I am planning a trip to France for July 2019 and was hoping to stay in either Arles or Avignon for a few nights (because we won't have a car), but there are festivals in both places the few days we will be there (either Saturday July 6-Monday 8, or July 8-10) and I think it might be difficult to find housing. Are there any other towns I should consider instead that don't have a festival going on in July? It looks like Aix-en-Provence also has one that week!
Posted by
Reno, NV, USA
2547 posts
We were in Avignon for their theater festival a few years ago. It was a hoot. It was very crowded, of course, but a lot of the performers were walking around in costume and in character hawking their shows. It is similar to the Fringe festival in Edinburgh. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a hotel in the city if you book early enough.
Posted by
Boston, MA
1829 posts
I really don't think these festivals would be causing hotel/Airbnb lack of availability in August of 2018
*#1 reason is the places you have looked might not have their 2019 calendar up yet. You are quite early in the process. if you identify a place you like email them for availability.
*#2 is unrelated to any festivals that is a busy time of year in Provence. The lavender and sunflowers will be in bloom and people travel the world over to get to see that at this time of year. That would be a bigger factor on the region booking early than any local festival. People will book a year ahead or more for this purpose ; a festival would have to be quite famous to get folks to book places 12 months in advance to see. Even still at this time there is no way most places in any of the places you listed are already booked full.****
Sorry for the bold ; not sure what is up with that
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Great, thank you! Working on flights and didn't want to make that reservation and then wish I had decided on a different location due to crowds. . . but I'm sure everything will be busy in July. Thank you!
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7161 posts
I was also in Avignon a few years ago during the theater festival and it was really fun. I didn't have any trouble getting a hotel room in the center of the city, booked about 4 months ahead. Things may be more crowded now from what I've been reading so maybe book a little earlier than that if you know for sure your dates. The parade the evening before the official start of the festival was fantastic fun.