Hi,
My mom and I and two kids (3&5) have last minute decided to fly to Provence mid August. We are scrambling to put together a fun itinerary that works for the kids. We are flying in and out of Marseille. I am thinking of basing in Lourmarin or St. Remy since they are more flat. I have never been to either. Does anyone have experience with either one or have somewhere else they recommend? Any specific bnbs/hotels/gites you recommend? We would like to see the festival in Sault, spend time at the markets and playgrounds and maybe a castle or two, animals always a perk. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Posted by
Chicago, IL, USA
481 posts
St Remy is great and I think easy for a young family. Is definitely flat and pedestrian friendly. I just got today by email a newsletter from the regional tourist office there. The newsletter was is in French but the English "Agenda" page on their website seems to show the same events. There are many small festivals in little towns around the area t https://www.alpillesenprovence.com/en/agenda/ you have to get to about page 5 there and see for example this one https://www.alpillesenprovence.com/en/fiches/aureille-votive-festival-2024/. I had to google to find a good explanation but "A votive festival is a celebration that originated from the Catholic practice of honoring a village's patron saint. The word "votive" refers to the fulfillment of a vow to remain grateful and dedicated to the saint who protects the village. While the festivals may have religious origins, they have become more secular over time and are now often opportunities for socializing and celebration." They often include carnival rides, games, parades, music, animals, food, wine. Not too crazy.
Posted by
San Carlos, CA, USA
392 posts
If you stay in St. Remy, check out the hotel Sous Les Figues (Under the Figs.) Very friendly hosts, shady surroundings, gated parking, and a swimming pool. A short walk to town. Also, check out the restaurant called La Gousse d'Ail. It has several seating areas, but one of them is in a garage-type room and is decorated with old-time toys and small cars. They are not for playing on but are fun to look at. Your kids might like that.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
218 posts
I assume you are renting a car once you land at Marseille? Between the two towns you mentioned, I think Saint-Remy would make a better base. I wouldn’t call Loumarin exactly flat-it’s more of a hill town. We stayed in Saint-Remy for a week this past May/June and really loved it. It’s small, easily walkable and well situated for visiting lots of other towns (don’t miss Les Baux-de-Provence). We stayed at this AirBnB https://www.airbnb.com/slink/eigXTeCe which would be a good fit for your family. Another place that you could consider as a base- especially if you’re not renting a car- is Aix-en-Provence. It’s very handy to Marseille (busses as frequently as every 10 minutes between Aix and the main Marseille train station), reasonably flat, and a big enough city to offer lots to see of its own.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you all for your input!
Yes, my plan was to rent a car from the Marseille airport. Is there a company you have used before? I have used Sixt in the past in Munich and was scammed with a “scratch” that I most definitely did not do. However, they have the highest reviews at the airport 🫠
I will check out those places in St. Remy. My friend who is from Aix recommends there as well, we were just thinking a little smaller and more quaint. I will have to reconsider as I search for what’s available last minute.
Thanks again, all of this is helpful.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
218 posts
If you’re looking for quaint, Saint-Remy is definitely a good choice! We rented our car through AutoEurope, and chose an offering from Europcar, picked up and returned at Avignon TGV. I find that I can get zero deductible insurance through AutoEurope for not much more than the price offered by the rental companies directly without insurance. With zero deductible I don’t worry about scratches.
Posted by
Somerville, MA
638 posts
Finding a 3 bedroom place that has availability in mid August in Provence will dictate what town you stay in. Yes, St Remy is a great choice and is likely full up on such short notice.
Be sure to get air conditioning.
And a reminder that the towns along the Rhône have mosquitos and many rentals don’t have screens.
I rent cars through AutoEurope. Their customer service can’t be beat.
Posted by
7 posts
St. Remy is a nice size town for a base. We stayed at Mas les Carrasins in April. It has a variety of rooms and suites on the property. It also has extensive grounds with three pools. St. Remy is very central to Arles, Nimes, Avignon, and the Camargue. Young kids would probably enjoy the flamingos, white horses, black bulls and beaches in the camargue.
We also stayed at a gite in the Luberon between Gordes and Joucas. It was in the valley and it was very centrally located among all of the Luberon villages, but nothing is very far apart in the Luberon. I would suggest renting a car for the Luberon, but make sure it is automatic unless you are good at driving a manual transmission.