Avignon area or Côte D’Azur?

Hi there

I have visited both areas and would say for a young solo person, the Cote D’Azur would be my choice. I would base in Nice and use public transport to day trip to: eg Antibes, Cannes, Eze, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Menton, Monaco, Vence, St Paul de Vence. St Tropez is somewhat awkward to get to using public transport it is doable but would make for a long day trip.

If you are interested in art, Antibes has a Picasso museum and Nice has Museums dedicated to both Chagall and Matisse. There is also a modern art museum just outside St Paul de Vence.

I suggest Nice as a base as there will be a wider choice of accommodation, restaurants and you may be able to avoid the ‘romantic couply vibe’.

I also prefer the one D'Azur area.

Better than Menton (in my personal opinion) head to Villefranche, visit the Villa Kérylos in Beaulieu and walk around the perimeter of Cap-Ferrat. Pure bliss!

Also I recommend hitting the Hanbury botanical garden just outside of Ventimiglia as well as the villages in the valley behind it (Dolceacqua, Pigna etc). Bordighera is also a treat.

Best of luck.

Avignon is best viewed from the water IMO. Another vote for the Côte d'Azur.

If you're young and single and want a little more action and nightlife, then by all means stick with Nice. Most of the cities you mention on the Côte d'Azur are super posh and will probably have plenty of couples on romantic getaways, but probably a lively singles scene as well (just guessing on that, since I've never scoped out the singles scene in France!)

If you are more into history, a quieter pace, and a "family" vibe, then Avignon and the little hill towns in Provence might suit you better. For me, it is the latter. Nice is beautiful, and I've enjoyed staying there, but Avignon is more my speed (quiet bike rides along the river, Sunday afternoons in the park while families are out picnicking with the kids kind of thing.) Arles and St-Rémy are also more my speed than Monaco and St. Tropez. Like you, I like seeing where Van Gogh lived and painted some of his masterpieces (seeing the valley which was the scene of Starry Night was a highlight of my trip to Provence.) But my preferences reflect that of an older person who isn't into the nightlife scene, if that's important to you.

But why not do both? If you're young and traveling solo, it will be relatively easy for you to pick up and go - a few days in Nice, a few days in Avignon. That would be my recommendation!

But my preferences reflect that of an older person who isn't into the nightlife scene, if that's important to you.

I’m actually not super into nightlife tbh, as odd as that sounds. I just love seeing beautiful architecture, scenery, and history. And seeing the lavender fields this time of year might be nice.

But why not do both? If you're young and traveling solo, it will be relatively easy for you to pick up and go - a few days in Nice, a few days in Avignon. That would be my recommendation!

This is what I’m leaning towards since I can’t really decide. Although if it feels too rushed I might have to lean towards the riviera and remind myself I’ll come back one day.

Day 1: Arrive Nice
Day 2: Day trip in Villefranche
Day 3: Menton
Day 4: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Eze
Day 5: Pick a place to see in Provence, stay in Aix
Day 6: 1 day to do whatever (maybe do a guided tour to make the most of my time?)

I think there’s more stuff on Côte D’Azur I want to see, but the things I want to see in Provence I REALLY want to see too. In particular: Sénanque Abbey for the lavender fields, the castle in Avignon, and L’Isle sur la Sorgue (I’m sure I’ll find even more stuff).

A part of me feels it’s a shame to not visit the lavender fields since I’ll be there in early July, I think if it wasn’t for them I’d feel more comfortable maybe keeping my itinerary to just the Riviera, thoughts? And I don’t want to rent a car even if I can drive. Driving in foreign countries stresses me out

Or would this be too rushed? Any advice appreciated!

Hi OP,

Where will you be arriving from and is this by air or train?

Faced with a similar choice, we opted for Provence. We spent 5 nights in Provence, and 1 in Nice, all by train. Upon reflection we probably would have repurposed the last night in Nice and departed from Marseille but overall were very happy with our itinerary.

We chose to prioritize Provence because we felt that the diversity of experiences was greater given the limited amount of time that we had. This includes the coastal village of Cassis, with easy access to the incredible Calanques National Park and two charming beaches. The many Roman ruins in the region were a highlight, as was Arles as Van Gogh fans. This was a great bookend after also experiencing his artwork in both Paris and Amsterdam. We also toured the hilltop village of Les Baux.

To maximize out time, we hired a private guide for one day. Our guide was amazing, and well worth the investment. https://imagine-tours.net/welcome/

Pont du Gard is spectacular, and our one regret was that we did not pack a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon swimming in the river.

Nice was our final full day, and while nice enough, felt a bit plasticky. I am certain a deeper exploration of the region is warranted, but as experienced it was our least favorite stop.

Where will you be arriving from and is this by air or train?

I still need to book tickets, was gonna do once I finished finalizing how I want to structure my French itinerary.

What time of year did you go? I’m actually thinking of stretching my itinerary a bit to do 8 nights, 3 in Provence and 5 in the riviera. I wanted to go to Gordes to see the Abbey because it would be lavender season! And a full day in Arles perhaps. And then to stay in Avignon for accommodation. But I’m still playing around with the schedule.

And Nice seemed the least interesting to me too, however all the nearby towns like Menton, Eze, looked stunning! So I think I’m gonna extend to 8 nights to see a bit of both

What time of year did you go?

Also July. It was hot. AC was welcomed. Avignon gets a mixed response on this forum. We loved it, both the energy and the aesthetic, but I agree with the wisdom that you have to get off of the beaten path to best appreciate it. There are all kinds of nooks and crannies to explore, great cafes, charming and historic courtyards. We opted for a unique apartment rental here which was a large part of our experience. Note that there is a very large festival here every July which dramatically increases crowds.

Note that the festival mentioned above is a huge French theatre festival. Hotels, restaurants and even the streets will be at peak summer crowds.

Avignon during the theater festival is a complete no-go for me if you do not attend the festival (which does not really cater to people who can't understand French, anyway). The town is packed to the gills, hotels are scarce, restaurants are full... you get the drift.
Stay in Arles instead.

Noted! Would Arles or Aix be preferable to stay in? I see Aix commonly recommended as a travel hub. But also Arles would be nice

The Festival is from the 5-26 July. If your dates fall within this time frame, Arles would be good.

Would Arles or Aix be preferable to stay in? I see Aix commonly recommended as a travel hub. But also Arles would be nice

I would say that this depends on your interests and mode of transport. Aix is east. Pont du Gard, Les Baux, Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole etc. will be easier from Arles. If Arles is also on your must-see itinerary, staying here should save you some travel.

I will add that since you're not renting a car it's a bit more of a job to travel around in Provence to the smaller places, you would need to take a bus. And staying near the coast will be cooler given its July. Provence inland is very very hot in the summer. If I were you and I wanted to just do some of Provence I would go to Aix and make that a base for a few nights in addition to staying near nice. One the coast it's very easy to travel by train.

It seems all the guided tours of the Luberon (or at least the most popular) depart from Aix, so I will do that! It seems at first glance that there are less guided tours from Arles.

Also, I realized that my dates for the riviera part of my itinerary fall on Bastille day (14th July). I only just learned about the holiday, I feel a bit ignorant. I have 8 nights in total, and was gonna do 5 in Nice and 3 in Aix. I depart July 16th.

The fireworks seem stunning, however, does it get a lot more crowded in the riviera on the days leading up to 14 Juillet? Would I be better off doing Nice first then Aix or vice versa?

One idea was to spend 14 Juillet in Nice, then take a boat tour that goes to Cannes for the fireworks. Or is Provence area a better place to be during Bastille in terms of festivities? Also, with lavender season, I plan on seeing them, so not sure how much a 3 night difference in dates matters.

Given the all information, any advice on the order of my dates? I can either do 11-16th in Nice or 8th-13th in Nice.

I also understand that in Nice it will (understandably) be a somber day, after the terrorist attack in 2016.

Summer is crowded on the Riviera in general. I would stay there for 14th July, the fireworks will be far better than in Provence.
Also, while there are indeed yearly commemorations in Nice - and no fireworks on that day, I would not expect the mood to be appreciably somber - at least based on my experience of the Paris attacks of the previous year. We remember, but life goes on, and it has been 9 years.

Summer is crowded on the Riviera in general. I would stay there for 14th July, the fireworks will be far better than in Provence.

Really appreciate the input! Would Cannes be a good place to watch? I was planning on doing a boat tour from Nice of the fireworks.

Also, while there are indeed yearly commemorations in Nice - and no fireworks on that day, I would not expect the mood to be appreciably somber - at least based on my experience of the Paris attacks of the previous year. We remember, but life goes on, and it has been 9 years.

I see. Just trying to understand the mood so I can be respectful when I’m there.

Regarding Cannes, I don't know. Only been once, didn't care for the town, and it was not 14th July.
But they have budget, so I'm sure that the fireworks are lovely, and seeing them from a boat must be quite the experience!

Yes, do the boat tour. If you can still get a seat, do it because that's the best way to see the fireworks.
There will be fireworks in many towns along the Riviera, some on the 13th, others on the 14th. French holiday begin the night before. Also, watch for the firemen's balls at the firehouses, called un bal des pompiers.

As for Aix or Arles, it's all hot. I live close by, it's hot.

Yes, do the boat tour. If you can still get a seat, do it because that's the best way to see the fireworks.
There will be fireworks in many towns along the Riviera, some on the 13th, others on the 14th. French holiday begin the night before. Also, watch for the firemen's balls at the firehouses, called un bal des pompiers.

Is there anywhere specifically on the riviera you can recommend to celebrate? Was planning on just doing Nice (with boat tour to Cannes). But was curious if there’s any other special/big event in a town I’m not aware of.

For bal des pompiers, is there anyplace to find which firehouses are celebrating/to go to?