sightseeing in provence

My wife and I will be in St remy de provence

for 4 nights April 18 to 22. We have a car and are wondering if we should self drive the area or retain a guide to cover the towns and attractions that give this area its character. The comments on this forum has been so helpful.

Thanks in advance

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We have always driven to our own schedule. You will be in a good central location in St. Remy. Here are some ideas. First, go to Barnes and Noble or Borders and get a Michelin Tourist and Motoring Atlas for France and a Michelin Green Guide for Provence.The Atlas is bulky but we always take it with us because it shows every roadway major or minor. Or since you will only be in the Provence area around St. Remy, cut out those pages to help you navigate. I would suggest the following; West go to Pont du Gard (allow 2-4 hours here) and then to Nimes to see the arena and Temple. North go to Orange to see the amphitheatre and the arch de triumphe. back to Chateau Neuf du Pape to Avignon mid afternoor to see Palace and dinner and back to St. Remy. One day to Glanum just outside St. Remy and Le Baux. If time permits, go Northeast to Gourdes and Abbey de Senanque. South one day to Arles and Ste. Marie de la Mer on the Mediteranean, and over to Aigues- Mortes. There are a number of nice places to eat in St Remy so arriving back in late afternoon will make your day complete with a nice meal. It is a marvelous area to visit and experience. Enjoy.

Taco Tom

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Hi,

my goodness with that schedule you will go back to the US having spent all your time in a car!Provence in 3-4 days is impossible but if you only have that time I would not do Orange if you are going to visit Arles.Avignon, Gordes and Rousillion are ok in a day.If you are in the area on a Sunday then you coud consider Isle sur la Sorgue for the market and Fontaine de Vaucluse at the same time (10 mins away by car) and then a drive through the hilltop villages of Bonieux, Menerbes, Opede back to St Remy.

Provence is a relaxing place and the pace here is much slower than in the US or the UK. Everything closes for 2 hours at lunch and you will become frustrated if you try to fit too much in. If you need any more help please feel free to email me

Escargot

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Hi there,

While I am by no means an expert on Provence, I do have a bit of first-hand experience of being there. My husband and I spent 4 days in the Luberon last May and our longest day was on a Wednesday, when we spent the morning in St. Remy for the market and then moved on to the Pont du Gard after lunch. During the other 3 days we saw Mont Ventoux (only because my husband is a HUGE cycling fan!), Roussillon, Gordes, Oppede-le-Vieux, Bonnieux, Menerbes and Lourmarin.

That said, I couldn%26#39;t agree more with Escargot - Provence is very relaxing and time should be spent just %26quot;looking%26quot; and taking in the absolutely gorgeous landscape...but not through your car window! Be sure to allow time to enjoy a glass of wine (or whatever libation you prefer) each day just to take in the ambience of each place you%26#39;re in. It%26#39;s well worth it.

After our first day in the Luberon last May, we immediately decided to return. We leave on April 29 for 9 days...but this time, we%26#39;re staying in Gordes for the full time, just so we%26#39;ll really be able to soak in the atmosphere without feeling so rushed.

Have an amazing time - I%26#39;ve travelled extensively throughout Europe, and I can honestly say I%26#39;ve never been anywhere as beautiful. If I was never able to see anything new again, I would be happy to return there year after year.

Enjoy!