Trip report: Speaking French in Provence, solo with public transit

Day 3. I went to the Gare routière (right next to the train station) for a bus to the Pont du Gard. That part was easy, and the bus lets you off with an easy walk to the site. I got a ticket to the museum, which was a little too high-concept (weird lighting and sound effects) and packed with unruly tweens on a field trip, but definitely informative. Then I went to the actual site and spent a while climbing the hill and walking down to the river to admire the Pont from all sides. From there, I returned to the bus stop to continue in the same direction to Uzès. The bus was late enough that I began to worry I'd made a mistake, but it turned up. I easily found my way to the Place aux Herbes for a picturesque lunch at an okay restaurant. Next I went to the Jardin mediéval, which I absolutely loved. The garden was in bloom with fragrant roses and many herbs to see, plus a friendly tabby cat named Rosalie. I returned to the bus stop and waited for a while before asking a local for help looking at the schedule--she had trouble too, but we figured out that there was no 3pm bus until the summer. With two unexpected hours to kill, I walked the town, visited the church, and did an impromptu hike behind the church. Back in Avignon, I was tired enough to opt for takeout from O'Libanais--Lebanese kebabs, tabouleh, etc. This was the afternoon I'd intended to see the Avignon sights, such as they are, so the phantom 3pm bus prevented that, but I didn't really mind.

Day 4. Took the train to Arles and immediately got on the bus to go to the Ancient History Museum, which was excellent. Walked from there into the center of town and saw St. Trophime Church before its lunchtime closure. The portal was amazing and there is a guide to all its scenes inside the church (in French). After this, I had a somewhat irritating search for a non-seafood non-pizza lunch, and ended up at L'Apostrophe, which was fine. I'd bought the Pass Avantage, which covered many other sites: the Arlatan Museum (interesting, more of a focus on the founder's eccentricities than I expected), the St. Trophime cloister, the arena and theater, and the Alpilles viewpoint (where the view was somewhat obscured by trees). Doing the guidebook walk more or less backwards, I missed some of the Van Gogh sights. In some ways, this was my least favorite day, because Arles was my most obviously touristy stop, and some of the sights had superior analogues in other towns, but it was still a pleasant visit.

Back at the hotel in Avignon, I started checking my plans for the next day and ran into a roadblock. I was planning to take the train to Orange, sightsee, and then proceed on the bus to my hotel in Vaison-la-Romaine... but I suddenly couldn't find any specific bus times after 11am, which was too early to give me any time to see Orange. The Hôtel de Cambis staff and I realized the next day was Ascension Day so the schedules were drastically curtailed. One of the employees suggested that I try BlaBlaCar (instead of a horribly expensive cab), and we quickly found a 5-star "super driver" offering a trip from Orange to Vaison-la-Romaine the next day at 4:30pm. I submitted a request and crossed my fingers...

Day 5. I took the short train ride to Orange and left my luggage at the Logis Hotel de Provence, which was very easy and convenient. It was market day, so I wandered around there a little before making my way to the Theater, which was amazing. In addition to just the experience of being there (and hearing kids test the acoustics), the audioguide was good, and there was also a 5€ VR experience that I found worthwhile. (You put on a headset and experience what the theater was like in its heyday with its full decor and a packed audience.) I took my time here--no reason not to since that's the main sight. With few handrails, I had an easy time going up and a slooow time going back down (vertigo: I used my hand to block my view beyond the next few steps). Then I had lunch in the Place de la République, under an awning, which is good because it rained for about 20 minutes near the end of my meal. Once the coast was clear, I went to the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire and Arc de Triomphe. As with Uzès, it felt like I had time to wander every street in the core of the town before I returned to get my luggage.

BlaBlaCar ended up working out great! The driver, Shirley, was about my age and headed home to see her mother for the long weekend. We had a nice chat and she gave me lots of ideas for the following day before dropping me off at my hotel (Hôtel Burrhus). And it cost under 8€! I had dinner at Le Bateleur, which was tasty but incredibly slow.

Day 6. Vaison-la-Romaine. This was the only other day of the trip that wasn't perfectly sunny--it was raining in the morning so I read in my hotel room until around 10:30. Then it cleared up, but there was a chilly mistral all day! I started with the Puymin and La Villasse Ruins which were fascinating. There is a good museum at the first site with important context: as I was buying my ticket, a child was exclaiming about how tiny the ruined houses were, but no, those were individual rooms in massive (like 20k+ sq.ft.) family compounds. At the museum, I picked up an audioguide that covers the entire town, not just the Roman sites. Next I had lunch at Chez Fred, recommended by Shirley... and ran into her and her mother. Then I walked to Notre Dame de Nazareth and another church mentioned on the audioguide, before heading towards the Roman bridge, with good views from the Quai Paul Gontard. Then I walked the picturesque medieval town. I appreciated the guide's assessment that the climb to the chateau wasn't worth it since the footing looked a little dicey. Had to return to the museum to return the audioguide and get my drivers license back. On this evening, I had dinner at La Fontaine, which was pretty good, but a second evening indoors because of the chilly mistral.

Day 7. My day with Richard from Imagination Tours was a real highlight. I booked a full-day tour to (a) speak French (b) break up the solo travel days (c) see some sights less accessible by public transit and (d) transfer me and my luggage between two of the smaller towns (Vaison -> Isle-sur-la-Sorgue). The private tour was an ideal way to do this. Richard picked me up at 8:30 and we went to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence first (Glanum ruins and St. Paul Monastery/Hospital), Les-Baux-de-Provence (where we had a great lunch at Au Porte Mages), stopped for a killer view of Gordes before visiting the Abbaye de Sénanque, Roussillion, and a quick look at the Pont Julien. Richard dropped me off in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue just before 6:30, so this was close to ten hours of sightseeing and speaking French--a marvelous day but also tiring and my French certainly got worse towards the end. My only regret is that we skipped the castle at Les-Baux, which the guidebook later made sound like the main event; given the holiday crowds, that may have been deliberate. Maybe it was nice to sit back and let someone else plan for the day. At any rate, I highly recommend Imagination Tours!

After the tour, I felt too tired for a traditional dinner, so stopped at a gourmet store called Olive et Raisin that had a small menu of soups and salads. Booking months ahead, I had only found one room in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, at Hôtel les Névons (which I now realize was because it was long weekend for locals). I found this hotel very bare bones with a disappointing breakfast.

Day 8. Market day in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue! It's a good thing I'm an early riser, because I got to walk around and see the pretty water wheels and the squares as the vendors were setting up, before it got really crowded. And it did get really crowded, but again, overwhelmingly French people. I walked around a lot, seeing all the vendors and going into multiple clusters of antiques shops, but didn't buy anything because nothing thrilled me that seemed reasonably priced and portable. I did buy a big container of amazingly fresh fraises de Carpentras (strawberries) and had lunch at the Café de France right in the middle of the busiest part of the market by the church, but the seating sort of insulated against the jostling crowd, so it was relaxed. I felt like I'd thoroughly seen the town and market by the time I headed for the train station around 3.

Arriving in Marseille, I took the subway from the train station to the Vieux-Port and felt like I emerged into a different world. I could smell the salty air as I came up the escalator; someone was playing a drum, and it felt like summer on the Mediterranean. I stayed at Hôtel Hermès, which was friendly (room and shower were tiny, though).

Day 9. My first stop was Notre Dame de la Garde--an easy bus ride from the Vieux-Port. I was surprised by how much I liked this relatively new church. Beautiful mosaics, expressions of thanks for maritime survival, and the views toward the city made it memorable. I took the bus back down to the central area and did part of the RS guide's walk, however, this was Monday so the Charité and history museum was closed (I knew this in advance but didn't see a way around it since I had to be back in the office Wednesday). After stopping at the hotel to check into my flight on their wifi, I took another bus to the Vallon des Auffes which had been recommended by a friend. This was a picturesque mini-port (with a easy-to-access swimming hole, if you were ever there on a warmer day). From there, I walked back to the Vieux-Port, passing various parks and views, and bought my ticket for a 2.25-hour boat tour of the calanques. As we waited to board, a staff member went along the line, warning of rough water and telling people they could trade their tickets for tomorrow. Well, I couldn't! And it was actually no problem. For part of the excursion, I was slightly in the splash zone sitting in the open area at the back, but it was exhilarating. I was sort of madly laughing with the other folks who had chosen to sit there. The narration was inaudible over the engines, but the trip was a fun change of pace; I don’t think a longer version would have added much. Had a good dinner at Brasseries Barbotin to end the trip.

Day 10. Uber to MRS, then MRS–LHR–PHL on one ticket. The 1h45 Heathrow connection was tight but problem-free.

French: I did this trip solo to speak French. I never previously visited France without other Americans, which really lessens your chances of speaking. This time, people assumed I was French and would initially speak to me in the fast and abrupt way you'd strike up conversation with a native, which sometimes caught me off guard. However, there was maybe only one occasion where someone got impatient and started speaking English with me. I'd been trudging my way through a French novel in preparation for this trip and read something like 200pp on the flight home, so the immersion clearly worked!

Hotels & dining: Some of the RS-recommended hotels were already fully booked when I was planning this in January, which I now realize was because of the long Ascension Day weekend. Hôtel de Cambis was clearly the best, but it was also 4 stars compared to the others' 2-3. I had no problem getting tables for lunch and dinner without reservations, probably because I do things early--was showing up for dinner at 7.

Safety: On multiple websites, I found comments from Americans that they'd felt less than completely safe in Avignon. This was not my experience at all. I don't stay out late, but I did wander around quite a bit before and after dinner. I live in Philadelphia and am a pretty cool customer, but I didn't see anything that I would consider gritty let alone unsafe, and that includes the train and bus stations. I also had plenty of warnings about safety in Marseille, including from French people I met on the trip. Again, with the grain of salt that I don't stay out late at night, I didn't find it concerning. There are definitely signs of disorder, like trash dumping and urine odors, but I carried the same purse I do at home and felt fine.

Weather: When I left, the forecast was for a chilly gray drizzle, but then in reality it was very brightly sunny and a comfortable temperature except for two chilly mistral days. I wore some clothes a lot and some never left the suitcase. Bring a hat you like because you'll be wearing it! I think this region would be oppressively sunny and hot in July-August.

Luggage: I set this up so that I only had to move my luggage without a car from CDG to Avignon (on my arrival day during which I did nothing else); from Avignon to Orange train station (very easy); and from Hôtel de Névons in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue to Hôtel Hermès in Marseille (not hard).

Public transit: I had an easy time using the SNCF website and Google maps to plan the rail trips on the fly. My Uzès hiccup was caused by printing out a full-color brochure from ZOU on a crappy b&w printer that didn't include the "summer" legend legibly. As for Ascension Day, pobody's nerfect.... and all's well that ends well!

Thank you bradamant for a great trip report. Very informative and helpful. I hope to go back to France next year, also a solo traveler.

This is lovely trip report, bradmant. Thanks for sharing all the details! I haven't been to Provence since 1999, but it makes me want to rush back there as soon as possible. I really enjoyed reading about your travels and everything you saw. It sounds like it was just a wonderful trip.

And I get what you mean about the language. I speak German, and the last time I went to Germany, I was amazed what a difference one month of immersion worked. But it's fun to test it out and speak a different language when traveling.

I very much enjoyed reading your trip report, bradamant. Always refreshing to find other travelers who successfully use public transportation in Provence. We did a similar trip several years ago. The BlaBla car is new to me and seems like a great option. We ended up taking the bus from Orange to Vaison-la-Romaine which was a bit time consuming.

Kudos to you for immersing yourself in French during your trip!

Thank you for your very enjoyable trip report, bradamant! It was a lovely reminder of my 2024 trip to Provence, where we had many similar destinations - Orange, Vaison-la-Romaine, Avignon, Arles, Uzes and Nimes.

We also used public transportation only and actually had a very easy time taking the bus between Orange and Vaison. We spent two nights in Uzes, day-tripping from there by bus to the Pont du Gard. No problem getting there, but on the way back, the scheduled bus never showed up. After an hour of waiting, we gave up and requested an Uber. About 15 minutes later, we crossed the road to make our way to the pick up point. As soon as we reached the other side, along came our bus, which we had to watch drive right by, of course. We had a good laugh and felt grateful that we had reached the stage in our lives where it wouldn't break us to have to spend 50 euros unexpectedly.

I'm one of those folks who would take Arles over Avignon any day. This was was my second time in both places, the first being in 2018. While we spent the night in Arles, we only walked around Avignon for a couple of hours so my sister, who had never been, could see it. Walking up the main boulevard into town from the train station, I was struck by how much grungier it seemed than my first visit. I never felt unsafe, but I was glad to get out of there as I didn't like the vibe (sorry, kind of a dumb word, but I am not sure how else to describe it). Just my own personal experience.
I'm glad you had such a great trip and congrats on travelling solo AND in French!

Great trip report, thanks.

I agree with you that growing up in Phila gives a different yardstick for measuring sketchiness. When a crazy streetperson starts yelling, you mean it's not usual to start yelling back?

Great report.

I had a fantastic trip in that area back in - gosh, was it really 2008? I drove down from my home in England, used Le Shuttle and stayed in Marseille. I did a mix of rail and road to Avignon, Arles and Nîmes. I think Nimes was my favourite. Loved Marseille as well - I remember a fantastic bus trip (just a normal passenger bus) that went all along the coast.

I also remember a heat wave (it was June).

Wonderful area, and Marseille is such a beautiful, crazy city (driving there was… fun?)

Brilliant recap! I spoke French daily between the ages of 7 and 21 but that was ages ago, so whilst I'm quite fluent and have no discernible accent, my repertoire of idioms is stuck in the past...rather like an English person who uses expressions such as smashing and groovy LOL. I quite literally can't understand modern French movies or television (apart from the news or documentaries) or eavesdrop the next table. I've also a bit of difficulty understanding the N. African accents which today pervade cities such as Paris and Marseille...but in fairness loads of French people tell me they have the same difficulty.

I'd love to spend an immersive month or so. Perhaps Switzerland

Thanks very much for a super informative TR! We've not been to this part of France & it looks like you put an emphasis on ancient Roman archaeology, which would be a preference for us as well. Just curious if having done this trip, would you still recommend staying in Avignon? Someone else mentioned they loved Arles. Slogging through a few hundred pages of a French novel is excellent prep, but wow, lots of work! Thanks again.

Thank you for this exceptional trip report. As someone who travels solo and uses public transportation I found those details so helpful. I will book mark this TR for future use.

I know nothing at all about this area of France but I do travel as a solo female most of the time and I loved reading your report. I could feel the relaxed enjoyment of a well-spent week with you. Thank you!

Bradament: I really enjoyed this trip report! It enabled me to revisit places I went last fall and to learn about other options without a car. I'm very glad to read how well your plans worked out,

Given that you are now the third person on this thread (you, me, and Sue) who experienced the delayed bus returning from Pont du Gard, it is worth underscoring that travelers relying on that bus probably should be prepared for a delay but don't need to panic -- it eventually arrives. Similar to your Ascension day hiccup with the bus schedule, I encountered a school holiday schedule change that was in the footnotes but not clear to me. These things can all be worked around but it is good to look for the fine print.

Great trip report! I love piecing together public transportation. Immersion for a month or so has always been my plan... While I've been to France many times, I have not made it back down to Provence or Nice area since 1976. This reminds me I need to head south one of these days.

I love that you focused your trip on the language. Love this new way of approaching a trip and report. Bravo! I enjoyed traveling with you through this report. Great ideas too.

Thanks for sharing your trip report. I love seeing how others travel with public transportation. Sounds like you made good use of your time. I'm glad you were able to immerse yourself in the French language. Traveling solo is definitely a less insulated experience.

@Sandancisco, I'm (obviously) not the original poster, but on my own trip to the area I personally preferred Arles as a base to Avignon, whereas my friends who've just got back preferred Avignon to Arles! So I don't think there's a single 'right' answer to that one.

Excellent planning, execution and trip report. Having used BlablaCar is really living like a local. Bravo.

For those concerned about Avignon: I’ve been in Avignon a couple times in the past year and don’t see the grittiness. In the past, it wasn’t my favorite city but I was impressed by how much I liked it recently. Note: one day trip we drove over for the theater festival in July, and the other was a group of thirty who took the train there for the day for an art exhibition and museum tours. Both times we walked from the train station and all through the town.
Maybe I’m just used to grittiness where I live.

GPB, I know what you mean about getting out of date with a language. I speak German better than French but I learned it in the '90s so "my" word for money was Mark, not Euro. I've mostly gotten over it by now, but in the '10s I had a few conversations where I must have really come off like Rip Van Winkle!

Sandancisco, say hello to Uppsala for me, one of my favorites! I would still choose Avignon, although I can see that Avignon vs. Arles remains a hot topic. I really liked everything about the Hotel De Cambis. The transport options among Nimes-Arles-PDG-Avignon all seem sort of circular and equivalent, but one thing in Avignon's favor is that there is a direct TGV train from CDG in Paris, which I don't think exists for the other towns (and, IIRC, doesn't exist year round--that was the kind of thing that pushed my schedule from April into May). That really appealed to me because I am now old enough to not want to drag my luggage all over creation. It was really convenient to use Avignon as a hub.

Regarding the Pont du Gard bus that several people mentioned, the local transit authority does have an app that tracks the buses. I downloaded that very slowly while waiting for the bus, which didn't really matter because then the bus arrived... but it would have been useful if I'd downloaded it in advance on wifi. One thing I liked about this trip was that I kind of baked "taking infrequent buses" into the plan, and there aren't so many things to see that the timing is worth stressing over. And I could have taken a cab to Vaison-la-Romaine if it came to that.

Terrific report. My compliments on your planning. You saw a great deal in a compact time, and it didn’t sound as if you felt rushed doing it. And using public transportation no less! Using a private guide that one day was also a great creative way to cover ground and sightsee. Well done.