Hello! My wife and I will be in Provence for 4-5 days in mid Ocotober. I am trying to decided what town (and accomodations) for our tenure. Using a variety of sources I have narrowed it down to above. Below is what we are looking for (keep in mind never been to Provence before) and we WILL have a car: - Pont du Gard - potentially other Roman ruins but not a deal-breaker if we end up w/just PdG - Wine, I want to taste some Rhone wines on-site - Water, would like to check out Cassis for a day, considered staying there but not centrally located and it will be October (weather) - We WOULD like to experience some warm weather...willing to push to the east closer to Cote d 'Azur if there is a marked difference - Want a town with some eating/drinking choices, and preferrably some less formal, less expensive options. I love a good afternoon class of wine/beer/local spirits - Don't want a place that is too sleepy in the evening
- Good affordabel accomodations (~90 Euros night budget) Any help is greatly appreciated! Rob
Posted by
Tulsa, OK
355 posts
We spent a week in Isle sur le Sorgue a few years ago and traveled to all the towns you mention. Les Baux is really not appropriate but the others would be lovely. I don't know if you can find a gite or other apartment rental for 4-5 nights, but if you can, that is usually cheaper than a hotel and having room to spread out in a gite is wonderful. If memory serves, St. Remy might be the most central and is a lovely town with a great market.
Regarding the weather - we were there in mid October and it was quite warm. Also - Pont du Gard is amazing...
Posted by
Arlington, VA, USA
123 posts
Husband and I spent 3 nights in Arles a few years ago at end of September/1st October and used it as a base, including a day trip by train to Avignon. Weather was perfect. Arles is lovely and has Roman ruins too and seemed pretty quiet to us in the evenings but we like that. Unfortunately the Hotel Cloitre where we stayed is now closed but you could try Hotel Le Calendal, 3***, which gets super reviews on Trip Advisor. Not sure of their rates in October. We missed Pont du Gard (still kicking my tail!) so someday we'll return. We're headed back to France in August -- but this time, after several days in Paris we're heading North (Normandy) then east (Rouen & Amiens) then on to Belgium for a week. You'll love Provence!
BonVoyage!
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Based on "not too sleepy" I'd also suggest Arles. Otherwise, with car I'd probably suggest a smaller town such as St. Remy. "Not too sleepy" is relative, and maybe you'd only be happy in Avignon. But Arles is big enough to have some night life, plenty of food choices, and is a lovely town with a good location for your sights and some stellar Roman antiquities. You may have to make a trip up the Rhone for wine tastings, though. I do not think it will be appreciably warmer in Cote d 'Azur. It can be quite warm in October. If you can be flexible, pick the hottest day for Cassis. If you are hungry for more Roman antiquities you should stop by the theater in Orange, maybe combining that with your wine-tour day. It's a knockout.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10603 posts
I stayed at Hotel Regence In Arles. It was walkable to everything in the old town, had free parking across the street and was very reasonably priced. I think I paid 63€ per night last September. I was there the last few days of September and it was very warm. We went to Cassis one day (loved it) and it was definitely beach weather. We stopped in Aix-en-Provence on our way back to Arles.
Posted by
Columbia, MO, USA
249 posts
Early July spent 5 days in Lourmarin in a wonderful apartment in the Luberon, took easy day trip to Pont du Gard. We had been in Le Lavandou prior to that for our beach days. Also good for lunch trip to Gordes, and wines in Gigondas. Plenty of restaurants, cafes, and wine-tasting opportunities. Send p.m. for details if wanted.
Posted by
Lake Oswego, Oregon
1329 posts
I also loved Lourmarin, especially the Friday market. We rented a house through France Homestyle. We had a great wine tasting at Chateau Mourchon in Seguret. Pont du Gard and Cassis are definitely worth a visit.