My 21-year-old daughter and I will be traveling to the South of France, in and out of Nice, for ten days at the end of May. Where are the best places to make a home base in Cote d' Azure as well as Provence. We will probably rent a car, especially to explore the villages of Provence. Any recommendations on length of time would be valued as well. Thank you!
Posted by
Portland, OR
117 posts
Here are Rick's recommendations.
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/provence-french-riviera-itinerary
Also, watch lots of youtube videos on the sites. It is addicting and you get an idea of what you really want to do.
Posted by
Washington DC
28065 posts
A rental car may not be the best choice while you're visiting the Riviera. Along the coast both traffic and parking can be issues. There's a regional train line running through the coastal towns (not quite as far as St. Tropez in the west) that makes hopping around very simple. There are buses to a lot of the hill towns (Eze, St-Paul-de-Vence, etc.), and there's a train to Grasse. A lot of the buses originate in Nice, which makes it a convenient place to stay if you don't have a car. If you'd prefer to stay in a smaller place, there are lots of options. Two that are often mentioned here are Villefranche-sur-Mer (pop. 5,000) and Antibes (pop. 75,000). Just make sure you don't choose a place that's way to the west if most of the things you want to see are on the eastern end of the Riviera, or vice versa.
Your choice in Provence should be guided by the places you want to see in that area.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, US
468 posts
I would recommend Antibes, as far as its really nice and mellow atmosphere/setting/restaurants/shopping/walking, and proximity to other places on the coast, Provence, hill towns, Italy, Maritime Alps.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
My favorite town in all of France is St Rémy-de-Provence in western Provence, about 25 min east of Avignon. It’s the perfect size, super charming, lots of fun stores, bakeries, places to eat, and a great outdoor market twice a week. It’s quintessential Provence. You do need a car in this part of Provence, super easy driving to a long list of wonderful towns/cities to visit. We’ve stayed at Hotel du Soleil, and loved it. Free pkng.
shannon is right, we always watch lots of YouTube videos when trying to figure out where to go. I don’t always agree with Rick’s lists, prefer to research further, and YouTube is a great way to get a sense of what you might like or not like.
Posted by
Nice, France & San Francisco
712 posts
Arriving at the end of May is the time where the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix overlap. You may find driving more difficult at that time frame. It could be best to stay in Nice (or Antibes -- may be overrun due to proximity to Cannes) and then take public transport. Then, pick up a car at the airport on your way off to western Provence (St. Remy or a town in the Luberon are my favorites --- like Gordes, Bonnieux, Menerbes, etc). You can also stop at inland villages on your way out, like St. Paul de Vence, if that interests you.
Posted by
283 posts
S, F, 70+, I just spent a week in Aix now been in Arles since Friday, and we'll go to Avignon for 2 weeks on Friday. I only travel by public transportation. So I laid out all the about 20 towns that I wanted to see particularly on their Market Days, and that is why although I have heard that Avignon is the least attractive of the cities I am staying in between the three most of the towns that I wanted to visit were easier to visit from Avignon.
Since I have been here now for 11 days, the slight disadvantage that I should mention is that although I know the arrival and departure times of the buses that I am taking, sometimes I would like to leave both the town I'm staying in and the town I'm visiting either a little later or a little earlier but have to hang around maybe for an extra 45 minutes because of the bus schedule.