Hello. I was wondering if anyone has driven from Arles to Sault? We will be there third week of July and would like to see the lavender fields in Sault and elsewhere, like Abbaye Notre-Dame. We are planning to stay in Nice for a week after the lavender field visits and will drive into Nice and return hired car there. What would be your recommended route? Not looking for speed so much as scenery. Thanks!
Posted by
Paris
6920 posts
Hi,
Do you spend the night in or near Sault?
If so, from Arles to Sault, a scenic route would be to go: Arles-Fontvieille-Les Baux de Provence D27 to Saint Rémy. Off D27, to the right immediately after the top of the climb, a very minor unmarked road leads to a magnificent overview of Les Baux.
Then east-north-east towards Cavaillon, Gordes - where you should stop for a visit if the parking situation looks approachable, and north to Senanque Abbey. From there, two options: either go "directly" via Murs to Sault, or take a fairly long détour with some hairy roads towards Venasque - Villes sur Auzon- Nesque gorge road (d942) to Sault. The latter is a tiring drive beware.
If you're planning to go Arles-Nice in a day via Sault, it's a long day. You could just about go the following way:
Arles-Sault via Avignon and dual carriageway to Carpentras, then D942-D1
Sault-Digne-Grasse
Grasse-Nice via highway
Or, if the goal is simply to see lavender fields
Arles - Senanque via fastest route
Senanque - Valensole area
Valensole - Nice, either via Verdon gorge North rim (Moustiers-Castellane-Grasse) or via small country roads towards Draguignan, then highway to Nice
Posted by
752 posts
Although it makes sense to think about various routes, once you’re in Arles, you may want to call the office de tourisme in Gordes, Sault, etc to determine where the bloom is best. Weather rules. Sénanque sometimes harvests their crop before the third week of July. Have a wonderful drive!