Provence first time Itinerary draft

I was there once around the 2nd week and most of the Lavender had been harvested by that time

You may be able to see lavender fields in the Luberon, including at the famous Senanque Abbey near Gordes. However, depending on the timing of the blooms and the weather this spring, you may need to head to the Valensole plateau or even Sault (higher) for the best viewing if the season peaks early and the harvest has happened. The former is not far from your final destination -- is it part of your plan when you are staying at your friends?

There is a Friday market in Bonnieux, if you don't want to drive through the winding road over the hills to Lourmarin. You could hit that on your final day, or drop down into Aix on your way to get your Cezanne fix.

Chicago and Gooster,
Yes, i understand that the lavender will be weather-dependent and unpredictable.

I appreciate the suggestions about Gordes, Sault and Bonnieux. Several people on this forum have praised Loumarin as their "favorite village" in Provence, so that's why I was hoping to visit there, but I will consider Bonnieux. As to Sault, we have nothing planned for that time with our friends, as they have said they would show us around :). But I will keep Sault in mind if we have not had our lavender viewing by that time.

Thank you both!
R

*f you have never driven in France before be aware of the speed cameras, while they are well marked, in some instances they can kind of slip past you especially on the outskirts of Paris! The tickets take forever to reach you, usually past the date to pay the smallest amount, difficult to reach someone that speaks enough english to understand our bad french, and very expensive! ours for 10kmh over was $150! we eventually had to involve an acquaintance to help resolve the issue.. so fair warning! Another consideration when you book a rental car is to read the fine print of the contract and the amount due when you pick up the car- we have had to pay €1000 deposit on top of any other fee, it must be on a credit card and not a debit, yes it is returned but if your not counting on paying that money it can come as a not so pleasant surprise! My husband does hold an International Driving permit, but we still had to pay the deposit.

I do not see any of the magnificent Roman antiquities of Provence in your itinerary.

You did ask for personal opinions; for me, these were a high point of my visits.

Aix is charming, but there is not much to see or do there. And I include Cezanne's studio in that description.

Ragan, we won't be driving near Paris; taking the train to Avignon, but thank you for the advice, we will be aware of that and both have International Driving permits.

Adam, thanks for pointing that out. I will do some more reading and research, but what are your top 3 Roman antiquities that you recommend, and/or one top destination? As you see, we have way too little time in Provence and have to make some tough choices.

thanks for the thumbs down on Aix. I had a friend say the same thing, even more strongly....so that frees up a day!

Thank you both!

1. The Pont du Garde (buses from Nimes and Avignon)

2) The Roman Theater in Orange (train to Orange)

3) Arenas and temples in Arles or Nimes (both on the rail line, temple in Nimes in better shape if that matters).

My suggestion is to use my suggestions to guide your research, then figure out the optimal tradeoff between desirable and logistics.

Your suggestion is exactly what I will do. Thank you Adam!

Rachel

My suggestion is to get the smallest car you feel comfortable with. We made the mistake of getting a car that was too large and it was difficult maneuvering through the very narrow streets in the villages and hills. In L' Isle sur la Sorgue it is hard to find parking on a weekday and is especially difficult on Sundays. Aix has markets several times a week and we enjoyed the textile market where you can purchase French linens and clothing at a reasonable price. We were there last mid-June and the lavender fields at the Abbaye
Senanque weren't as brilliant as we had seen along the roadside. However, the drive to the Abbaye, through the quaint villages of Venasque and Gordes were worth the drive. Whatever you do, you can't go wrong as Provence is charming!

Great suggestion - will ask Husband to check on rental car, which was his task ;-)

And thanks for the comments re Markets....

Rachel

@momorichel -- I only mentioned Sault as it is the last place the lavender blooms, as the elevation is higher. The Valensole is actually closer to your friends place and blooms before Sault. The Luberon is one of the earlier areas (and thus the first to harvest). Lourmarin is a lovely village -- I only mentioned the order change because it is on the way from St. Remy to your friend's. Between the Luberon and the Luberon is a range of hills. It takes a bit of time to wind your way through, so it may make sense to partition the day differently. For example, you could hit Lourmain first on Friday so you get to the market early (it closes at 1pm), and then take the pass through to Bonnieux, which gives you an entire perspective of the valley.

That's great advice, Gooster, I am going to re-look at it all, with yours and others' suggestions in mind! Thanks for your response,
Rachel

Rachel, no one has mentioned the medieval village of Lacoste yet. It’s quite beautiful and is the site of the exquisite Chateau which was once the home of the Marquis de Sade. It is now owned by Pierre Cardin and is slowly being restored. The views of the valley from the castle are truly phenomenal. It is very close to Bonnieux, Rousillon, Menerbes, and was a highlight of our wonderful trip when we stayed in the Louberon a few years ago. The advice about getting the smallest car you can is excellent, as we actually came very close to getting wedged in an archway in Ansouis and had to back up and turn around (no doubt not the first nor the last).

I would second Adam’s recommendation for Roman ruins. The Pont du Gard is one of my favorite places to visit. I am awestruck that the romans were able to build that aqueduct and that it still stands. I also loved Arles and the arena there. I have not been tp the theater in Orange but it is a UNESCO world heritage site and I will be visiting it on our upcoming trip in June. I have visited Nimes as well but personally I prefere Arles. Enjoy your trip!!

I am also a big fan of Cézanne, and added an extra day in Aix after the RS Eastern France tour. Our guide told us that Rick isn't a fan, which is why there isn't much info in books, or on the tour.

I did not regret the time I spend. I enjoyed the studio, though it only needs a short visit, and just up the road you find a place with a great, familiar view of Mont Sainte-Victoire.

My favorite Cézanne site was a visit to the quarry that was the focus of a number of his paintings:
https://www.aixenprovencetourism.com/en/fiche/2644

You might consider a flight from Paris to Avignon. The difference is a direct train takes 2 hours 40 minutes and costs 80 or more euros. A plane will take about an hour and cost 50. True you have to factor in getting to Orly instead of the Gare de Lyon and getting into Avignon from the airport.

Voici our Trip Report from last fall. Dunno, maybe it will be of some use regarding Lourmarin et al. Bon Chance.
I am done. The end.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-provencal-echo

Plenty more to do in Avignon than just take a stroll:
https://avignon-tourisme.com/en/welcome/

The regional airport is Provence Marseille, an efficient place but a fairly long commute (by train!) to Avignon. The fast train will put you on the edge of Avignon with a five-minute shuttle to the city gates. Plus the high-speed train is far more comfortable than a budget airline -- Air Sardine, anyone? -- and part of its journey in the Rhine Valley scenic.

Brad and Southam, Thanks for your suggestions. We have already booked TGV to Avignon, so flight is no longer an option; also I like the idea of watching the scenery go by while on the train....

I will definitely investigate the Avignon tourism site you sent. I know there is lots to see there, but haven't yet pinned down the options.

Thanks all for your suggestions! I will keep asking and investigating :)

Rachel

When you've seen one market, you've seen them all.

As others have noted, lavender may or may not be in bloom. If that's essential, contact local tourist info offices.

Best of Provence: The Roman sites: Orange, Nimes, Arles, the aqueduct.

kb1942: LOL! I happen to agree with you so I really appreciate hearing this. I MIGHT have it in me to visit 2-3 markets and I can't imagine doing more (assuming I can talk the husband into even that many ha ha), so thanks for that.

I will look into the particular antiquities you refer to.

Merci encore,
R

Different strokes, yeah? At this point, we tend to regard good markets right up there with historical sites, and I'm a History major.

I am done. The jaded.

Ha gregglamarsh! I enjoy your dry humor, esp. right now, as I am dealing with a mom in hospital...

Which reminds me to say to all: IF I am slow in responding to your posts, please forgive me. Had to fly to Kansas to visit my elderly ill mother....A little preoccupied at the moment, albeit still hoping to go to France in July, and looking forward to input.

Regards,
Rachel

Hi Rachel,
Wishing you peace during this stressful time---we are going through the exact same thing twofold. Someone phoned us twice pre-8:00 am today while we were still asleep. No messages left, but there's a good chance that it will soon be revealed as not good news.
Iamdonetheend

Thank you Gregg, I am sorry to hear you are dealing with similar stuff. We are on a roller coaster ride over here, one day up, the next day down, future unclear :(. Thanks for your good wishes and same back atcha.
Rachel