Our cruise includes stops at St. Tropez, Monte Carlo and ends at Nice July 9th. We have reservations in Avignon that night. We will head to Paris on the 11th. I know we do not have nearly enough time, but would like some help planning to enjoy southern France through the eyes of the impressionists. I planned the time of year so we can see water lilies at Giverny, lavender in Provence,etc. We plan to take all public trans. Is there any possibility of using our port days , perhaps St. Tropez, and getting to Aix-en-Provence or another area to help give us extra time? We also would like ideas out of Avignon (lavender?) - and before heading to Paris. We of course are open to any off-the-beaten-path ideas. We'll enjoy every minute I'm sure. Thanks for your interest.
Posted by
Ottawa
1446 posts
Your cruise wouldn't by any chance stop in Marseille? That would be your best bet for Aix-en-Provence. Head to Antibes from Saint-Tropez to walk the Trail of Past Artists?? St-Paul-de-Vence can be done from Monaco?? Leave your luggage (coming off the ship) at the Nice train station and head to Renoir's house and garden in Cagnes-sur-Mer?? I assume you will have train tickets to Avignon late in the day from Nice... You have left yourself entirely too little time IMO.
Posted by
Reston, Virginia
403 posts
Doris: If I understand you correctly, you will be in Nice at some point during the day on July 9th, and will have to be in Avignon by that same evening. Then you will have essentially just July 10th to explore. I would recommend that you rent a car in Avignon and follow the drives set out in RS Provence book, especially the one up into the mountains to see the lavender fields near Sault. You can then head back to Avignon by way of the little towns of the Luberon. If you don't want to rent a car even for a day, I would suggest taking the train to Arles, where Van Gogh spent several months painting. There is plenty there to justify a day.
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Giverny is northwest of Paris, so a different proposition for travel. If you go to St. Remy, a short walk out of town will take you to scenes Van Gogh painted.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
In Provence, I would recommend seeing some of the Roman antiquities in Arles or Nimes. You could even spend the night in Arles, which is on the rail line.
Posted by
OP
Manheim, PA, USA
82 posts
To clarify: My original itinerary was Nice to Paris (and of course, Giverny). I added a stop in Avignon when I just couldn't imagine missing all of Provence. That being said, we do NOT have nearly enough time.
So... what about Diane's advice while at Monaco (St Paul de Vence) and Saint Tropez (Antibes)... and leave Nice later in the day for Avignon. With only one full day in Avignon, could we do the drive to Sault daytime on the 10th and spend time in Avignon that evening and next 1/2 day? We could leave late afternoon on 11th for Paris. This is our first trip to Europe (in our late fifties), so I hesitated to drive all around, but would love to drive to Sault if it is not too ambitious a trip for "first-timers". I guess "planning to come back" will ease some of my concerns.
Posted by
Ottawa
1446 posts
You are aware that you are trying to squeeze in too much ;-) Giving in to the nutty madness, driving to Gordes from Avignon would be closer than Sault. The lavender fields at the Abbaye de Sénanque will be beautiful at that time. Between a quick visit of the fields at the Abbaye, a photo stop admiring Gordes from the road, you may even have enough time for lunch in Isle-sur-Sorgue and finish the afternoon in Avignon. You can only accomplish this with a rental car picked-up early that morning. St Paul de Vence can be done by bus from Monaco, as Antibes from Saint-Tropez. No need, and certainly no desire, to drive anywhere along the Riviera in July!!! BTW - I'd be very surprised if your cruise ship did not offer an
excursion to St Paul de Vence...
Posted by
Ottawa
1446 posts
Out of curiosity, what kind of impossible itinerary did you set out for yourselves during your Paris time? How are you planning on including Giverny? LOL! You gals are gonna trot!
Posted by
OP
Manheim, PA, USA
82 posts
Don't totally give up on me. My husband is an outdoorsy person and we won't be hitting all the museums and interior tours that are overwhelmingly abundant. I do want to line up a few "jaunts" that we would both enjoy ... thus the Impressionists theme.
We start with four days in Tuscany ...the 7-day cruise includes Rome - Elba - Bastia, Corsica - Florence(Livorno) - Portofino - St. Tropez - Monte Carlo - Nice... then Avignon (2), Paris (5)-Amsterdam to meet friends and flight home. Is it the consensus that we just enjoy each port and go directly to Avignon from Nice?
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
I had a (long) lunch stop over in St Tropez on one of my trips (probably my secret Brigitte memories coming to the fore) and was pleasantly surprised how intersting and "normal" the old town away from the harbor was. I even enjoyed the tourist bustle at the harbor- so maybe just enjoy the port stops for themselves. By the way- i do envy you- I promise myself one day i want a cruise that scrapes along the French Riviera. The scene is great from the land over the ocean, must be even more spectacular looking towards the shore
Posted by
Ottawa
1446 posts
Seems to me that you are on the right track, Doris! Antibes from Saint-Tropez, given that you have the whole day, would be a pleasant addition for sure.