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Provence

What area of Provence would be best for renting a house for two weeks? We want to stay in one place and take day trips from there. Any suggestions? Many thanks, Alice

Posted by
711 posts

We really like the town of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. There are many gites in the area and it is very easy to drive to the villages around the Luberon and the Cotes de Rhone. We even drove to the lovely villages in the Var... Cotignac, etc.

Posted by
345 posts

I am sure other posters will want more information such as when do you plan to go; what type of transportation will you have available; are you interested in cities or more rural areas; are there only two people going or a family; if a family, what are the ages of your children; what things do you want to see. OK, you get the idea. My husband and I love the Luberon area and have been there several times. However, we always have a car and it is just the two of us. We take day trips to both rural areas and to Avignon. Posters can give you more suggestions but more information is helpful. Thanks!

Posted by
837 posts

Second the Isle-sur-la-Sorge recommendation. Have stayed in Avignon and Castillon du Gard. Driven through most of Provence including Luberon and Cote du Rhone. Isle-sur-la-Sorge is convenient to all and, we thought, the most charming town in which to stay. If we return to the general Provence area, we will definitely stay there.

Posted by
719 posts

I do enjoy Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, but it is a bit more of a workaday town than I would want to stay in Provence. I personally prefer smaller villages like those in the Luberon. They're much tinier, but you can include market stops in each of the surrounding towns as your "food gathering" each day, which is very Provencal. I-s-l-S is great (also near Carpentras, which is a favorite), but I'd head to Luberon.

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks for the suggestions! We plan to go late May/early June. We will have a car. My husband and I will be joined by my 20year old son, my 24 year old son and his girlfriend, and my sister. This will be our first trip to Provence! We like the idea of staying close to a smaller town, but in the countryside. Keep the suggestions coming! Many thanks! Alice

Posted by
10116 posts

To clarify Jane: in this case a gite refers to a rental house/cottage. There is an accrediting organization for these rentals called Gites de France. They have an English-language website from which you can rent directly.

Posted by
4132 posts

With two weeks (what an opportunity!) you could, if you like, stay in two different towns, for instance a week in the Luberon and a week in or near the Rhone valley (St. Remy or Isle sur la Sorge). Two advantages of this: Shorter day trips (visit the Pont du Gard from St. Remy rather than from Rousillon) and a change to experience two venues. By the way, the time of your visit probably overlaps with the Transhumance, when sheep go to their summer pastures in the Alps. There are festivals and events in many of the villages. Years ago we spent a week in St. Remy and went to a mass picnic under olive trees featuring local wine, lamb, and Provencal singing. There was also a kind of running-of-the sheep thing in town. It was a lively highpoint. I recommend incorporating it into your plans (not necessarily St. Remy, that's just where we were).

Posted by
6898 posts

Per your second message above, Luberon really fills the bill for a smaller area and countryside. The smaller villages such as Lourmarin and Gordes. The Luberon is in the far SE of Provence and a good drive from the main highway north but it was all quite beautiful.

Posted by
345 posts

I would try for the Joucas area. It is on the northern side of the Luberon area. It is near Gordes and Roussillon. It is would take about 40 minutes to drive to Isle-sur-la Sorgue. Roussillon is across the valley, about 15 minutes from Joucas. Joucas is about 30 minutes from Apt. Good luck!

Posted by
3247 posts

We spent 2 weeks in the countryside near St. Remy and thought that it was an ideal location for exploring the region. From there we took day trips as far as Cassis in one direction, the Carmargue in the other plus Pont du Gard, Arles, Avignon, and the Sunday market at L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. We still had time for visiting local wineries, markets, and hiking in the region. Edit: I second Adam's recommendation to check for the location of the transhumance--we attended one in St. Remy in late May. It's an experience! I'll also add that we stayed between the towns of Mouries and Maussane Les Alpilles - both smaller villages with local markets and nice restaurants.

Posted by
3696 posts

Favorite town to stay in Provence... St. Remy...just the right size, wonderful market, great shopping and fabulous restaurants. Centrally located and nothing beats the drive into town down the long lane with trees on both sides of the road! Morning walks to the hospital where Van Gogh stayed, love it. I have stayed there at least 6 times and twice for two weeks each and I would go again tomorrow.

Posted by
2023 posts

Agree with the above post. We found St Remy to be a perfect place to stay. The market day (Thursday?) was a fun experience despite the Mistral winds. We were glad to not stay in Arles or Avignon-way too busy. Isle-Sur-LaSorge is a nice option also. Roussillon would be too small imo but don't miss a side trip there.

Posted by
123 posts

I like the suggestion of doing two one-week rentals. You can zone in on different areas. We stayed a week in Avignon and enjoyed it . Spent a day traveling in each direction N,S, E and W. There is such a variety between Roman Ruins, Hill Towns, Ilse sur la surge (water town). We had a car for our time there.

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks for all of the great information. We are leaning towards a stay near St. Remy and are now looking for a vacation rental nearby. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Alice

Posted by
1315 posts

We used France Homestyle for our Lourmarin rental and were very satisfied. The house was wonderful, just as described on the website. The US staff was prompt and accommodating. I would use them again without hestitation.