So much to see, not nearly enough time, and to much time doing research ugggh

I’m typically a relatively quick-paced traveler, but even I would say this is just way too many places to pack into this time. I can relate. But I think you’d be miserable.

Your suggestion of things to do around a single night is impossible, also, you can easily get from Saumane de Vaucluse to Pont du Gard, it's not that far. I'd simply spend another night in Paris, then stay in Saumane - I hate one night stays.
But you'll have to make a few choices along the way to keep your sanity. Uzes OR Saint Rémy, Nîmes OR Arles spring to mind. Also, don't move to a separate place in Lubéron, Saumane is basically in Lubéron already.

Now, if you are intent on coming from Paris on 7 Aug, I would
- take early train to Nimes
- rent car
- put luggage in car, then visit Nîmes around lunchtime.
- move to Pont du Gard in the late afterboon
- get to Uzes for dinner, spend night in Uzes.
Then drive to Saumane de Vaucluse the next day.

Or I'd keep the original booking in St Étienne du Grès... You win some, you lose some, and St Étienne du Grès is a bit more convenient for touring the region (better, faster roads!)

What's crazy is spending so much of your time moving from one place to another. And costly too. It's not technology's fault, just dreaming. For instance: Avignon is worth a least a full day all by itself. You are considering buzzing around the region too, which will shortchange every place. Slow down and smell the croissants.

An easy and costly mistake to make is: Ending up spending most of your precious vacation time traveling getting from point A to point B (tedious and boring). What you want to do is spend more of your time doing and seeing the things you're going there to see and do.

So very true on France ie, so much to see, not enough time, even though I am not that crazy and enthusiastic about Provence. I would very much like going back to Avignon for a 2nd trip.

The Vaucluse is lovely and interesting--good pick!

And while you could have manged all your day trips from there, since you have a choice for that one first night, I would pick Nimes, the furthest from Saumane. Take the train to Nimes, and pick a hotel that will hold your bags for you before check-in.

Then, if you are very nimble, you can kayak the Gard and perhaps see some of the Roman antiquities in Nimes. I'd skip Arles the next day, too much of the same, but (1) definitely visit it later and (2) go ahead with Les Baux and St Remy.