Car travel from Paris to Provence

Is there any particular reason you're driving? It's a long drive, and if you don't have any set places to see on the way down and are concerned about short changing your time in the South, AND if you still have the flexibility re your arrangements, I'd recommend taking the TGV from Paris to Avignon (3 hours) and renting your car there upon arrival. So much easier getting out of Paris, and that way you are fresh for your Provençal adventure! You can do the drive without an overnight. But it's along day. I'd rather spend my afternoon strolling the Pont d'Avignon and seeing the Palace of the Popes rather than driving down the A6 for hours and hours.

I agree, the TGV to Avignon is way, way, way faster and easier, to say nothing of usually cheaper (counting fuel, tolls, and car hire - not counting parking). But, if you want to drive, I've done that too. A traditional overnight would be at Troyes (yukk - I really didn't like it and wouldn't return) or Beaune (yumm, we love it). Either way it would be the Autoroute du Soleil. Have deep pockets for the tolls - nearly €100 each way. Nougat factory tours in Montélimar. As I said, having done both, I'd take the train if there wasn't an overwhelming reason to drive.

Thank you, Kim and Nigel. I guess we should be taking the train but I don't think our booking (we did air, car and hotel in Nice) could have us pick up a car in Avignon. I think we are stuck with driving,which we really don't mind doing, except I never figured on such high tolls! Are all the roads like that? Could we take back roads and explore a bit or would it take forever? Thanks again for the tips. Kathy

Kathy, air changes can be expensive. Hotel changes could be, if you got a great deal in the package. I'm not so sure about car. I would definitely look into changing car reservations. Unless one has a burning desire to dawdle on back roads, there is no reason to drive from Paris to Provence. There is a reason people go to Provence, not the areas along the way to there from Paris. Time is valuable, why waste it on third level attractions.

Actually, there are many lovely areas between Paris and Provence. You could stay in Dijon, Beaune, Vienne, Vezelay, Autun, Lyon, etc. Back roads, even the national highways, can be very slow, going through all the towns. Additionally, this is grape harvesting time in Burgundy. You'll run into all the tractors. If your time is limited and Provence is your goal, and yes, the tolls are high, you might want to see if you can pick up your car in Avignon.

Kathy, we did the reverse renting our car in Nimes and dropping it off in Dijon before taking the train to Paris. But, we were on the road for 8 days in between. You are in a rush to get to Avignon and because of the long drive, willing to spend a night somewhere. It's a 430 mile drive. Expect to be on the road for about 8-9 hours. Also expect a cost of approx. $120 for tolls and fuel. Tolls on the nice highways are among the highest in Europe. Here's another alternative. Take the 180mph TGV from Paris to the Avignon TGV station. The train trip takes 2hrs 39min with one stop only in Lyon. You can rent the car at the Avignon TGV station. Once you have your rental car, the TGV station is not near the town center. Once you drive there, you will see how difficult it is to park. There is a very nice large underground parking garage in the Avignon city center called the Jean Jaures Garage which is just inside the walls at Porta San Michel. You now have lots of time to tour the very beautiful villages of Provence.

Thank you to everyone who replied. I am going to call and try to change my reservation so we can take the train. It really does sound better. I hope I can do it and I wish I had looked at this forum before I reserved. Thanks again. Kathy