Suggestions for a 20-something solo female traveler visiting Southern France the first half of February? I speak some French so communication isn't a major issue, and I've been to Paris in the past. I enjoy meeting locals but I'm not a big party person. When I travel I enjoy soaking up the history of a place and being outside as much as possible when the weather allows it. I also don't like to spend a lot of time in museums. I have about a week and would like to base myself in two places that are relatively close to each other. I was looking at Marseille and Nice as one combination, but then I heard that the area around Montpellier can offer a somewhat similar atmosphere for cheaper. I'm on a recent college grad's budget, so that's a big factor for me. If I spent a few days in Montpellier, what's another city people might recommend that's not too far by train? (within three hours, ideally). Thanks for your help!
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
I wouldn't be too quick to ditch Marsielle. It's a really cool, vibrant city. Definately rough around the edges, but I like it. And my understanding is that a lot of the "holiday" stuff in the South of France shuts down in the off-season, but Marsielle is a big enough city that it shouldn't suffer from that problem. I really enjoy nearby Aix-en-Provence and Cassis, but I'd do research to make sure the sights/hotels/restaurants are going to be open that time of year.
Posted by
Honolulu/Seattle, HI/WA, USA
2787 posts
Your might want to check out RS "Paris and the South of France" tour and click on their daily itinerary for some ideas of where he thinks is important. We took that tour in 2009 and greatly enjoyed the south of France.