planning a trip for about 7-9 days in Provence, want to make Vaison-la-Romaine base for a couple of days, Lourmarin and Aix for the other couple of days. Plan to go to Arles, Marseille/Cassis, Luberon and Vaucluse. Fly into CDG, TGV to Avignon same day, and wonder if we should stay close to Avignon (NOT IN) for the 1st night to avoid jet lag and fatigue, or go straight to Lourmarin or Vaison for couple of nights? anyone done this circuit who can help?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Both Lourmarin and Vaison are less than an hour from Avignon. With that minimal amount of time, I wouldn't throw an extra night some place else into the mix. A fifteen minute cat nap on the train will probably recharge your batteries anyway. Since you're going to make day trips over toward Niimes/Arles, I'm a bit surprised you've picked two bases way to the east since that would make you have to drive a couple hours each way to visit these areas. You might want to rethink basing in Aix. I really like it, but the darn one-way ring road with a thousand names that circles the older part of the city can make getting in and out a real bear if you don't know exactly what you're doing.
Posted by
OP
West Chester, PA, US
6 posts
thanx Ed - what small town would you suggest as base for Arles?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
My preference won't help you since I wouldn't stay in a small town for that segment. Most people seem to favor Arles itself for some reason. I wouldn't do that either. I'd park my tail smack dab in the middle of Nimes for a couple of days and use the freeways for Orange, Arles, Pont du Gard, the Camargue, etc. Nimes offers a lot to do at the end of the day when you're done touring. Places like Bellegarde, St Giles, Beaucaire (most anything west of the main Rhone channel) are unprovencal to the point that they may give some folks the willies. But, if you have to have a small town, Saint Remy is really, really nifty and only about a hour each way from anything in the Rhone area (Orange being the most distant).
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
St. Remy is a great base if you have a car. You might consider it as a base both for the Rhone and the Vaucluse. The cities are a bit livelier at night, if that is important.
Posted by
OP
West Chester, PA, US
6 posts
thanks to both for your advice - we want to stay in villages that give the flavor of Provence so that's why Lourmarin and Romaine - also considering St Remy as a sleepover or somewhere closer to Arles - i want to spend time leisurely traveling thru Provencal villages - my travel partner thinks we should be seeing more - a compromise in store. We do want to stay away from city accommodations except i really want to stay in Aix for one night at least. appreciate your help!