I am planning a trip to France for next May. We plan to spend 5 nights in Paris, 2 nights in Bayeux and then take the TGV to Provence. We will rent a car in Avignon for the week. We would really like to limit our packing and unpacking and stay in just one town for this week. We are leaning towards St. Remy en Provence. Many people on this forum seem to suggest staying in two towns. My question is this. Is it possible to do day trips from St Remy to the Luberon, Vaison les Romains, possibly Cassis to see les Calanques, Arles, Orange, possibly Aix, etc.? Looking at google maps, it seems that none of those places are more than a 2 hour drive from St Remy. Am I overly optimistic to think this will work? Thanks!
Posted by
Somerville, MA
605 posts
Yes. Cassis is far, but rest is easily doable. I have made a drive time matrix for this very purpose. Send me a private message if you would like a copy (it is a PDF and I cannot attach it here). If it were me, I would rent a house or apartment for a week and consider spending one night mid week at a hotel in Cassis. You will be paying for 2 places on that night but you will save on logistics and overall sanity.
Matt
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Yes, these are all within an hour or less from St Remy.
Note that there is no TGV in Bayeux, you will have to return to Paris and then transfer to Gare Lyon to catch the fast train to Provence. Doable, but a long day.
Posted by
OP
Braintree, MA
139 posts
Thank you Matt and Adam. I appreciate the input. I will definitely look into a one night stay in Cassis. I also knew that we would have to go back to Paris from Bayeux to get the TGV to Avignon. I have been to the D Day sites in Normandy and found them incredibly moving. I want my husband to experience that so I think it is worth the long day of travel!
Posted by
1 posts
Matt, I'm going to send you a private message. I'm interested in your pdf about driving in the area. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by
Franklin, TN, USA
873 posts
Just returned from taking this trip. We flew into Paris, trained to Avignon and stayed in Gordes for 4 nights and then St. Remy for 4 nights. We wanted 2 places to stay to expose ourselves to 2 towns and that worked out well. We made it a goal to visit a Provençal market each day and that was wonderful. On Sunday we visited L’ Isle de la Sorgue and it poured down rain. We left early and drove to Menerbes, Loumarin, Roussillon that afternoon and loved seeing those small towns.....and the countryside. Was not a difficult drive to any of them.
Hope this helps....... St Remy is CHARMING!