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Provence in mid-May - where would you stay?

Posted by (Far East, Canada) on

We enjoyed our time in Saint‑Rémy‑de‑Provence a couple of years ago. This spring, we plan to return to Provence and explore a bit farther east with a rental car. Starting in Aix‑en‑Provence, we are considering 3–4 nights near Sanary‑sur‑Mer, 3–4 nights near Manosque, and 3–4 nights near Châteaurenard. These towns are only starting points, and we are open to other suggestions. We will likely return the car in Avignon and take the train to Paris.

We are not focused on churches, castles, or museums. We enjoy Roman ruins but saw many on our last trip, including Nîmes, Arles, and Pont du Gard. This time, we want to explore, relax, and enjoy the region. We like good food, but we are not food experts.

We would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on this plan, especially on towns that might make good bases.

Posted by
7779 posts

Sanary is a good choice, I go there regularly - next time will be in early May!
Hotels are scarce; to me the top choice there would be Le Bon Abri - conversely, the Best Western is so-so. If you cannot find a place to stay in Sanary, Bandol is a bit less charming but still a lovely alternative (and the restaurants tend to be a hair better than in Sanary, where I barely have any recommendations). A bit further west still, La Ciotat is also worth considering. Historically gritty, the city has been really spruced up with lots of cute stores, cafés, restaurants, two pretty coves not far from the center, and a very interesting contrast between the old port and the shipyard opposite. All in a dramatic setting.

I would recommend Forcalquier over Manosque: Manosque has a cute old town, but it is otherwise a sprawling place with surprisingly bad traffic for a town of its size.
Or, if you have the Gorges du Verdon in mind, you could stay further east still: Riez, Aups, Valensole, Moustiers-Ste-Marie.

As for Chateaurenard, I have never been, but from the looks of it I'd rather just repeat St Rémy de Provence, or perhaps try Isle sur la Sorgue or Pernes Les Fontaines.

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