Provence Base Challenge: Where?

I think you'll find a lot of folks with good info here. I will be in the Loire valley and heading to Provence this March and understand how you feel. Paris to Avignon is very easy by TGV train - zoom! 5 min hop from Avignon TGV to Avignon Centre train station. I find Avignon a good hub for using trains. I enjoyed L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue even on a rainy day. Others have mentioned finding day tours at the tourism office in Avignon as a way to see nearby towns with a handful of others. I think I'll do that this time. I will not rent a car. I'm adding some time in Aix, as well. Keep researching and then maybe just cut loose a little and see what you're drawn to? Enjoy!

I went to Provence during lavender time and used Roussillon as my base. I started with 3 days in Nice, then trained to Avignon for 1 night, picked up the car and then went to Roussillon. I loved where I stayed but it has changed owners and name. I'll see if I can find the new name and put it in my reply. I had a room with a small terrace that overlooked the valley.

EDIT: La Maison des Ocres. Looks like it now has a pool that it didn't have when I stayed there. Good reviews on booking.com and quite reasonably priced.

We decided on St-Remy-de-Provence. It's pretty centrally located. I watched several of the walking style videos and it looked like it had lovely shops and ambience. Our other choice was L'Isle sur la Sorgue, which I'm sure would have also been great.

We flew into Nice and spent 3 nights on the coast in Villefrenche-sur-mer without a car, used the train and uber for day trip along the coast. We took the train and picked up a car in Aix. We drove through several villages in the Luberon Valley in our way to our lodging, Le Ferme de la Huppe, just outside of Gordes. We spent 3 nights there exploring villages/towns in the Luberon Valley. We passed lavender fields everywhere- they were not hard to find. We even did a day trip to Arles and stopped at a huge sunflower field. Any of the towns in the Luberon Valley would work, and you’ll pass by lavender fields as you explore other towns in the area. There are maps maps in google with actual locations, but we passed so many in our own, I never bothered with the map. The car rental in Aix is at the train station, so an easy location to return your car before you head to catch your flight home.

This was a tough choice. Provence is an area I want to see all of!

But, I will spit it up to use mostly public transportation. So, my bases will be in Avignon, Arles, and Aix. Then add the hill towns by car from Ilse de la Sorgue or Rousillon.

Thank you all for your replies.
I appreciate your help!
Lee

We did a 12 day Nice and Provence trip with 3 friends in 2022. We didn't see all we wanted to see so returned to Provence in 2024 for 17 days.
Can't go wrong with your ideas. Beauty everywhere. We were in Provence near lavender fields at end of June and just coming into bloom.
1st trip we flew Newark direct to Nice. Easy to get around Nice without a car. There is an easy tram to get from airport to downtown accommodations if you want to see VilleFranche-sur-Mer; Monaco, Antibes from Nice if like couple days there.
Then we rented a car to drive through Aix for the day and stayed in Eygalières, Provence, France 7 days. Beautiful home and town for home base. We saw Le Baeux, St. Remy(very crowded on market day); Avignon, Le parc Camargue, Pont Du Gard, Arles.

When we returned to Provence we flew (with lots connections) to Marseille. We stayed few nights in Aix, very hip, scene there. Hiked the Calanques in Cassis, because I wasn't sure I could stomache the boat ride. WE rented a wonderful home in Rousillon for the week and used as home based all over Provence. Looking back on our itetineray can't believe all the the sights but we actually went at very slow pace. Rousillon can get very crowded, because it is a small town but beautiful to see the Ocre landscape. Saw Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Apt, LaCoste, Gordes, Caves Thouzon, Goult, Isle Sur-La Sorgue.

Then have 4 nights in Uzes near Nimes and Pont Du Gard, since we didn't see that 1st time, really wanted to. Salon de Provence and the Marius Fabre Soap factory.
Always good advice from uncles that have traveled the world: booked a hotel to overnight near airport before return flight to US. Our return was cancelled/rebooked/delayed/ a mess so it was nice to wait it out in hotel next to airport.
Message me if you want more details!