rick steves provence itinerary

If you are lucky, the car will have a trunk, so items will be out of sight (and another reason not to travel with such big bags that everything won't fit in the trunk). Sabine: Avec plaisir. Whether you're in search of the magic light like Van Gogh, perhaps the best Roman ruins anywhere, a bloodless bullfight, lessons in boules, or just the right wineProvence has it all. Provence & French Riviera Itinerary - Rick Steves Europe In this program, we climb Roman ruins in Nmes, explore a papal palace in Avignon, and savor vivid views immortalized by Van Gogh in Arles. Explore Vaison-la-Romaine's upper medieval village and lower Roman city, then set sail along the Ctes du Rhne wine road and visit a winery or wine cooperative. Vincent spent many a sunny day painting the leafy Jardin dEt. We could alternately stay in Arles and then St. Remy which would provide opportunity to drop luggage off at hotel on way down to Marseille. I recently spent five nights there as a base of operations in Provence, but it isn't really a must-see place on its own except perhaps for its Roman ruins. (A nice thing about food tours is that, because theyre squeezing into small shops and restaurants, they max out at only eight or ten people and can depart with as few as three the size of our group on this morning.) The loudspeaker announces the reward various local businesses offer to the man who gets the ribbon. I'm Rick Steves. In a side chapel was this faded painting from 1789: a triangle within a sunburst, celebrating reason rather than religion. We spent a day doing Nimes and Arles, a day in Aix (that was when they had the torrential rain last Oct so half of that day was literally a wash). Order anything la Provenale, and you'll be well rewarded. The French eat long and well, especially here in the south. Im here at Place dAlbertas with my Provence & the French Riviera guidebook, making sure our self-guided town walk is accurate and easy to follow. There is no guarantee, however, that your connecting train will be on the adjacent platform - you'll probably have to cross underneath the tracks. It's my favorite home base from which to explore France's Provence region. Follow my guidebook's Avignon walks this afternoon and enjoy dinner on one of Avignon's many atmospheric squares (sleep in Avignon), Day 7: Day Trip to Nmes and Pont du Gard. We are flying in and out of Nice at the end of September. Romans grew wheat on these vast fields, and brought the grain here to the mega watermill. Au revoir! It's a cooperative. Taking full advantage of the round arch the Romans invented, it's made strong by gravity. Also during the Revolution, churches were turned into temples of reason. Id never actually seen a tangible sign of this. A bullfight la Provenale is more sporting than the bloody Spanish bullfights. Carol, nothing against Marseilles but you can return your car at most any major train station the day of your departure from Provence. After being a trading center for centuries, Arles became a sleepy town of little importance in the 1700s. The beauty of this market is its international flavor, reflecting how Provence remains a crossroads of Mediterranean cultures: paella from Spain, fragrant mint leaves for tea, spices from North Africa. You'll see some very old plumbing, walk through a rock quarry, and learn how they moved those huge blocks into place and constructed those massive arches. Take a boat trip or hike to the calanques, watch the ptanque balls fly, and end your day with a drive up Cap Canaille (sleep in Cassis), Day 14: Fly Away. When it reopens after a long renovation (some time in 2019), it is expected to resume its place as one of the top attractions in Arles. / Our Tours / France Tours / Loire to the South of France in 13 Days Tour 2024 Chartres Cathedral Previous Next Amboise Previous Next Chteau de Chenonceau Previous Next Chinon Previous Next Chteau de Villandry Gardens Previous Next Canoeing on the Dordogne Previous Next Sarlat Market Previous Next Boules in Sarlat Previous Next Carcassonne Provence Itinerary - Rick Steves Travel Forum Near Arles: Les Baux, St-Rmy, and the Camargue Several compelling sights: the cliff-topping castle ruins at Les Baux; St-Rmy with Roman ruins and a mental hospital that treated Van Gogh; and the Camargue a nature lover's refuge, with flamingos, bulls, and white horses. While only a few arches survive, the bridge was huge extending all the way to the lonely Tower of Philip the Fair, which marked the beginning of France. Day trip from Avignon to Aix en Provence Sevilla's Barrio Santa Cruz 3 (extra) days in Aix-en-Provence: suggestions please! This compact city is alive with Roman ruins, an eclectic assortment of museums, and welcoming pedestrian zones. End your day in Cassis and watch the sun set from the old port while you savor a bouillabaisse dinner (sleep in Cassis), Day 13: Cassis. Threndy? Get to a wine village near Vaison-la-Romaine. Near Avignon: Pont du Gard, Nmes, and Uzs Three worthy destinations, including the stunning Pont du Gard aqueduct; thriving Nmes with world-class Roman monuments; and pedestrian-friendly Uzs, a refreshing break from power monuments and busy cities. This bridge was a big deal even outside of its kiddie-tune fame. Arles also has a good archaeological museum. Rick: So if you know the terroir, you know the personality of the wine. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | CST# 2086743 | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. If you've seen the model of this eight-tiered mill in Arles' Ancient History Museum, the milling is easy to visualize making a visit here quite an exciting experience. MNT: Provence with Steve Smith | Rick Steves Europe You can still visit the places that inspired him, like this hospital courtyard. Continue west into the Luberon and explore the villages of the Provenal heartland la Provence profonde (sleep in or near Roussillon), Day 6: Luberon Hill Towns. We previously spent 9 days in Paris in a hotel in a small neighborhood close to a metro from where we explored the city. As a student of history, Ive long been fascinated by the fanaticism of the French Revolution (1789), which challenged every aspect of French society with the test of reason. If something wasnt logical, it was swept away. This magnificent region is shaped like a giant wedge of quiche. Adam, thank you for the response and forgive me, i often see that questionwhat are your interests. Terms of Service | Privacy, Provence & French Riviera: Recommended Itinerary, When to Go to Provence and the French Riviera, Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in France, Provence & the French Riviera: Recommended Books and Movies, Living Well and Looking Good in Aix-en-Provence (clip), Provence: Legendary Light, Wind, and Wine (episode), Travel Talks: Provence & the French Riviera (episode), A Three-Hour Joyride in a French Restaurant, Market Day in France: Shop, Savor, Slow Down, Avignon: A Medieval Town with a Youthful Attitude, Marjorie Williams' "Markets of Provence" Rick Steves European tours and vacations feature the best value and travel experience around. The Pont du Gard reminds us that throughout the ancient world, aqueducts were stone flags heralding the greatness of Rome. 07/03/14 11:15 AM 16890 posts You are the perfect candidates to add a stay in Marseille. Barring that, just make sure you try and park somewhere well lit/trafficked - don't park way down at the dark, empty corner of a parking lot or in an empty section of a parking garage. We stayed in Lourmarin and easily did a day trip to Aix en Provence and Cassis. To support its denim producers, the city built an extensive system of industrial canals, which was ornamented with a lavish Versailles-type park. Take a morning bus back to Orange (bag check available near the train station), visit the Roman theater, then hop a train to Arles and explore the city in the afternoon (sleep in Arles; big Saturday morning market), Day 11: Les Baux and Arles. I would prefer experiencing that part of Provence to driving to the coast, but it all depends on your preferred style of travel. How to choose? This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. It features a stimulating collection of works by contemporary artists paying homage to Van Gogh through their thought-provoking interpretations of Vincent's work. Traveling in May, we see the selection of just the best spring shoots on these gnarly old vines. Check websites to see when the markets are. They are both SNCF. While some places can be seen by train or bus ( eg. Relaxed tree-shaded lunches, long dinners, and lazy afternoons at outdoor cafs are the norm. We've never been there, but we are very excited! Take the train or bus to nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer, explore, and have lunch. Visiting Arles, travelers tune into the story of Vincent van Gogh. Les Baux is a must see, very spectacular cliff-side fortification very close to St Remy. I consider Avignon to be a bit of a snooze, but it's all good. Aix's university gives the city a youthful energy. 03/13/17 06:55 AM 3938 posts Sometimes if can't be avoided to leave valuables in a car. Rick: Huh! Throughout France, but especially here in the south, Muslim North Africans from France's former colonies have come to pick olives, harvest fruit, and so on. This "Street of the Dyers" is charming; its limestone car barriers are carved whimsically by amateur sculptors. My husband thinks we should go to the coast, but I'm worried we are trying to pack too much into a short stay. This bridge is the Pont d'Avignon, made famous by the 15th-century folk song known to all French school kids. Any advice would be much appreciated. Cannes isn't far from the Nice airport. I consider the Camargue a solid B-list sight that could be a very pleasant break from the rest of your itinerary, but skipable if you need the day for something else. Like so? 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. We often get good suggestions from locals which we may add or some that cause us to delete certain sights. Sabine: For French wine really you do not have an indication of the grape, but what you will have on the label is where the wine is coming from. Her tour is filled with information and tastes of top-quality local foods and drinks, and finishes in the market hall (55, 2-8 people per group, book in advance on her website, www.avignongourmetours.com). Nimes actually makes kind of a poor base compared with other options. As an FYI, in Paris we plan to rent a studio for 2 weeks. Watch on. Sabine: And you have your herbs of Provence, you have your dried sage, thyme, rosemary. The market feels a little like a bazaar thanks to the many Algerians and Moroccans who call Arles home. Guests enjoy Internet access, an enticing breakfast buffet, and the shady, Provenal-chic courtyard. This is what Roman aqueducts were all about. The temple survived in part because it's been in constant use for the last thousand years. I was thinking about 2 nights Arles, and 2 nights in Isle de la Sorgue, (trying to mix a city with a small town) but also want to daytrip to the Calanques from Marseille.

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