My husband, teenager daughter and I will be staying in Paris for two weeks this August and we are thinking of heading to Provins for one night. Although its a UNESCO heritage site, I'm a little concerned it may be too much like a "Renaissance Faire" with actors walking around town in medieval costumes and fake swords rather than a historical village or town worth exploring. For folks who have been to Provins, what is the "vibe"? For context, this will be our 4th visit to France as a family, and one place we enjoyed visiting was Eze. We also loved Orvieto in Italy.
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3120 posts
Provins will have “actors walking around town in medieval costumes” if you go there when its Medieval Festival is being held.
Posted by
OP
Oregon
170 posts
Kenko, Yes, I am aware of the festival in June but I'll be there in August. Have you been to Provins during this time of year before?
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3120 posts
You shouldn’t have a problem with many costumed characters outside of the Medieval Festival which is actually this coming weekend.
Another town that might interest you is Senlis.
Posted by
Paris
7536 posts
To me, Provins does have slight hints of a medieval theme park even outside the festival, but just slight hints. It is an enjoyable town to explore. The train from Paris takes a while, but it is direct.
Senlis, another good suggestion, is not as much on the radar. You need a bus to get there, but the trip is not longer than to Provins (maybe even slightly faster?).
Posted by
Portsmouth
5726 posts
I've been to Provins a couple of times, August and September, and I never saw anyone in costume. My most recent visit, on a Monday, the town was almost deserted.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
2929 posts
OK I found Provins rather disappointing. Once the "festival' vibe dies so does the town, I can't imagine spending the night there.
I did really enjoy Senelis mentioned above and as a normal rule I do like the medieval walls/sights but for some reason... Provins was "spend a few hours and get out of town" IMHO
Posted by
OP
Oregon
170 posts
Thank you everyone for the feedback and suggestions. I'll check out Senlis. Troyes is also on my radar as a option.
Posted by
Paris
7536 posts
Oh. I missed the bit where you say you want to spend the night.
Provins is not a good place for that: a day trip is enough.
However. Troyes is really great: I highly recommend it. Perfect for 1 night. I had some excellent food at Le Petit Basson in the fall of 2023, and nice local fare at Le Jardin, too.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
11156 posts
I recommend Troyes, too.