visiting Provence for the first time in mid May and hope to avoid large groups of tourists

Could you specify if you are going to the Riviera (Côte d’Azur) or Provence. They are considered different areas.

We don’t have an itinerary - we just want to visit Southern France. We live on the beach in the U.S. and we’re 70 y/o, so seeing the Riviera isn’t as important to us as it might be to some people. Monaco isn’t a priority either. The Cassis area looks interesting with the fjords. But we primarily want to see countryside, small villages, and pretty scenery without loads of tourists . I hope this helps. Thank you.

Provence will be crowded with tourists in May, Provence is also a fairly large geographic area.

Therefore you need to do more personal research into what exactly you are looking for, where to "hike", small towns, etc. You say 4 days in Paris, but how much time are you devoting to Provence? Not enough info for anyone to be of much help so far...

Thank you, I understand my question is broad and vague. I’m primarily trying to find out what to avoid due to crowds. I visited Bruges, Belgium last spring and it was shoulder to shoulder with bus loads of day tourists. That’s what I’m trying to avoid, Are there any towns in Provence that might be like that? I know Cannes will be crowded in May. Will all of the Riviera coast be crowded as well? Thank you .

If your Riviera dates coincide with the Cannes Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix, I'd not prioritize the area as hotel prices become ridiculous.

There's a lot to do in Provence alone, so you could just focus on that. By Provence, I mean the area west of of a line from Fréjus to the Gorges du Verdon, east of the Rhône river (but it is worthwhile to head as far west as Uzès, Nîmes, and Aigues-Mortes) and south of Valence. I spend up to a month each year in that part of the world (with a base in Sanary-sur-Mer) and I am never bored.

With a car, the Luberon is ideal, and it really fits what you're after. Throw in a couple of days in the Gorges du Verdon, near the Calanques, or possibly around Aix en Provence (Ste Victoire, Ste Baume) for hiking, and you're good to go!

Yes! That gives me some parameters , I needed a starting place. Thank you!

Our 2 favorite towns in the area are Saint-Remy en Provence and Uzes
We were just in both late May/early June and it was not crowded

Both have lots of charm, fantastic markets, beautiful architecture

Thank you!

Uzès Will be crowded on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, market days, every week of the year. Saturday market is huge, Wednesday is very big. Otherwise it is a unique, fascinating, preserved town.

If you have a car, St. Remy de Provence would be a nice base.

We will have a car, thank you! We will definitely plan on St Remy

Thank you for information re: Uzes, that’s definitely what I need to know, I will plan around that

OP 2summerz,
We can suggest a nice rental with a great location in Uzes: 'Maison Theodorit.'
The valley just below town (with the original water source for Roman Pont du Grad) is a hikers paradise, albeit not a particularly challenging one. The swans, the valley, the aforementioned markets and the overall vibe make Uzes an excellent choice for what you are apparently seeking. That town hits the sweet spot indeed!

Good luck.
I am done. the peaceful place

It was some years ago, but my visit was also in May. Les Baux was absolutely the busiest place I visited. Arles was busy on its market day, but even then visiting the amphitheater was easy and the Roman Museum was pretty empty. Avignon was pretty busy and is imo a bummer of a place in general anyway.

The star of my trip was Vaison-la-Romaine in the Dentelles de Montmirail. I was by myself in their extensive Roman ruins, and found the town easily enjoyable and quiet. My impression remains that the majority of tourists don’t get this far north. Even on this forum, the focus is mostly on the Luberon and south towards the coast.

I’d highly, highly recommend staying there during a market day (confirm you’re parked legally). A good market is kind of required reading in Provence, and I think theirs is less oppressive and more people friendly. It’s spread out through the streets of the new town, so it’s often shady and the crowd is generally dispersed. And if you’re staying in town you can just retreat or take a hike nearby until late afternoon. The towns surrounding the Dentelles are lovely and are world famous wine producers. The nearby Roman Theater at Orange is not to be missed.

Very helpful - ALL of these responses have been great. I have learned I enjoy the “smaller” sights with few people than the “must see” sights that are overcrowded. Of course there are exceptions, but I’m wanting Provence to be relaxing and I hope to experience the general soul of the Region. .

Keep in mind that May has four holidays with long weekends: May 1st, 8th, 14th, 25th. The 14th is a 4-day weekend, the others 3-day weekends. People will be out enjoying the days off.

A town like Cassis will be full those weekends with bumper-to-bumper traffic. It will be busy other times in May, but it is also a very good place for hiking the Calanques, Cap Canaille, and more. It's easier to stay there and hike out rather than stay elsewhere and get bogged in traffic trying to get there in order to hike out to the Calanques or Cap Canaille.

Further east of Cassis, after Bandol and its lovely wine, is Saint Maximin la Sainte Baume that balso mentioned, a fairly untouristed place with incredible hiking on La Sainte Baume mountain. Their market is Friday mornings, but otherwise, you will have plenty of peace and quiet.

Anne mentioned Vaison-la-Romaine and I agree that it's a gem with a lot of nearby hiking. We've spent several vacations nearby at the foot of Mt. Ventoux in Malaucène, a haven for bicyclists challenging themselves up the mountain. Even when we were there in July last summer, it didn't seem overrun, nor did Vaison. These are in the Avignon/Orange/ Carpentras area of Provence with a lot of unmentioned villages to visit.

So you have some good leads for non-Bruges-crowd places: Vaison, Uzès, Saint Maximin la Sainte Baume. Your busiest place will be Saint Rémy but it won't approach Bruges' density. Les Baux-en-Provence could approach Bruges' density on a holiday weekend.
May is a glorious time to hike in Provence because the wild flowers are blooming on the mountains and the heat is bearable. .

We visited Provence for 5 full days May 30 to June 4, 2019. So pre-pandemic, but what I think we learned probably still applies. We had a car and stayed in St-Rémy de Provence. Weekends were very busy (especially since we hit a holiday weekend), but weekdays weren't bad at all. If you want to go to some of the most popular villages (such as Gordes, Les Baux de Provence, Roussillon) head to one of them early in the morning (avoiding weekends if possible) and then go to some of the less well-known villages. If it's the weekend, take a picnic or eat lunch early--it was impossible to find a table in a restaurant in Rousillon on a holiday Friday. Rick's guidebook includes a drive that we did with stops in Goult and Joucas, where there were very few tourists and parking was easy, on the same day that Roussillon and Gordes were overrun. We never did manage to find parking in Gordes, and we tried for almost an hour. We had no problem visiting the Pont du Gard on the holiday Sunday--but we got there early and left by noon.

We drove from Provence to Nice via the Gorge du Verdon (mentioned by a previous poster), with a 1-night stop in Moustiers Ste-Marie. I loved it there, and wished we had a second night. In 2019, the drive along the gorge on a weekday morning was fine--we had no problems with tour buses or other traffic.

Despite the crowds on the weekend, we had a great time, and I'm sure you will too with a little planning.

Edited to add that we also visited Uzes after the Pont du Gard and didn't have any problem parking or with crowds. Later that same day, Avignon was crowded.

Thank you! I love the specifics. Parking can be a real buzzkill and I appreciate those tips

We have decided to stay within Provence vs the Riviera. We will primarily stay in St Remy, Uzes, and Roussillon and take day trips to other villages. We have 8 days and want to take our time. We will have a car.
Now we are deciding between a day trip by train to Cassis and hike/boat the Calanques or drive to the Grand Canyon du Verdon ( and possibly spend the night). We know to avoid the weekend. We are most interested in natural scenery- can you recommend one over the other regarding beautiful views? Thank you for your help

The Calanques win hands-down for me. But I would drive (early), avoiding weekends and holidays. Hiking and boating aren't mutually exclusive, but if you hike, you'd need at least trail running shoes - the terrain is very uneven.

Thank you, I was leaning towards that since we will be inland the entire time ( and have visited most of the dramatic U.S. national parks).
Why do you suggest driving? Someone earlier said the traffic could be bumper to bumper ( we will travel a Monday in May). I assumed we could train, then taxi to the trailhead and boat launch. It will be a day trip. Merci!

Why do you suggest driving?

Because it's the most convenient and fastest. A Monday morning in May, as long as it isn't a holiday should be okay if you go early. Park as soon as you get there; don't try to park near the Calanques because then you could be in bumper-to-bumper as you are leaving Cassis.

None of your bases is near a train station, and neither is Cassis (the train station is about 2 miles out of the town). Taxis aren't readily available either. Therefore, Taking the train would be a huge hassle. Best to just park at the trailhead you choose - leave NOTHING in the car, thefts happen.

To me, the best trailhead is actually Luminy just outside Marseille, not Cassis.

If they haven’t suggested it yet, have not read all the post, get the Rick Steves Provence guidebook and read it cover to cover then make your plan. Buy a map so you can understand distances and terrain the you can figure out hike, car, buss or just wonder out of your room into the village square and enjoy you day there. One of the risks of RS travel is that there is felt need to move every minute and see every sight, even if it is not worth it., If it is in the book we should go. That is true for sum but not all. Leave some DOWN TIME. Getting bored is a good tool to learning something new! I love markets and they should be embraced with both arms. You will experience the people and their goods and not so, the food, the veges, dried beef/pork that you will never find anyplace else. Talk to the vendors, see we’re they are from, what is good and not so much this week and what i should not leave without. Gather enough for lunch/dinner and bottle of wine and you will not have a better experience. Invite the vendor to join you if that feels safe. On a picnic bench, on s grassy field, or at your hotel in a common area, If you haven’t figured it out yet i love the towns markets lol. Friendly banter and relationships, good food and wive Don’t overthink it and please, please, please leave something to come back to. I am in my 70s and have about 20 years of stuff to get back to and another 20 of new stuff to explore
First and foremost most enjoy your trips!!!!

John, what a beautiful response! I hope we both return! I will follow your dining recommendations with purchases from the market - I especially love a picnic - merci!

I too love that post John.

People madly fill their itineraries, whereas like you we try to always build in some down time to just be, nibble, drink wine, people watch.

It is the whole point of travelling to us.

If you’re trying to avoid crowds, I strongly second the idea of heading a drop further north and focusing on the area around Vaison, perhaps with a dip into the Drôme Provençal. We spent several weeks in the Luberon over two trips and thought the area very beautiful but hopelessly touristy. So over several later trips we based in a small town, Sablet, about fifteen minutes from Vaison, and were endlessly glad we did. There are numerous villages in the area to explore; among our favorites were Le Barroux, Le Crestet, Seguret, and Gigondas, which has a charming village square with a great little cafe for a light lunch of a salade composée and a glass of superb Gigondas wine. Other places to explore are Beaumes de Venise and the tiny village of Brantes, across the valley from Mont Ventoux. And so many more. In most of these places you will encounter few tourists, except perhaps in Vaison, which is larger and a commercial center. But even on market dates, and the Vaison market is terrific, we never felt oppressed by the number of people.

It’s about a forty-five minute drive to the Luberon, so you can easily visit St Rémy, Gordes, Roussillon, and all the other popular villages. We also love Uzes, so we made a day trip over there and to the Pont du Gard. But we were very happy to be centered in a less crowded place and would not base in the Luberon again.

For scenery, the drive through the Dentelles de Montmirail and out to Brantes are the equal of anything further south. Almost any local road will take you past vineyards, with hills behind them, all just endlessly beautiful.

In the Drome you can visit the olive-growing town of Nyons and the chateau of Mme de Sevigne in Grignan. The tiny village of Le Poet-Laval is enchanting and has the benefit of a terrific restaurant, Les Hospitaliers. Also there are lots of other small towns like La Roque sur Ceze that are wonderful to wander around and have very few or no tourists.

I could go on, but this is getting long. BTW, I think you’re very wise to avoid the Riviera. Yes, there’s beauty with the views over the Mediterranean, but it’s can also be a bit of a pain. If you don’t want crowds, head north.

BTW, I also second what John said about talking to people as a way to enrich your experience. One of the things I loved about staying in a small, nontouristy village is that people in the little grocery store and boulangerie got to recognize us and were always welcoming and friendly. It added another layer to what would have been in any event truly wonderful trips.

Hi there!

Wanted to jump in.

My sister and I are in our late 70’s.

We stayed in Goult last year for three weeks beginning March 23rd. We loved Goult as a base- it has About 5 restaurants, a small grocery, pharmacy, a fromagerie, and boulangerie. It was a great central location for exploring the area. Their market is on Thursdays, however, we found they have a small amount of vendors at this time of the year - there are better.

We too prefer slo travel to small villages without crowds. During the time of year you are planning to travel, you should be fine. We started to see tour buses at the end of our trip around the 2nd week of April.

We loved Loumarin and visited it twice last year. Its primarily a no car village, also a bonus. Park on the Rte d’Apt ( the Le Jardin des Fleurs turns into Rte. d’Apt ) and you will see the small sign: Centre Ville, with an arrow. This is a small walking path that will take you directly into the village. The tennis club is across the street for point of reference on iMaps. Lots of free parking. Go early - plan on arriving around 10ish. Shops will be open, time to stroll and take lunch. La Coline is a sweet gift shop.

We also loved St. Remy and also visited it twice, it was not crowded at all.

Other villages of note are: Eyglieres ( a very nice brocante on the last Sunday of each month ),
Fontaine de Vaucluse ( that day we could not find parking in Isle sur Sorgue, so did not stop and discovered Fontaine de Vaucluse just a short drive beyond ) and Joucas. Some of our most dramatic photos were taken in Fontaine de Vaucluse.

We visit France almost yearly. For past trips, our paper map of preference has been Les Plus Beau Villages. That said, there are plenty delightful and surprising villages beyond those on this map.

If you are not aware, You Tube is a great resource to view videos of each village. You probably already know that.

I feel I need to include my two cents- please do not try to do/travel too much. Park yourselves in a small village and enjoy it. You will not be disappointed.

Will you please reach back to this forum and report your experience entering France and registering for EES? Specifically the wait time.

BTW, the Cannes Film Festival does not start until May 12th this year.

I LOVE all these specifics! No, I did not know about YouTube videos for the different villages. I only knew about the Rick Steves Provence YouTube video. I will definitely look for them.

And most importantly , I didn't know about EES - I googled it- yikes! Thank you for alerting me. We’re flying in and out of CDG

We leave 5/19, that is why I was concerned about Cannes. But I think we’ll spend all our time inland and our last few days in Paris.

Merci beaucoup!!

Sorry, I missed that you are traveling in May. Yes, avoid Cannes. Also avoid the villages that are on the tour route - Saint Paul de Vence, Moustiers, Mougins, and Les Baux to name a few. Therecare plenty of lovely villages to visit that have not been commercialized. I would avoid Villefranche sur Mer, its a stop for the cruise ships.

Have you picked a Provence base?

I hate to sound elitist, but I would love to avoid cruise tour groups - so many people huddled in small spaces. Thank you for that information.

Right now we have 4 nights in St Remy, 2 in Roussillion, and 2 in Uzes. We don’t mind changing hotels 3 times and have found some interesting properties. We will train to Avignon to and from Paris and rent our car there. This forum is far superior to the TripAdvisor forum.

Great choices!

We visited St. Remy and Roussilon last Spring, both for the second time. We’re staying in the area again next month and will be visiting St. Remy again, we love it. It will be busy, however, the streets are not as narrow as some other popular perched villages, parking is also fairly easy.

I’ve heard others speak about Uzes and we have it on our list for this trip.

Have a great time!

Check out the Travel with Will channel on You Tube. He reviews five Provence villages that are not Gordes. I just discovered the channel. No new villages to me here, but those he reviews are not terribly packed with tourists.

One he reviews, Fontaine de Vaucluse, is one we fell upon last year. We could not find parking in I’Isle de Sorgue so kept driving and stopped here for lunch. Some of our most dramatic photos were taken here. There is a large spring that flows through it, waterfall and water wheel, beautiful flowers.