Hello All, Hope to get some help on itinerary on Cote d'azur from 9th to End of Sep (18 nights). Heres our post on it: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/things-to-do-in-annecy-france/. From there, you can reach the southern coast (we highly recommend Cassis in the surrounding area) on a day trip, as well as the Valensole Plateau, Avignon, Aix en Provence, etc. How to choose? Its much faster! Vence is quaint, scenic, and gets very few tourists. Hello, What a great source of information-so very helpful in planning our trip which begins in Avignon on July 31. The information is easily discoverable. Below you will find highlights from our trip (aka what we found to be the cant-miss moments), including essential travel tips and links to all the wonderful places we stayed to assist you with turning our special trip into your own. Take a joyride through the Camargue (but if it's summer, when flamingos are scarce and mosquitoes aren't, skip it and visit Les Baux instead). You may want to look into Menton, too! My family would like to spend one month in South France visiting beautiful villages! Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc. If youd like to get out of town for a bit in the afternoon, the 2,000-year-old Pont du Gard aqueduct is incredibly impressive and only a 30-minute drive from Avignon. What would a 3 day tour of Provence look like? By Rick Steves and Steve Smith So much to see, so little time. My husband & I just relocated to Amsterdam and we are planning a trip here for early July. Yes, that would absolutely be possible, and in fact is a great way to see the area. Current Page: Essential travel tips and interactive map. You can drive to the top in your car but for avid cyclists, cycling to the top of Mont Ventoux is quite an accomplishment. My husband and I are fully vaxed and cant wait to start travelling overseas again! It is time to rent a car and drive some of the most scenic roads in France. Thank you so much, Kevin! The water can be choppy but it is worth it for the views. Something to consider when negotiating prices is that summertime is the height of tourist season, therefore it is the most expensive time to buy antiques in places like LIsle-sur-la-Sorgue. Settle in at your hotel, then take a walk along the Promenade des Anglais up to Castle Hill (sleep in or near Nice), Day 2: All Day in Nice. very similar to the one of Nimes. By Rick Steves and Steves Smith Summer in Italy: How to Plan Your Sun-Soaked Dream Trip. We spent the morning at the beach, explored the colorful town and then had a wonderful lunch on the shores of the water. We set out to see and experience as much as we possibly could during our time in Provence. ), 55 Epic Road Trips in Europe (Itinerary Ideas + Tips! First, small aperitifs were served outside in the garden with a view over the town. France with girlfriends sounds delightful. Once the home of popes, Avignon is the perfect place to kick off your south of France itinerary. The French Riviera is another beautiful and special place to experience as well. I did mean that. I wish I could offer some 2020 specific advice, but everything has been developing and changing so quickly that its hard to predict from one day to the next! Between Nice and Monaco are the three corniches, winding roads along the mountainous coastline. Provence, rather than trying to squeeze both destinations into your limited time. La Maison dAix This converted townhome makes the perfect luxury boutique hotel in Aix-en-Provence! All I can say is truffle risotto! Amazing! I assume you mean Nice Airport and Monaco. Having these saved me more than once during our last trip to France! The following content may contain affiliate links. Weather permitting, take a dip in the water, or to relax and people-watch on the sand. For those who join me in striving for a thoughtful, beautiful life. 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. There is a small beach and harbor here. Other cool things to do are to go gambling at the Monte Carlo Casino, visit the private collection of cars of Prince Rainier III, or walk through the Japanese Gardens. If you also want to see Nice and the immediate surrounding area, youd want to move into different lodging for that. From Eze, take highway A8 west. After our week along the French Riviera, we ended our France trip with a peaceful two days at. It is best to arrive at the markets early when they first open to beat the crowds. We would like to end in aix-en-Provence and possibly Avignon. Provence and the Cte d'Azur are made for explorers. For dinner, go to Old Nice (Vieux Nice), a scenic part of town with narrow streets, colorful buildings, and lots of cafes to choose from. Le Dortoir Featuring near-perfect reviews and a crisp, bright interior, Le Dortoir is an excellent option for visitors to Nice who want to enjoy a spacious hotel room without Nices top-end luxury prices. 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. Ventoux is a giant mountain that towers over this part of Provence. We were thinking of flying in to Paris (assuming cheapest, easiest), only staying1-2 night there. The view to Villefranche-sur-Mer is pretty spectacular, also! Spend your first day in Nice and then drive to Monaco to your hotel. Just past Nice, it is time to take a detour to the highly underrated and very pretty town of Vence. is a wonderful stop for a few hours. Day 2: Les Baux-de-Provence & St-Rmy-de-Provence. Antibes is another great option for a base in the area, and of course trips to places like Menton, Eze, and Monaco are all fabulous ways to spend a day. What is a good itinerary so we get the best out of this trip? September is such a beautiful time to visit. in Valensole. We learned this on our way to Villa Ephrussi during our time in. If you fly into Nice, consider completing this south of France itinerary in the opposite order that Ive written it. Cycling Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence, Vence, Our Favorite Town in the French Riviera, Driving the Monaco Grand Prix Race Course. If you have less than 2 weeks in the South of France, we recommend narrowing your focus to either the Cote dAzur or Provence, rather than trying to squeeze both destinations into your limited time. If you have less time, we also have an article that lists 25 different ways to spend one week in Europe. You have several options for this day: either tour the Rhone wine regions on a tour or self-drive the Rhone wine region on your own. It just arrived and its even more beautiful than we remember, a special collection that we can cherish and reflect back on. If youre only planning on visiting the city of Bordeaux, you may want to consider taking the fast train from Paris to Bordeaux and then from Bordeaux to Montpellier to speed things up, and then only rent a car in the southeast. Thank you, From Lyon, I highly recommend a day trip to Annecy! Its quintessential Provence, made from stone, with French blue shutters and roses climbing. I will be in touch as I plan! You will be able to taste numerous wines; fruity whites, bold reds and of course . Once in the city, it was almost impossible to get around by car. Yes, it is larger than the harbor in Monaco, and this harbor is packed with huge yachts. Famed for its casinos and yachting community, Monaco . We bought china from the most adorable shop and had it shipped home. Mont Ventoux is legendary for cyclists, making it into the Tour de France every few years. Wearing a lemon print dress, while sipping a fresh frozen lemonade in Menton, a city famous for its lemons. Highlights like Saint-Tropez, Cannes, and Antibes would be a great place to start, but there are endless gorgeous small towns and rural beaches to choose from in the region. For that reason alone, I cant resist adding a day here to this suggested itinerary for the south of France! If you do end up flying into Paris, definitely dont drive to Provence/the Riviera, but instead book the fast train from Paris (probably to Aix-en-Provence). Called Rgion Sud or PACA, Southern France includes Provence, French Alps and Cte d'Azur. Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Negresco! I also dont want to do too much traveling and instead chill in a few cities and talk it all in! Also, enjoyed your Sicily blog! In the French Riviera, all of the towns and roads are built on cliffs and peninsulas, so if you are driving somewhere its rarely a quick trip. Read more: Driving the Monaco Grand Prix Race Course. Id also recommend looking into a boat trip around the Calanques! Make an Account. 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). Visiting hilltop towns in the Luberon area is something not to be missed. Have lunch here, stroll through the city, and do a little shopping. The French Riviera is another beautiful and special place to experience as well. Portable USB Charger Dont stress about your phone dying while youre spending long days driving from village to village: add a portable charger to your south of France packing list. I am thinking, is it possible to arrange a multi-day round trip in Province, to avoid renting a car? Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. We highly suggest making reservations ahead of time, as this is a popular destination. was in Apt, the largest town in the Luberon region. Obviously not enough time to see both in detail, but thought we could get a basic overview & know if there was somewhere we want to return with more time. , and we enjoyed an incredible lunch there. 11 Days. From the sparkling skyline of Paris to the fabulous landscapes of the French Riviera, your 11-day tour through France will allow you to create unforgettable memories within breathtaking sceneries. Here on Our Escape Clause, we are dedicated to helping travelers plan their adventures. Take a gourmet tour, a historical walking tour, or see Nice through the eyes of a local. ), etc, we cant recommend the Luberon Valley more highly. My husband and I are looking at going to southern France for six days in June 2023. Despite our early arrival (we were probably 3 weeks early from peak bloom and vibrancy), some of the fields we found were already impressive spectacles and the scents of lavender and buzzing of bees were just as impressive. Start the morning with my guidebook's self-guided walk through Vieux Nice (take time to smell the fougasse and sample un caf); spend your afternoon at one or more of Nice's fine museums, then have dinner on the beach (sleep in or near Nice), Day 3: Coastal Route to Monaco. Its the most picturesque spot! Visit Nmes (Roman amphitheater) in the morning and the Pont du Gard in the afternoon. I know Aix-en-Provence and Avignon are supposed to have lovely ones, and Im sure the smaller cities and towns will have plenty too. Provence is filled with incredible views and spectacular aesthetic. Theyre not particularly charming, and the vibe is very could be a modern hotel anywhere in the world, but they absolutely get the job done for a budget or even mid-range traveler visiting Aix-en-Provence. I cant personally vouch for any of the companies that pop up in those results, though. We just dont want to do a river cruise or a tour group really. To save this map to Your Places on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. While in Provence, try a Pastis. Depending on how fast you tend to go and how much each village captures your heart (okay, and how much French wine you indulge in at lunch), you can comfortably visit 2-3 villages a day. Provence & the French Riviera 8 days France Max 18 Passengers Overview Itinerary Inclusions URL Overview Glamour, picturesque villages and stunning mountain scenery: this tour through the French Riviera and Provence is sure to impress with its diversity and dramatic beauty! To help you get started, we've listed our top picks for where to go in Provence and the French Riviera, and our plan for your best two-week trip. , was near Nice (about a 30 min. In theory, theres supposed to be more news from the EU on this front June 7, but well see! Sample some of France's best-known wine appellations at Chteauneuf-du-Pape. In 5 Days: Pick One Region - Provence or the French Riviera Pont d'Avignon Provence A perfect cocktail of history, culture, and wine-tasting, plus sunset by the sea Combine the top towns, from Aix-en-Provence and Avignon to Marseilles Add a Rhne Valley wine tour, including renowned Chteauneuf du Pape Lavender fields stretch as far as the eyes can see, hillside towns and villages boast an uninterrupted charm, rocky beaches bring feelings of tranquility, and quaint farmhouses offer simple, yet stunning beauty. Youll be so glad you brought a Swiss Army Knife along for your south of France vacation! 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