Southern France Road Trip Advice

Not to a specific option, but you can certainly do Aix in a day (we spent about 6 hrs there - but it was raining so hard that it put a - excuse the pun - damper on things and we ended up back at our room early because of flooding and torrential rain).

We spent about 4 hrs or so at Les Baux, but none of the displays (oh, my mind can't think of the word!) were ongoing at that time of year (archery and whatnot). If you decide to do that option and you like ruins, on the way to Les Baux you will pass Glanum which was mildly interesting and took a little less than an hour.

Avignon was OK for us, but we enjoyed Arles quite a bit, and to a lesser extent - Nimes. Did both in a day (Arles and Nimes). Don't miss Pont du Gard - about 60-90 min is a good visit. My fav in that area was Rousillon. We had a car which came in very handy for the area. We visited in early Oct, so there weren't as many tourists as will be around in August.

If you decide on the option with Lyon, you can send me a message if interested in insider knowledge - last night, I had a couchsurfer from Lyon and he said that it isn't very touristy there and he gave me a whole page of interesting things to see and do as I have some interest in going to Lyon on our next visit to France.

I think you ought to go to Auvergne! It's full of villages, it's pretty, not very touristy, very walkable, full of cows, has great cheese!

Le Puy is a very unique place. I would also recommend Conques (which is just south of Auvergne), Salers and Orcival. This is a volcanic area and has good walks. Conques and Orcival have great churches. We stayed in all 3 places two summers ago. Did not go to Le Puy on that trip. I would not stay in Clermont Ferrand -- stay in a smaller place.

I studied in Vichy many years ago which is when I was introduced to Auvergne. You almost never see posts about it here. It's off the usual track but there is plenty to see and do.

I'll second the vote to go the Auvergne route, including all the places mentioned (except maybe Vichy). I'll also second skipping Clermont-Ferrand.

I would also agree that exploring your Auvergne option further would not disappoint you. We are just finishing a weeklong stay not too far from the area you are talking about and it has really been one of the best weeks we've ever spent on vacation. Our home base has been Saint Antonin Noble Val, but there are so many beautiful towns in this area that I don't think you can go wrong. It's very inexpensive and not crowded at all, although that will likely change in August.

Based on your priorities, I would advise the Gorges du Verdun. At the top of the gorge are fabulous views on the aqua water down below. I think that there are trails, but not absolutely sure. There is a road that climbs to the top and then goes down to the small lake at the base of the gorge. There is kayak/canoe rental at the lake. A short drive away is Moustiers which is a tiny town with a waterfall that runs through it. The town does not have a lot of sights, but is a beautiful, little town with a 800 year old chapel on a cliff above the town. It is close to the gorge which makes it a nice place to stay for a night and is about half way between Nice and Aix.

I agree with other posters about Arles, the RS book talks about the sites here and the nearby Pont du Gard. If you are a cycling fan or cyclist, Mont Ventoux is east (?) of Vaison la Romaine. This is the hardest stage of the Tour and has incredible views on a clear day. For Rhone wine aficionados, Gigondas, Vaysqueras (sp) and Chateauneuf du Pape are all in this general vicinity, north of Avignon. I found Vaison la Romaine relatively non-touristy with a few sites, great wine, and many narrow cobbled streets to explore.

How can you go wrong with 10 days in the south of France.
I was in the region 2 weeks ago and it was fantastic. You may want to consider Toulouse as a starting/meeting point rather than Perpignan if you have the option. It is truly a hidden gem, and very "non -touristy." The city is very accessible by foot, and is absolutely gorgeous. The city has a nice web site with various options on walks through the city. Collioure sounds beautiful. I will be visiting there in mid July and will let you how it is.
Lyon is also a great city to visit, and can be fully explored in 1-2 days. The people were very welcoming and helpful and the recommended sights laid out by RS in his Lyon chapter were perfect. We stayed at Hotel Celestins and loved it.
Hope this helps.
Bill