We had a wonderful time calling, , we wondered how we would manage to transport our newly-found treasures to the states. Have dinner back in Avignon (sleep in Avignon), Day 8: Vaison-la-Romaine. September is such a beautiful time to visit. You can drive to the top in your car but for avid cyclists, cycling to the top of Mont Ventoux is quite an accomplishment. If you are here on a Wednesday or Saturday, you can go shopping at the market, which is amazing. Travel Insurance We dont ever suggest traveling without insuranceanything can happen anywhere, and this is definitely a case of better safe than sorry. Vence is quaint, scenic, and gets very few tourists. was in Apt, the largest town in the Luberon region. Perched high above the Mediterranean Sea along the Cote dAzur, Saint-Paul-de-Vence is one of those destinations that we expected to enjoy but quickly move on from, but in actuality knocked us off our feet and charmed us completely. If your group is comfortable with it, Id look into potentially taking a train from Paris to Aix-en-Provence or Avignon and then hiring a driver for the Provence portion. Villages like Gordes, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Roussillon, etc, are an absolute delight, and the fun of the region is driving between them and visiting several in one stay. Even as European road trip veterans of sorts, we still got too excited when planning our most recent trip to France and booked ourselves into an itinerary that moved around too muchand we paid for it in exhaustion. Once your table is ready, they bring you inside, where the all-glass dining room looks out at the vineyard with the sun setting right behind. You cant day trip everywhere from one base, but you can sure see a lot! Today is more of a leisurely day. While we enjoyed our room, hotel and town, access to the hotel was difficult as only very compact cars can drive all the way to the hotel. Continue south and set up in Avignon. Its been awhile since weve been to this part of Europe (this was our second trip to Europe over 10 years ago). Your journey continues along the coast of the French Riviera. Also, enjoyed your Sicily blog! I assume you mean Nice Airport and Monaco. at the best online prices at eBay! Joining the Paparazzi during the Cannes Film Festival, A Brief Tour through the Provencal Wine Region. Any input or advice would be so appreciated. Hello Kate, Ive really enjoyed reading your blog posts about all your wonderful travels. I think youll definitely be able to find what youre looking for. Thank you!! The second site not to be missed is the Palais des Papes. Can you help me narrow it down if I am there for one week? Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for PROVENCE & THE FRENCH RIVIERA FOR TRAVELERS. My favorite was a thin crusted truffle pizza. We use and recommend Safety Wing for trips to the south of France. The coffee is merely average (by impeccable French standards, anyway), and I wouldnt take chances on the touristy food, but its worth sitting down just to see if the adorable corgi who passes through regularly happens to come by! Rolling hills, vineyards, tiny French townsjust breathtaking! To book your rental car for the south of France, we recommend checking prices, inclusions and availability via Discover Cars. Provence and the French Riviera in particular are so treasure-filled that you may barely do more than skim the surface in a week. There are several great restaurants that sit along the waters edge, a great place for lunch. Rick Steves, for example, has a tour that touches on Provence but it doesnt really focus on it. Is it scary driving the roads? From late June to late July, when the lavender blooms, the drive to Vaison-la-Romaine via Sault is a must (sleep in or near Vaison-la-Romaine; Monday arrival is ideal because market day is Tuesday), Day 7: Ctes du Rhne Villages. The Valensole Plateau is the worlds premier location for growing lavender. The destinations mentioned toward the end of the trip like Nice, Cannes, and Saint-Paul-de-Vence are located along the Cte dAzuraka the French Rivierain the eastern part of the region. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Hello, What a great source of information-so very helpful in planning our trip which begins in Avignon on July 31. Outdoor dining and activities will definitely be your best bets, but luckily, thats generally where youll find the best of southern France anyway! Also, wear closed-toed shoes when exploring hilltops. If youd like to see several of Provences most iconic villages without driving, its a fun way to do so! on a budget while still keeping themselves within walking distance of Nices best highlights. Thank you. Stroll through the tiny cobblestone streets of the village, and youll feel like youre back in the Luberon Valley. Villefranche-Sur-Mer panoramic view. Id like a few beach dates where I can swim in the ocean, sit under an umbrella (basically being catered too lol) and then go out to fun dinners, walk around, shop (love antique markets etc.) at Bastide de Marie is wonderful! Spring is also an excellent time of year to be exploring Provencal markets, something that we have taken full advantage of when visiting during this time of year. I knew it was going to be pretty, but what we arrived to was a complete dream! In Chateauneuf-de-Pape, we recommend La Cave du Verger des Papes, a great, old wine cellar that offers tastings everyday.Honestly, just driving the area around Malaucene, Vaison-la-Romaine, and Orange is spectacular. But for details on what to do in each place, either get Rick Steves guide (thats what we used and it was awesome) or do more online searching. Sit down for a fantastic French meal on a stunning terrace, and youll immediately feel all the glitz and glamour of the Cote dAzur. (For travelers who happen to be visiting in the offseason, look up. Provence & French Riviera Itinerary Just a short drive from famous hot spots of Nice and Cannes, the dramatic Gorges du Verdon offer a scenic escape from coastal crowds. Here is our Provence and French Riviera Itinerary from a couple of summers ago when we went on a road trip in Southern France. This summer we went on an incredible three-week-long trip to Provence and the French Riviera. Your email address will not be published. It is kind of the same with the Ferraris here, too. My husband and I are looking at going to southern France for a week or two in July 2023. Hotel Negresco is the most iconic choice for its history and location alone. Mont Ventoux is legendary for cyclists, making it into the Tour de France every few years. The French Riviera is another beautiful and special place to experience as well. On day 2 you could drive and visit the towns in between Nice and Monaco (Villefranche, Saint John Cap Ferrat, and Eze). Youll have a much better end to the day by arriving early in Nice and going out for a nice dinner and night on the town rather than visiting the headache that is St. Tropez. What is, in your opinion best alternative to renting a car? Before we left the States, we did a lot of research to find small towns to visit during our stay, which we added to our Google Maps. Our website uses cookies. This is one of the most famous luxury hotels in France and has built up quite the storied history (and held a number of famous guests) since it opened in 1913and its also a whimsical and wonderful place to stay today. Read more: Driving the Monaco Grand Prix Race Course. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. Some will be about food, and others will be, Be sure to visit the town of Bonnieux for some of the best views over the valley, Gordes for its impressive location built into a hilltop, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse for its lovely spring and river, Roussillon for its majestic red cliff, and. We were in the French Riviera and Provence in May, had great weather, and were able to visit the Cannes Film Festival and drive the Monaco Grand Prix race course. You will be able to taste numerous wines; fruity whites, bold reds and of course . Alternatively, check the prices of flights to Geneva (on one of our trips to France, we flew into Geneva, spent a few days in the delightful city of Annecy, and then drove to Avignon to start exploring Provence-Alpes-Cte dAzur). One place not to be missed, in our opinion, is Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence. Spend the day exploring the town, hitting up the impressive Papal Palace, the Pont dAvignon, and the Les Halles Market in between wandering the streets and marveling that youre finally in southern France! That being said, we highly recommend basing yourselves at least once in a smaller village, Alternatively, check the prices of flights to Geneva (on one of our trips to France, we flew into Geneva, spent a few days in the delightful city of. Just past Nice, it is time to take a detour to the highly underrated and very pretty town of Vence. , was near Nice (about a 30 min. Prefer to dive into the slower pace of village life for a few days? On our way back from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, we visited the. Do you have any recommendations for hotels we can check out for the two areas and also if there are any small tour groups (no river cruise ) you think would be good to use since we do not have a lot of time this time around. Hi! , theres something around every corner waiting to be discovered. Day 2: Bellagio and Varenna A short drive or ferry ride from Como will take you to Bellagio. Driving in Provence is fairly simpleGPS directions work well, and you park outside the historic centers so you dont have to worry about driving on tiny roads. Nice is fantasticwe highly recommend visiting Eze and Vence when in the area as well. Do you have any questions about this French Riviera itinerary? Well, is one of those places. What we like to do when we first arrive to a new destination is get acclimated to the new time zone right away. Take a minivan tour or a taxi (or, in summer, a bus) to Les Baux and have breakfast with a view. Lots of missed celebrationsso our first planned trip is to France in September, I grew up there and cant wait to share it with him. Both towns are absolutely lovely, but in our biased opinion, we do think that Saint-Rmy-de-Provence is, e do recognize that the views from Les Baux-de-Provence themselves are top-notch, hether you want to go for a hike or simply take a boat tour past the beautiful calanques, visiting this stunning part of the French coastline is a must, he Valensole Plateau is the iconic home to those never-ending lavender fields pictured on tourism brochures around the world, Though Ive noted you can see the major sites of the area in one day here, like in the Alpilles, photographers and/or outdoor enthusiasts will probably want to spend at least a couple of days here if at all possible, I cant resist adding a day here to this suggested, Come here for a delightful combination of all the things that makes the south of France so charming. Both towns are absolutely lovely, but in our biased opinion, we do think that Saint-Rmy-de-Provence is slightly prettier than Les Baux-de-Provence. Learn how to visit Pere LeChaise Cemetery, plan your time with our 3 Day Paris Itinerary, learn where to get the best views of Paris, and read our Paris Food Guide for information on what to eat in Paris. Visiting hilltop towns in the Luberon area is something not to be missed. You are covering a lot of ground in two weeks, especially with Paris too. My husband & I just relocated to Amsterdam and we are planning a trip here for early July. My family would like to spend one month in South France visiting beautiful villages! Weather permitting, take a dip in the water, or to relax and people-watch on the sand. Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. Last, how many days would you choose for France & how many for Sicily? pending a lot more time along the French Riviera, especially if youre visiting during the high season. We have loaded up our backpack more than once on shopping extravaganzas here! Some will be about food, and others will be French flea markets/brocantes that focus on textiles, clothing, or antiques. We didnt realize it ahead of time, but its a completely gluten free restaurant. It is a land of luxury, with yachts dotting the shorelines, fancy hotels in every city, and epic parties you read about in magazines. In the days leading up to this event, you can drive the race course. We cover our tips for driving in France a lot more thoroughly in our broader France road trip guide, so be sure to check that out before taking off on your trip to southern France! I loved reading this! Visit Nmes (Roman amphitheater) in the morning and the Pont du Gard in the afternoon. For small towns Id recommend the Luberon Valleytruly gorgeous and very typically Provencal. For the Luberon Valley, all the major towns such as Gordes and Roussillon have beautiful places to stay, but youll want to book in advance as theyre mostly small, boutique properties. Your help would be awesome. 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