car, or a van. I rented a 9 person at at the airport in Marsailles for a few trips to this area. It was perfect for a group.
We'll probably rent a car(s) and use the train when possible.
Trains are not available in St. Remy, but in a few of the larger cities it is possible. A few trips we had a vehicle that everyone fit in, and a few times more than one vehicle. The problem with 2 is keeping up and finding each other while trying to park in some of the villages. Just something to keep in mind... even though bigger car might cost more... less gas, one rental fee, one insurance, etc. might be more economical and efficient. Have a great time!
My wife and I went to France in May 2014, flying into Nice for three nights before going on to Provence, then to the Dordogne and ultimately Barcelona. In Provence, we had a car and used Lacoste as a homebase. We were able to easily day trip to St. Remy, the Cotes du Rhone (Vaison la Romaine, Seguret, Le Crestet, Suzette,etc), the Luberon (Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Roussillon, Gordes, etc), Lourmarin, and Cucuron. There were plenty of markets with great produce, Roman ruins nearby (Vaison, Nimes, Arles, Orange, Pont du Gard, Pont Julien), and winery tours (we did Domain de Mourchon since it was in English). Something we really enjoyed was how quiet it was in the evening (especially after our time in Nice), plus we had a terrace with a great view. I'm sure there are equally wonderful hill towns in the Luberon that provide the same!
I suggest Provence for great markets and wonderful wine. Arles has 2 fantastic markets on Wed. and Sat. For a Cote du Rhone village experience that includes nearby vineyards and a fabulous Tues. market, I love Vaison la Romaine.
Thank you all for your wonderful advice and well wishes! I certainly explore your ideas! We love France!
