My husband and I will be in Provence for 3 days in September. We are having a hard time making a decision on where we should have out home base. We will not have a car. Any suggestions would be terrific.
Hi Dancer,
This very question always gets a wide range of responses and opinions. Truth is, there is no one 'Best Locale' and it all depends on your interests. But, I always trot out Aix. Its just the right size, has a lot of local interest and its market is a good one. Going smaller, we also might suggest Lourmarin, which has an even better market. We've stayed in a several towns and villages over the decades and you can't go wrong. We too are always car-less during travel.
That entire region has much to offer.
Enjoy!
I am done. The end
Without a car, Aix is a good spot, and so is Avignon. Avignon has better train connections, but Aix makes it up with good bus connections. Arles is another very decent option, charming small city with decent train connections. And Isle sur la Sorgue is feasible if you want a smaller place, although less convenient.
For three days I would not stay in a village, as the transportation issue (few buses) will eat up your time.
The 'best' answer depends on what you want to see in Provence.
Arles and Avignon both have good public transportation which worked out well for me on a couple of trips.