Where to spend 3 to 4 nts after the EASTERN FRANCE TRIP that ends in Aix-En-Provence?

Marseille is just a commuter train away from Aix. It not really a beach town as it is a commercial port. It was fun going on a boat to Chateau D'If, which was the prison for Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo. They had a world class Modern Art Museum. We had bouillabaisse at a cafe on the old harbor. You could catch the coastal train from there to Cannes, Nice and Monaco. These are all pretty much high profile tourist towns.

We did the Loire Vally tour ending in Nice. We rented a car and drove to a very pleasant town in the Luberon called Lourmarin (Albert Camus is buried there-quite an adventure finding him and Madame). . We rented a flat for a week (and that was the right amount of time) and did day trips to many small towns and villages in Provence where we hiked, visited markets, tried out our really bad French, drank way too much rose, ate great food. We did get to Aix for market day but enjoyed the smaller towns much more. We returned the car in Marseille airport and flew home. Your tour skims the surface of Provence. Consider staying there and seeing more of it.

I also second Marseille. Quite different than any other large city in France due to the Mediterranean influences of Spain, Italy, Greece and Northern Africa. A bit on the gritty side but good sites to visit, wonderful restaurants, transportation hub. I’ve been twice and hope to return again. I stayed at the Hôtel Carré Vieux Port Marseille, a short walk from the old port and liked the hotel very much - convenient, great staff, reasonable rates.

Hi Carol, what airport are you flying home from? Also, “only three rooms left” means at the price that’s currently being offered. Hotels tend to go up in price as you get closer to the date.

From Nice, you can do Villefranche-sur-mer, Menton, Antibes, the Italian side (Ventimigli, Bodighera) and the border hill towns (Saorge, Tende) all by train. The latter has a special narrated version (Train des Merveilles) each morning as it climbs up a steep grade in concentric circles. There is also a steam train, Train des Pignes (Chemin de Fer de Provence), to places like Entrevaux By bus you can hit St. Paul de Vence and Cap Ferrat. By ferry, St. Honorat (via Cannes). Driving you can hit many more. If college has been more than 12 years ago, the center of Nice has transformed pretty dramatically (for the better). More open space, easier transport, etc.

MaryPat (and ALL) - we have not gotten our airline tickets yet, as we are just starting to sort out this trip. Prior to starting the RS Eastern France trip, we were thinking of flying into Paris (CDG) to revisit that great city (2 nts?) OR flying into Luxembourg, (have never been - could stay 2 nts?) because we will be visiting a former student who lives near Nancy, France. After staying with her family about 4 -5 nts, we need to make our way to Reims where the RS trip starts, I assume by train - haven't found train schedules that far in advance tho. Since the RS trip ends in Aix, I am thinking more and more of exploring Marseille, after reading the very helpful comments on this forum (THANK YOU EVERYONE), altho I'm sure Nice would also work. So, currently, NO clue what airports to fly in and out of, altho we can get a direct flight from Ohio to CDG, which is very nice. I would really appreciate any and all feedback/suggestions, tx!

Alan’s idea is by far the most appealing to me.

And now, for something completely different. -Monty Python

Have you considered Barcelona? 7 hours away by train (departing 12:28/TGV —connects in Lyon— arrives Barcelona Sants 19:33). Exhale from tour with tapas and strolls on La Rambla, with visits to Sagrada Familia and Picasso Museum. 3-4 days would be about perfect.

Ah, Barcelona, a great suggestion...but we are doing a Spain and Portugal trip with extra days in Barcelona Sept/Oct 2022! Can't wait. Have not been to Barcelona in many. many years!

Hi Carol, since you’re so close to Marseille from Aix-en-Provence, it might be a good idea to go there. I would take a day trip to The Calanques (fjords) that’s about 30-minutes south of Marseille. Furthermore, you can take a direct train from Marseille-St-Charles to Aeroport Paris-Charles de Gaulle TGV (4h).

Thank you Mary Pat - that idea sounds like it might work out well! I had already started looking at Calanques National Park. Does anyone have any hotel suggestions for Marseille? Or what to absolutely not miss during 3 days there? I'll do a little more research during the next few months and I'll look back over all of the advice - thanks and HAPPY TRAVELING TO ALL!

Regarding Marseille hotels, the Escale Oceania is very good value with a perfect location. For something more upscale, Grand Hotel Beauvau or the Sofitel can be worth it if you can afford sea views. And for something in between, the Radisson is pretty good. Opinions based on many business trips which last took place three years ago but I assume hotel quality stayed more or less the same.

Be warned that some people don't like Marseille, it is very much a "love it or hate it" place, but the city improved a lot in recent years so more and more people end up on the "love it" side.

Here’s how I would prioritize my time in Marseille: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/marseille and then click on the plus sign to the right of At a Glance.

Thank you for that info Mary Pat, and also to Balso - I am looking at each of those hotels.

When we took this trip, two couples went on a river barge afterwards.

Hello, Carol. I'm on the May 29, 2022 departure of Best of Eastern France and am also looking at post-tour options near Aix. Trip is a re-do of one that was cancelled in 2020. I'm a solo traveler and will be spending 7-8 nights in Paris pre-tour doing lots of sightseeing (my first visit there). So I will probably be exhausted after Paris and our two week tour. My plan is to book 3-4 nights at a resort hotel in Aix so I can sleep in and relax by the pool for a few days. That and touring the old town and shopping the markets will keep me busy. Then will take the TGV train back up to CDG the day before I fly home. I love taking trains and would rather do that than fly. Holding off on booking flights for now. I'm in sticker shock over the prices which are double what they were in 2020!

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions to Carol. Wherever you go have a wonderful time and I look forward to meeting you if we're on the same tour.

We will also be spending a few days post tour in Aix. There will be so little time to enjoy the city (arrive late morning/early afternoon one day, last supper together that night; tour ends the next day), that we decided it would be a perfect time to stay put, relax and enjoy what I have heard is quite a lovely city. We’ll be going in early May.