In June 2017, we are spending a significant amount of time on the French Riviera - 11 nights total in Nice and Antibes. I think we'll have time for one day trip to Provence. We will have a car and I expect the drive to be approximately 3 hours each way. What would you recommend for a day trip? Thank you!
Posted by
OP
Cleveland, OH
37 posts
Thank you. I have Rick Steves' "Provence and the French Riviera" guide and many plans (probably too many!) for the Riviera (visiting friends in Roquefort-les-Pins, plus Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Monaco, Eze, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, St Paul de Vence, Grasse, Verdon Gorge, maybe Cannes/St Tropez). To clarify, if we have time to visit Provence for just one day (driving from/to Antibes), what would you suggest? I studied in Nice many years ago, but have never been to Provence.
Posted by
Paris, France
131 posts
Nice and surrounds are all technically in Provence.
Rather than just a day trip, I would suggest staying a night or two and if you can't do that then planning another trip to western Provence. Rushing there and back for a day trip kind of defeats the purpose of visiting Provence.
Maybe you could combine it with your drive to the Gorges du Verdon? Which is stunning. I recommend a visit to Moustiers St. Marie when you're there. Then you could continue on to the west to spend at least a night before heading back to Antibes the next evening. It's just over a 2 hour drive from Moustiers to l'Isle sur la Sorgue, and then just under 3 hours for your return trip to Nice.
This way you save backtracking to Nice from the Gorges.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7036 posts
You can certainly do a day trip to Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, or a smaller town like St Remy de provence. In high season the drive times will probably approach or exceed your 3 hr drive time - check viamichelin.com for drive times but be sure to account for heavy traffic and rest stops. Do some research and see which places appeal to you and appear worth the long drive. I would certainly do it but I'm a road tripper by nature.