I'm chiseling out the details of my trip in 2 weeks and wanted some advice. The itinerary is
Barcelona ->Avignon (rent car) -> Aix-en-Provence -> Nice
The main question I have is where are some good stops along the way from Aix-En-Provence -> Nice, and aside from Nice & Monte Carlo, what should we focus on? We have 3 days in Nice and the car for 2 days.
Also, would love any recos for restaurants in Gordes, Avignon, Aix-En-Provence, and Nice. We enjoy quaint dives with a local feel.
Thanks!
Are you planning on making the drive from Avignon to Nice by way of Aix-en-Provence in one day? It's only a 2 hour drive from Aix to Nice. I guess that you are dropping off the car in Nice because a car is not really needed there, but if you keep the car in Nice, I suggest that you take a scenic drive on one of the Corniches to Monaco. Along the way from Aix, if you go by toll road, you could visit Cannes. What are your interests? There are tons of things to see in the Nice area so knowing what interests you will give some guidance on what to suggest. Here is a restaurant suggestion for Gordes: my husband and I had a wonderful afternoon snack/meal at L'Estaminet -- the goat cheese in honey topped with Provencal herbs was delicious.
The drive along the coast from Cassis to Cannes has some beautiful stretches. It's a mix of cities and towns, homes overlooking the Med and scenic coastline. Im not clear if you want to spend a night on the way to Nice.
Unless you are planning an intensive multi-day exploration of Marseilles with Aix as a base, my advice is to visit Aix as a day trip from Avignon or other base closer to the Rhone. (I actually prefer smaller towns such as Arles or St Remy.)
If your time is limited, maybe skip Aix altogether. It's charming but far from things, and there's more to see elsewhere.
BTW, Rick Steves always says to travel light. I'd like to refine that and say that weight is not the issue; it's bulk. So my mantra is, "Travel Thin." I always avoid cotton clothing and instead use Gore-Tex, nylon, and some of the other synthetics. For example, instead of a sweater I pack a Nike, long sleeve warm-up top. It has a fourth of the volume, all of the fashion, and a good measure of the warmth of a sweater. Choices like this reduce bulk, improve your options for getting your clothes quickly laundered, and reduce weight as well. For socks, I still use primarily cotton or wool since there's no synthetic alternative that I've found, unless you're just going to be fancy and wear dress socks all the time.
In Aix, we enjoyed La Brocherie and Jacquou Le Croquant.
On your way to Nice, you may want to consider a visit to Antibes. The Picasso museum, located right on the sea in Picasso's former home the Chateau Grimaldi, is well worth a visit. In Avignon, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at L'Epicerie at place St. Pierre.
Thanks for all your assistance, I'm hammering out the details tomorrow. We're staying in Avignon Sunday, Monday, Tuesday (from Avignon day trips to Gordes, Orange, Arles etc.) and in Aix for 1 night on the way to Nice. I will add Antibes and Cassis to the list. We will have the car for 1 full day in Nice to take the drive to Monte Carlo. Can't wait to try some of eateries you all have recommended.
Thank you!
Hi Maryam, try to include a visit to Cassis if you can. It's a beautiful area filled with colorful buildings, shops and cafes. Take a boat ride to see the cliffs and calanques (sheltered inlets). We spent an afternoon there and I wish we had spent more time.
Maryam,
I've spent a lot of time in both Aix and Cassis, so I recommend you stop in Aix for a day trip on your way, but drive twenty minutes further and spend the night in Cassis. Theses are really very short distances, by US standards, from Avignon to Aix to Cassis to Nice.
No one corrected you, so I will be impolite and point out that it's called Aix, which means water, and not Aux, because it has so much water and so many fountains. The -en-Provence part was added to be sure everyone knows it's the one in Provence and not another region. If you look for roadsigns saying Aux, you won't get where you want to go.
Bon voyage.
@Bets, thank you. Actually saw a ton of errors...
We are including Aix (overnight) Cassis (day trip) and have decided to spend the night in Antibes on the way to Nice.
It's sounds like you might have a busy day between Aix and Nice but if you're a fan of modern art there's Fondation Maeght Museum in Saint Paul de Vence.
Both Vence and Saint-Paul de Vence are beautiful, just a few miles from Nice.
