Help, please We're planning a trip to France in mid October for 2 weeks. We've been to Paris many times and, while we love it, decided to see the parts of Provence and the Languedoc we're not familiar with. We have traveled to Avignon, the villages, Aix, and St Remy in the past, are not interested in the Roman ruins (we lived in Italy) but love art, medieval history, French food/wine, churches and beautiful scenery. My husband enjoys long walks but I'm not able to join him (bad knees) so I head to museums or cooking classes. We prefer one or two bases rather than moving each night - and hope that Uzes and Carcassonne will be good locations.
Day 1 Travel from Paris to Uzes, via TGV from Paris (pick up rental at Avignon TGV) lodge at l’Hostellerie Provencale or L'Albiousse, dinner at Hostellerie
Day 2 Uzes - medieval garden, chateau (?), Musee Georges Borias (?), wander La Fontaine d'Eure (husband), dinner at Les Trois Saisons in Uzes
Day 3 Uzes - Pont du Gard and Sainte Quentin du Poterie - lunch/dinner in Castillion du Gard at Les Jarres
Day 4 Uzes - Tarascon (chateau, churches, Tuesday market) OR Villeneuve de Avignon (monastery, Musee Pierre du Luxembourg, Fort St Andre, Eglise Notre Dame) or cooking class at Le Pistou/Uzes
Day 5 en route to Carcassonne - Saint Gilles (?) and Aigues Mortes - overnight in Aiges Mortes/Hotel CanalL or Caunes Minervois/Hotel D'Alibert) - note these hotels look very nice and are less pricey than Carcassonne and, since we will be arriving late, I thought it made sense to pause at one of these)
Day 6 Carcassonne - lodge at the Hotel de la Cite or Hotel du Chateau - visitLa Cite, walk the walls (husband), Musee de l'Inquisition, Musee des Beaux Artes, dinner at the hotel
Day 7 Carcassonne - visit Albi (Cathedral Sainte Cecile, Musee Toulouse Lautrec)
Day 8 Carcassonne - Sainte Guilhem le Desert (lovely town with art galleries, monastery, walking paths according to an article I found!) - dinner at Auberge Sire de Cabaret in Roquefere
Day 9 en route back to Avignon - Minerve (Hurepel de Minerve with lunch at Relais Chantovent) or Bezier , churches, Musee Beaux Artes (which one?)
Day 10 overnight near Avignon on the Ile de la Barthelasse at Le Mas de l'ile or Mas de Capelou to get the early train back to Paris the next morning).
Note that I've suggested far too many sites on some days, to provide options, and would appreciate thoughts on what might not be worthwhile. Neither Tarascon, Saint Gilles or Sainte Guilhem le Desert are in the most popular guides but they sound fascinating - are they?
I've suggested restaurants and hotels, based on various guides, that I hope are ‘special’ -- are they?
And, is this a 'logical' itinerary, given driving distances (and the roads)?
Any thoughts would be MOST appreciated!