Carcassonne between Paris and Provence?

1) No, you will need two bases in Provence to see the sights you list. Nice is 3 hours from Avignon.

2) In my opinion it is not worth the considerable detour just to see Carcassonne, which is not really "between Paris and Provence." But it's your trip and above all else you should do what you are moved to do. Just be aware of the time involved and what you could see instead.

3) If you go to Carcassonne it will take you about the same amount of time by car as by train (roughly 3 hours from Avignon), so you should do what you prefer.

Hello Adam!

Thank you for your reply!

Sorry, I was asking about 2 bases in Provence (like 1 near Avigon, 1 near Aix in Provence), besides Nice (Côte d´Azur).
So, do you think I should use 2 bases in Provence, or only 1 should be enough?

Yes you are right I see Carcassonne is not "between" Paris and Provence, it would be a "detour", so I am not sure it would be worth with... :/

Thank you!
Tatiana

There's a word problem. Provence is a region composed of six departments -- it's lateral boundaries are the Rhone River and the Italian border. The Côte d'Azur is the French Riviera which is wholly contained in Provence as are all the other places mentioned.

Adam is correct. You need two bases within Provence. No harm would be done by having three, depending upon your final identification of places to see and how they cluster -- you'll probably be adding more sites as your planning continues.

Adam's logic is also valid regarding Carcassonne. If it makes you feel better, the Cite is an inaccurate rebuild that's been going on since the mid-1800s -- the castle bears no resemblance to the original structure and the clown hats on the turrets were conceived by the same joker who stuck the third steeple on Notre Dame in Paris.

In addition to all of Ed's reason for why Carcassone isn't worth a big detour, I'll add that its streets are lined with tacky souvenir shops and jammed with hordes of tourists.

Thank you all!!!!! It helped me a lot.

Tatiania, sorry I misunderstood. I would not have a 3rd base just to visit Aix, which is about an hour from Arles and Avignon. Maybe for the Luberon, though, with a day trip to Aix from there, if you want to see Aix.

One thing you do get from sleeping someplace is the late night/waking-up-there experience.

In defense of Carcassonne: Popular places attract crowds and crowds attract tacky shops. Mont St. Michel the same. But these places are often popular for a reason, and there are strategies for having a good visit. For Carcassonne, as I said, not worth the detour, but it's not such an awful place if you plan it right.

I visited Carcassone for the first time last week and thought it was worth a day. The castle tour was interesting and the photos I took at night are magical. The "tourists" left at about 4 p.m. and we had the place to ourselves.

In defense of Carcassonne, recent scholarship has supported the choice of materials for reconstruction. Only the top third was taken down by individuals to be used for building when Napoleon decommissioned the fort. Most of what you see is original. Second, when it was decided to reconstruct and preserve the fort in the 19th century, Paris businessmen bought up the structures within the walls knowing this place would attract visitors who buy stuff.

Thank you again Adam, and all the others.

It is being very important to me to read all your considerations.

So, my husband and I are detailing the 12 days on Provence (including Côte d´Azur) and I let you know what we decided about the crowded Carcassonne. :)

By the way, in Provence, where do you recommend to set up base (besides Côte d´Azur - Nice)? Any suggestion?

Thank you,
Tatiana

the advice on this thread is good.