Hello: mid-May we will be 4 nights in Nice; then on to Saint Remy. It appears that the drive to Saint Remy is not too long if done straight thru on the thoroughfare; also possible to do some sight-seeing on the way for a longer day. We are thinking of renting a car as we leave Nice and using it for 8 days in Provence We will turn it in, probably in Avignon when we take the train to Paris.
Has anyone done this drive? Any info or advice on the drive is appreciated. Thanks, Susan
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Your overall concept looks good, renting the car as you leave Nice and then using it in Provence.
The only thing I would suggest is: not driving into Provence cities like Nimes, Arles, and Avignon--driving in those cities is unnecessary and a hassle (traffic and parking). Those cities are most easily visited by train. Use the car to visit Provence sites that are more easily visited by car, like St. Remy, Les Baux, Pont du Gard, etc.
Posted by
Podunk, Utah
149 posts
This past spring, my wife and I spent 3 nights in Nice before renting a car and driving to Lacoste. Along the way, we stopped at Fondation Maeght in Saint Paul de Vence, in Cucaron to see L'étang and eat lunch, and in Lourmarin. It was a great day! I'd suggest that you hoard coins while in Nice for the tolls along the way.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Eze, above and near Nice, is a spectacular village to visit. It's close in to Nice, to the west, but up above.
You could do this on your itinerary.
Not the Eze on the coast, the one on the Corniche road, up high, overlooking the coast.
Posted by
San Carlos, CA, USA
383 posts
We have done the opposite drive--from St. Remy to Nice. We stayed on main roads driving through Aix, but did not stop there or anywhere else because it seemed to be taking us a long time to get to Nice. It took us about 3 hours--longer than we had anticipated.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Yep, everywhere in Europe takes longer than you think to get there.
Except if you're on the London Underground or the Paris Metro.
Posted by
Martinez, CA, USA
1507 posts
We did not do this exact drive but last year we drove from Marseille to Arles. The drive took about the time indicated on googlemaps but we did not stop to sight see. Google shows 2.5 hours from Nice to St. Remy so it seems you could stop along the way without having an overly long day. During our 5 days in Arles we drove to many sites including Pont du Gard, Nimes, Avignon, and some towns in the Camargue. If you visit Avignon during your 8 days, there is a free parking lot over the Daladier Bridge and a free shuttle to Palais des Papes and the old town. After another 5 days in St. Remy we turned our car in at the TGV train station in Avignon. Finding the rental return entrance was a bit of a problem as our GPS took us to the parking lot for train dropoffs and departures but after a phone call to the rental agency we found it, though it should have been a lot easier than it was.