Hi,
I will be in Monaco on business at the end of May/first week June, and a friend of mine wants to meet me and then travel down to the Provence region.
Will the Lavendar be blooming then?
Should we take a train to Nice and then drive?
Also where should we stay in Provence? We have 5 nights so thought to split between towns. Flying home out of Paris so will spend last night there.
Thank you so much.
I do believe it's too early for blooming lavendar. I found it mid June a couple of years ago, but that was considered early.
Yes, take the train to Provence, and then rent a car if you want to see the Provence countryside, but if you want to see Provence towns, driving into them and parking is, uhm, challenging. My best trips to Provence have been take trains where trains go (the Provencal cities), and for exploring the Provence countryside/rural areas, then rent a car because trains don't go there and buses are tedious and waste time.
If you rent a car in Monaco, you can visit places like Eze Village (NOT Eze bord de Mer), Villenfranche-sur-Mer, St Jean/Cap Ferrat Both the coast road (which the train more or less follows) are scenic drives.
I've never been taken by Avignon. I'd stay in Arles, or Nimes, or Orange, or out in a vineyard (consult Michelin Red Guide).
For optimal sight seeing by car, get the Michelin Green Guide to Provence.
