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Seeking Travel Advice for a September Journey to the French Riviera and Provence

Posted by on

We are a party of three adults and a toddler planning an unforgettable trip in September. We would greatly appreciate any insights, tips, or recommendations to enhance our experience!

Queries:
- In the Luberon region, is it recommended to stay in one village as a base for exploring, or should we move around? Which towns are essential visits, and where would you recommend for overnight stays?
- Has anyone recently visited the Verdon Gorge? I'm concerned about reports of low water levels in past years. Is it still a worthwhile destination?
- We're flexible with our schedule. Would you suggest extending or shortening our stay in any particular area?
- We're considering adding more destinations to our itinerary. Initially, we thought about including Cassis and the Calanques National Park but opted out for a more relaxed pace. Are there other places we should consider?

Detailed Itinerary:
Days 1-2: Nice
- Stay in Nice. Explore the city and its surroundings (Eze and Monaco)

Day 3: Travel to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Depart from Nice, with stops in Cannes and Grasse.
Overnight in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.

Days 4-5: Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Day 4: Kayaking in Verdon Gorge.
Day 5: A day to relax and explore Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.

Days 6-9: Luberon Region Exploration
Considering whether to establish a single base or move between towns.
Planned visits include Roussillon, Gordes, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and Saint-Remy. Aiming to experience at least one market day.

Days 10-12: Aix-en-Provence
Stay in Aix-en-Provence, with one day dedicated to cycling.

Day 13: Return to Paris
Drop off the car in Avignon and board the TGV to Paris.

Posted by
700 posts

I would add Antibes and Nimes and lose Eze, Rousillon, Gordes and Monaco. Also fine restaurants in Avignon. I like Nice as a very California like place.

Posted by
6713 posts

I've been to only some of the places you're considering, but my advice about the Luberon is to sleep in one place, whichever you choose, and explore from there. You'll save time and energy by not packing up and moving every day, and you'll get to know whichever town you choose a little better by spending a few nights there. And I'm not sure why you're choosing Aix as your cycling base. It's a relatively big city with other attractions. But you must have some insight into cycling there that I don't have.

Posted by
3 posts

Re: cycling, I just read on a blog that Aix would be good for cycling... I don't know too much about it, but would like to spend one day cycling. I read that Luberon area is probably too hilly.

Good point on staying in one place - is there a town/village in Luberon valley that you recommend?

Posted by
10621 posts

With a toddler, the fewer changes you make, the better. So, IMHO as a grandma, one place to sleep with day trips after you leave Moustiers will keep bébé calmer.

For cycling, you might want to look at Malaucène, a town/village near Vaison-la-Romaine, Avignon, Orange, that is the center of cycling. People come from all over the world to ride from there. It's at the base of Mont Ventoux, which you'll recognize from the Tour de France. You'll find 3 bike shops and tons of riders, everyone gathered in the cafés and restaurants in the evenings, discussing routes and such.

You wouldn't be there long enough to rent one of these apartments, but we stayed in this self-catering vacation village one year. https://www.artsetvie.com/residences-en/malaucene-residence-16.html

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