I am celebrating my 80th birthday by taking my 4 adult daughters to Europe. We traveled to southern France 40 years ago. They are each very different in what they like to do for vacations: people watching, museums, long walks, concerts. cussed individualists all, we need to be able to walk out independently and get together for meals, adventures as the spirit moves. I'm looking for suggestions for any city you think might fill the bill. say avignon, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Nimes, Bordeaux. We could rend a car for a day of sightseeing, but do not want to be in a car for daily immersion in the local culture. It would be wonderful to be able to cook for ourselves. Thinking about late April, 2017.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32352 posts
betsy,
My suggestion would be Nice, as it's a scenic and vibrant city with enough variety to satisfy every member of your group. It's also a great "home base" to use for excursions to places like Monaco / Monte Carlo, Villefranche, Eze or other spots in that area. For those that like Museums, the Matisse and Chagall Museums are good. You could also visit the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7937 posts
Happy birthday, in advance! Ken's Nice suggestion is good, an the city has a good bus & tram system (and being expanded -- tram line to the Nice airport is under construction), if you weren't using a car. Outstanding restaurants (Cafe Alto and Passe Plat, for starters), but getting a place where you can cook with local ingrediants is certainly a possibility. As an alternative, Avignon is always wonderful, and offers a lot in town, as well as serving as a base for exploring surrounding places, and April will certainly be cooler than if you visited in July! Check HomeAway, VRBO, and Gites de France Websites to find possible apartments or homes in Nice or Avignon where you can do you cooking.
Posted by
Paris, France
131 posts
I immediately thought of Nice too. It ticks all of your boxes. Late April would be a great time to visit.
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
Nice in April will probably not be as crowded as in the summer, so would certainly offer a lot of variety... but, it depends on if you want a big city experience, or something a little more intimate.
I have stayed a number of times in St. Remy in Provence, and while there are not too many museums there, it has plenty of art galleries, a wonderful market, great shopping and an absolutely beautiful town to wander around. There is also the hospital where VanGogh spent time... it makes for a wonderful walk in the early morning. No trains go there, but you could rent a car and have it for day trips to many of the surrounding villages and towns... but the whole of St. Remy is totally walkable.
Posted by
California
774 posts
I vote for Arles! Charming city with a fabulous market, Roman theatre, easy day trips and great restaurants. We love having an apéritif on Place du Forum before dinner. Enjoy!