Hello,
We are hoping to visit Provence and South-East France in July. Are there quieter small towns in these regions where we can stay to avoid crowds and then drive or take public transit into the larger towns (Arles, Avignon, Aix, Nice, Monaco, etc.) during the days?
Thank you
Hi,
In Provence, yes, if you drive. Do you mean July 2019? You should rent a car (esp if automatic required) and book accomodation ASAP. In the Arles area, Saint Rémy de Provence is a great option, but there are many others.
In the Nice region, driving in summer is a hassle, so I'd stick to the main towns like Nice itself or Antibes and day trip from there. But you stay also stay in Vence, Saint Paul, or other inland villages and towns, with a car and some patience.
Thank you for the reply. Yes we are hoping to do this in July 2019. I have a car reserved and will drop it off once we arrive in Nice if we stay there. If we stay outside of Nice perhaps I will hold the car. Are there small towns outside of Nice with public transport to Nice and Monaco?
I will look into the towns you mentioned for Provence.
The crowds along the cost are in peak force in the 2nd half of July, and traffic can be thick.
A quieter set of towns might include Beaulieu-sur-Mer or Menton (but this means a longer trip by train -- it is end of the line). Villefranche-Sur-Mer is small, beautiful and can be overwhelmed in the summer, as is St. Paul de Vence. Biot is not bad but the links from the upper town to the Gare are not good, and I think there is quite a bit of traffic from Marineland. Haut de Cagnes is popular but it is really just an outskirt of Nice -- there is a bus down to the Gare. Antibes is also in peak mode, as is Juan les Pins.
If you still wanted the cost and wanted to drive, you could try La Turbie or with a big budget, Cap Ferrat. You could also go small and inlad, like Tourettes-sur-Loup, which is less touristed yet still has nice restaurants in the centre, including a Michelin starred one.
St. Remy is very popular in the summer and will be crowded, as would Les Baux. You could really go over the tourist path and stay in a lesser known village in the area or near the Luberon.
If you don't already have it, I suggest Rick's Provence & French Riviera guidebook.
Of course, if you find those accommodation listings booked up, then online search engines like booking.com would help you to cast a wider net. Here's one resource specifically for rural/farm properties.
If you are going to depend on public transportation in Provence, you need to start from a list of the places you hope to see. Transportation to the smaller Provencal destinations can be quite challenging, so you'd need to select your base carefully.
Nice and Monaco are both on the coastal rail line, and there's a bus connecting them as well. However, public transportation gets trickier for many of the hill villages, like Eze and St. Paul-de-Vence. To get to many of those efficiently by public bus, it really matters where you stay.
Parking is challenging along the Riviera, so if you decide to have a car there, you'll need to check on the availability of parking near the lodgings you are considering.
Nice is a perfect location for visiting towns and villages along the coast by bus and train. Easy to explore from Nice.
In regard to looking for a home base near Arles, I would vote for St. Remy. We use that as our homebase during a 2016 trip in July. We rented a car, and actually found it perfect for our needs, I did not feel that it was crowded or touristy. It gave us easy access to the towns of the Luberon as well as towns on the Cote du Rhône trail as outlined in RS’s France or Provence books
BT
