Hi, all. My husband and I are traveling to France in either early April or early May (please advise which is better) but we haven't settled where to, other than the Provence area (also open to more south, like Nice).
I see that most folks select their destination by how effectively it functions as a "base" to visit other Provence cities, villages, etc. We're not looking for a launching platform but a city or town to get to know in its own right. We don't really like hopping around and, with the exception of maybe one day trip, prefer to be in one city, just lingering in cafes, getting to know the streets, reading in parks, and not rushing.
We love art and history museums, beautiful buildings, and interesting historical sites, but none of these are "musts" (as in, if a city doesn't have an art museum, we don't immediately disqualify it). Food is less important, though good coffee matters. We're also searching for a place that isn't hectic - hopefully, no hordes of day trippers snapping selfies at every pretty cross street (don't know if this is even possible to avoid anymore!).
So, based on that criteria, what's a good town or city in the Provence region that's not too tiny, historically interesting, pretty, walkable, and isn't very crowded? We're looking at Aix, St. Remy, Arles, and Avignon, but very open to your suggestions. Also looking at Nice - will it be very crazy in mid April? I heard from some folks on this forum that they didn't like Aix, Arles, or Avignon - if this is you, can you say why?
Very grateful for your input!