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long weekend in Provence with kids - insight request

Posted by on

We're currently based in Geneva and thinking of spending a few days in Provence. We would leave early on a Thursday and return Sunday, most likely. We have 2 young daughters (ages 1 and 4).

At the moment I am leaning toward taking a train to Arles and basing ourselves there - taking one day (Friday or Saturday) to enjoy Arles and the remaining day for a trip to a nearby area - preferably via train or bus (to avoid car rental and/or need for baby seat).

Alternately, we could rent a car in Geneva and make it a road trip - and that opens up more options.

I admittedly am more drawn to medieval hill towns, but I also vastly prefer train travel.. My wife has never seen Roman ruins... My 4 year old loves Van Gogh and lavender.

Decisions decisions - hopefully won't be our only trip to the region as we expect to be in Geneva for a couple more years. Any suggestions?

Posted by
2262 posts

saichele, it sounds like you are okay with driving? My suggestion would be to see Arles, as you say, but do rent a car locally for a day or two so you can get out to a couple of the small villages too. That will give more a well rounded look at Provence than staying with public transport, and be a more efficient use of time, imo. Have a great weekend!

Posted by
3398 posts

If you want to see Roman ruins in Switzerland there are a number that are not far from where you are living. There are Roman ruins just east of you in Martigny - an old amphitheater just beside the St. Bernard museum along the river. A majority of the terraces that the vineyards grow on to the eastern end of Lake Geneva and up through Martigny and Sion are also Roman. If you go under the cathedral in old Geneva there are incredible Roman mosaic floors and many, many relics from Roman times.
For your visit to Provence I'm sure you'd be interested in the Pont du Gard just west of Avignon. The amphitheater in Arles is quite impressive and the rest of southern France has 5 or 6 others in Nimes, Beziers, Narbonne and several other towns west of Provence.

Posted by
2 posts

Hello Dave & Anita - thanks for the input - I lived in Southern Cali myself for years (Ojai, Santa Barbara).

I'm now thinking I'll get 2-way TGV tix to Arles and rent a car one day while there to visit Les Baux and/or Pont du Gard. Setting up in Nimes is also tempting (3 hour TGV ride, with no changes = easier with kids)...

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