Provence base 5 nights late Sept 2024

I absolutely loved Avignon and stayed there as a base for 3 night’s September of 2023. Stay right in the heart of the city, you won’t be disappointed. It’s also a train and travel hub and have wonderful restaurants and shops.

I would use it again.
I also stayed 3 nights in Arles and enjoyed that too but preferred Avignon.
Have fun!

Although it was 4 or 5 years ago, we had absolutely no problem with Avignon and didn't find it gritty or rougher at all. Our Airbnb was inside the walls, but easily walkable to the train station and busses. The market, Les Halles, is really fun and if you're cooking in an Airbnb -- a fantastic choice for fresh bread, meat, veg, and cheese. Avignon is an excellent transportation hub. From there, we day tripped to Arles, Nimes, Marseille (which was a little rougher, but not at all enough to discourage a day trip), Pont du Gard and Isle-sur-la-Sorgue with fast, cheap trains or busses. It's also quickest and most accessible from Paris. All that said, if you really don't want to stay in Avignon, I'd suggest Arles. It is a cute little town that has good train connections as well, although not as good as Avignon, as well. (Be sure to see the Museum of Ancient in Arles if you stay there or not.) I don't think that Pont du Gard would be a good choice for accommodations; it is too far from any good transportation options.

I’m very much in the anti-Avignon demographic. You can have grittiness if there’s enough charm or sightseeing to balance it, but this town does not. I just felt like Arles has more to see and do, and has some small town charm to go with it. I enjoyed Arles far more than Avignon, and got much better vibes there.

Not having a car is a major factor. Avignon is undoubtedly better when it comes to public transportation for your itinerary. But I’ll argue that seeing Pont du Garde or St. Remy by bus is not convenient either. Your best bet to cover some of these sights would be a minivan tour, which I’m sure could also be arranged from Arles. It was some years ago, but I took a half day one that covered Pont du Garde, a Roman ruins near St. Remy, and Les Baux. It was enjoyable, a decent value, and was certainly not anything I could have pulled off on my own. There’s tons of these with varying agendas, I would look into them.

Both Arles and Avignon are on the TGV line to Lyon, so that is not a concern.

I have stayed in Arles and Avignon without a car, and found the charm of Arles makes it a better place to stay, although Avignon has better transportation options. I did not find Avignon to be particularly gritty, just not as charming as Arles. From Avignon, I took an all day tour in a van with six or seven other people and that was interesting and fun and well worth the money.

Thank you for your replies and advice - much appreciated. C+R