Hello! I could use some help for my trip this June to Avignon, France for my cousin’s wedding. The wedding (3 day affair) is in Sorgue, Avignon. We are flying from the US into Marseilles and renting a car. It’ll be me, my husband and 2 sons (3 and 5). I am very unfamiliar with the area and overwhelmed about where to stay and what to do. Firstly, if we have a car, should we stay in Avignon or a town nearby? I heard that parking or driving in Avignon is very challenging, especially because there is no parking inside the walls of the city. I was thinking a small town nearby with easy access bakeries, restaurants, etc?
We will be there a total of 7 days and would love to do some day trips. I have gathered so many places to visit but would love to narrow it down to ones that are family friendly. I have St Remy, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Roussillon, Arles, Pont du Gard, Gordes, Orange, Aix-en-Provence and Nimes. I know we can’t visit them all so would love to know which are the top 4 places if we can squeeze in 4 day trips.
We also want to see the lavender fields (we will be there mid June) so was wondering where the best place to do that will be. Are there any other attractions worth noting? I’ve heard Gordes and Aix are not particular child friendly. Gordes due to it’s hilly pathways and Aix because it’s mostly fancy shops and restaurants. Is this true? Is the Carrières des Lumières worth doing while in St Remy? Wondering if my kids (3 and 5) would enjoy it.
I would also love recommendations on restaurants and bakeries in the areas mentioned. More casual dining perhaps because I have younger kids. Any tips on renting a car and driving in the Provence area? Really appreciate your help. What will the weather be like around June 16-23? We want this to be a trip of a lifetime! Thank you so much!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8857 posts
Welcome!
Not sure where you mean by Sorgue, Avignon
There is Avignon and there is L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
I didn’t care much for Avignon and don’t think it’s a good place to stay with kids.
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue would be a good place with kids.
Second choice would be St-Remy
I would add Uzes to your list of places to see, maybe combine with Pont du Gard
For either look for lodging at edge of town with parking
Booking.com is great for researching lodging, use the filters
Driving is easy in the area
Make sure all drivers have an IDP-International Driving Permit- get it at your local AAA
We were asked for it last rental in France
Posted by
Chicago, IL, USA
652 posts
We spent a month in 2022 near Avignon. Marseille airport is an easy place to rent a car. The terminals are small. The offices and access to cars are just across the driveway. And driving out of there into Provence is easy. Where is the wedding exactly? You might consider to stay just in one place for the week but without knowing where is the wedding it’s hard to suggest. Day trips around the area are easy with a car. Maybe even get a villa with pool to come back to in the afternoons with little ones.
Posted by
London, UK
580 posts
Sorgues is a town NE of Avignon, now seemingly absorbed into greater Avignon.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1615 posts
I suggest you get some clarity on the wedding venue and stay somewhere nearby, preferably within walking distance if you and your husband expect to toast the happy couple. I should think the couple would have some recommendations on where to stay, as this is common for destination weddings.
I suggest looking for a gites:
https://www.gites-de-france.com/fr
Gites are typically country houses, so make sure essentials like sheets and towels are provided. Many of these homes will have pools, which you and your kids might like after a warm day of sightseeing.
In regard to restaurants, etc., I suggest watching Rick's travel skills series, in which he talks about how to find a good restaurant and other important tips:
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show/european-travel-skills-part-1
Once you decide where you are going to stay, you can use Google Maps to see what is nearby.
One place you might consider for a day trip is the Camargue, where your kids will be able to see flamingoes.
It's unlikely that even your 5yoa child will remember this trip, so cut yourself some slack on making it "the trip of a lifetime." Think about what you and your kids would enjoy doing (which I'm guessing isn't riding in a car for a couple of hours every day).
Posted by
Washington DC
30105 posts
Something to know about the picturesque town of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: It has a very large, twice-a-week market on Thursdays and Sundays. The market opens early in the morning (Google says 7 AM) and closes in the early afternoon. The Sunday market tends to be larger, because antique shops in the area around the market are open then. The town is very, very busy on market days, and I imagine parking is at a premium. I would seek information from people knowledgeable about parking and traffic flow (which I am not) before making it my base.
I enjoy wandering around markets, but the market kiosks in L'Isle make it difficult to fully appreciate the beauty of the town's architecture. I ended up going back later in the week so I could get a better look at the town.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
2888 posts
ongval,
I agree with acraven about L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and the crush of people on market day.s To that end, I prefer St. Remy de Provence. Also, Gites-de-france is a good site to find a rental for the week. Like AirBandB, there may be a cleaning fee (not always), but they offer a big variety of types of rentals.
Re cars, be sure to verify the availability of car seats for the little ones. The rules are strictly enforced there. A,also, if you do wine tasting or imbibe at the wedding, be aware that the limit is stricter than in the US and well-enforced.
Things that might make an Impression, on at least the older child, are the Pont de Gard Roman aquaduct, a trip to a local grocery to see what different kinds of snacks and cookies there are, a village market that is smaller than the one at L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Sometimes you may come across one where there are some carnival rides and venders of toys and whatnots that may please the kids. (Ours found a souvenir each in a market in Nyons, back when they were young.) Orange has a big Roman Coliseum, as does Nimes and Arles. There are sometimes performances and concerts there. Some may appeal to your little ones.
I hope you all have a wonderful time!
Posted by
Canada
40 posts
I am also not a fan of Avignon.......although the bridge and Pope's Palace are interesting to see, they are not kid-friendly (it gives me a bit of a heart attack thinking of walking on the bridge with two little ones!). In 2018, Avignon was just okay for me; in 2024, I found it grungy, frankly. Arles is much more my style and would certainly be a wonderful day trip - my kids were 10 and 12 when we took them there though so I am not sure about the appeal to your 3 and 5 year olds.
Uzes is lovely and has a medieval garden and tower your family might enjoy climbing for some great views (I think it felt pretty safe). I agree with the Pont du Gard.......it is really amazing and I think would be appealing to young kids. That time of year, the river would be wonderful to splash around in.
Vaison-la-Romaine is one of my favourite places, with a stunning medieval upper town as well as Roman ruins that were practically deserted in September and would be a safe place for your kids to burn off some energy. There are many feral cats living at one of the sites that are fed by locals funded by some Americans I believe (and a Go-Fund-Me page if I recall correctly) whom we met while there - your little ones might enjoy seeing them.
As already mentioned, Nimes has an Roman amphitheatre and Orange, a Roman theatre. If I had to choose, I would pick Orange.....the theatre is fantastic and the city is smaller and less busy in my opinion. I think it would be a nice place to be with kids. Check out the Arc de triomphe d'Orange as well! Your kids might really like it and can freely and safely run through and around it!
Posted by
1314 posts
Lots of great advice above that I agree with, particularly about where to stay (not Avignon!)
Pretty much any Roman site is in good condition, and I think would be fascinating, fun and memorable for kids. Of ones mentioned: Pont-du-Garde, Arles amphitheater, Theatre in Orange, are all big, impressive and fun to explore. The ruins in Vaison-la-Romaine are some of my favorite anywhere, they’re extensive and generally uncrowded. Their imagination can run wild. Orange and Vaison are a bit north of where you are, but not crazily so.
What I don’t think I’ve seen mentioned is Les Baux! My short visit there made me feel like a kid. I just wanted to tramp around and explore the old castle ruins. It seems geared towards children. They did a live trebuchet demonstration that I’ll never forget. Great fun. The place can get crowded, though mostly crowded in the old touristy town part of the place.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
736 posts
Going to my w-a-y b-a-c-k machine to our 1999 trip and the new car we picked up in Germany and had with us in Provence.
Some of your listed sights group together quite well. Should you base in L’Isle sur la Sorgue (or Avignon, or Villeneuve, across the river), one day trip could include Fontaine de Vaucluse (the source of la Sorgue), then on to Gordes where you will see lavender and sunflower fields from the hilltop town and then drive right past those fields as you head to Rousillon. The Fontaine is pretty cool. The river just springs forth out of the ground at the base of a mountainside.
A trip to Nimes - with some great Roman ruins - allows you to go by Pont du Gard, either coming or going. The ruins in Nimes are spread out a bit, in terms of your kids walking, but the Temple of Diana is in a park and Nimes’ Amphitheatre is near another park. The Maison Carre is in between. (Link is to RS’ article)
A day trip to Arles could also include a drive either to Les Baux, mentioned in another reply above, or to the Camargue, a large natural area that is home to wild white horses and flamingos that your kids might enjoy seeing from a distance.
LATE NOTE - when we were there is late June 1999, the weather was ideal. Probably warmer now.