My husband and I will be spending 6 night in Provence in late October. We will be taking the train from Paris to ?Avignon. Undecided about where to stay. 3 night in 2 locations? Thought a bit of driving and a bit of public transit would be more relaxing for the driver. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
A car is a very good idea for a 6-day itinerary. With a car, I don't think I would use trains or buses at all, though the train connections between some of the towns are quite good. Your own wheels just give you more flexibility and reach. Depending on your priorities, you can make the case for splitting your base between two locations, say, one in the Rhone valley and one in the Luberon. However, if your sights to see are primarily in the Rhone valley you can visit the Luberon as one or more day trips from the Rhone valley without a lot of difficulty. This is a decision you have to make based in part on the sightseeing you hope to do. More on the car vs train: The Luberon really demands a car unless you are very determined. Nearer to the Rhone, having a car makes it feasible to stay in some of the smaller towns that are not served by rail, or in a chambre d'hote or a rental that is outside of town. If you do not have a car for any part of your trip you want a town with a rail station. Rick recommends Arles and it's a good choice. I hope this helps you to make your planning decisions. You definitely have the right idea! Have a blast.
Posted by
Valparaiso, IN, USA
1 posts
We have been to Provence at least 8 times in the last 15 years, and stayed in several villages near Avignon. We rent a car with pick up at the TGV station and then off to our rental. Last year we stayed in Isle sur la Sorge, a wonderful village with a great Sunday market. Found the apartment which was very reasonable on vacation.com. This village is in close proximity to anywhere you want to go in Provence which by the way is very small. We drove to Monaco and back in one day with lunch and sight seeing in the afternoon. We have also stayed in Chateauneuf du Pape, Lourmarin, Le Thor and Valreas, but Isle was the most convenient to everything. Have a great trip. October is a wonderful time to be in Provence.