Hello We (we have two daughters 22 & 18) have a week in Provence & French Riviera in January 2010. Any suggestions on best villages or towns to stay in, maybe as a base in a cottage would be very appreciated. Cheers Kathy
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Provence and the Riviera are some distance apart, but not unreasonably so from a single base location. St. Remy is a short distance from the Autoroute that can get you to the Riviera but at the same time it's not to far from the Luberon, Avignon, or Arles.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
A rental can be a really great base for exploration. However, they typically run for a week, and Provence is a separate region from the French Riviera. I mean they are too far apart to be toured from one spot.
So maybe you don't want to rent a cottage after all. Or maybe, as it's January, you will be able to negotiate a shorter term.
Where to stay is really a personal choice. In Provence, the Luberon villages are stunning, if that is the experience you seek. Further south, along the Rhone, is also pretty and closer to many of the popular Provencal sights. That time of year you may experience inclement weather and you and yours might appreciate be close to larger towns.
I don't know much about the Riviera, so I'll shut up now. Have a great trip!
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Most travelers here choose not to try to see both "Provence" and the "French Riviera" from one home base. I'm not disagreeing with Doug, his helpful post intends to tell you that in theory it could be done. I would estimate about 90% of travelers reporting in here do not try to see both Provence and the Riviera from one home base, because of the significant distance between these two regions.