Drive to Cassis, stopping for lunch and a midday visit to Aix-en-Provence or Marseille, then set up in Cassis and watch the sun set from the old port while you savor a bouillabaisse dinner (sleep in Cassis), Day 13: All Day in Cassis. 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.) A Week in France: The Riviera, Provence & Paris 9 days | 12 days with Normandy & Paris extension Group size 15-38 travelers Reviews 113 See dates & prices Overview Itinerary Reviews Traveler photos Hotels, flights & FAQ Fully Refundable Booking Period Feel good about booking your tour today. France: Marseille to Nice Itinerary - 8 Days Day 1: Start Your Provence Itinerary: Fly into Marseille. First, small aperitifs were served outside in the garden with a view over the town. If you are really curious about what St. Tropez is like, go check it out. A Pastis is a local, alcoholic drink. France or Italy: Which Destination is Right for You? 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! 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). Make sure your outfit is suitable for walking around towns for hours this means comfortable shoes, such as. Over the course of 10 days, you'll enjoy the beauty of Paris with the help of a local guide before spending three nights in Aix en Provence. ), etc, we cant recommend the Luberon Valley more highly. South of France Itinerary: 7-Day Road Trip Through Provence & the French Riviera Whether you're cruising with the top down through the stunning wine country of Provence, or driving through the French Riviera along the sparkling coast (aka "The Cte d'Azur"), southern France is a region you'll want to absorb every last inch of. You probably wont have time to visit all of thosebut the great thing about exploring the Luberon Valley is that going slow and savoring the journey is half the fun anyway. Day 2: Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Day 6: Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Day 9: Drive to Nice via the Luberon Valley, Day 10: Fly home (or extend your travels). Stroll down picturesque, tree-lined boulevards in Aix before heading to the coast, where the Mediterranean traces your route from Cassis to Cinque Terre. Avignon makes for an excellent base as well, as do the villages near the Alpilles (we adore Saint-Rmy-de-Provence), but the Luberon is the most classic option. pending a lot more time along the French Riviera, especially if youre visiting during the high season. Hello, this is simply superb, thank you very much for sharing this. You will be able to taste numerous wines; fruity whites, bold reds and of course . on a budget while still keeping themselves within walking distance of Nices best highlights. Thank you so much for your thoughts! 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. 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 in Valensole. Your email address will not be published. So helpful! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map. The adorable fishing village of Cassis is a delightful addition to any south of France itinerary. 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. From Rousillon it is a three hour drive back to Nice. We have rented a car from Denise airport and our hotel is in Monte Carlo. Ellen. Summer is the best time to visit the south of France if youre hoping for a classic trip. Shop rental cars for your trip to the south of France today! There is a small beach and harbor here. 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. Thanks& enjoy your trips in 2023! 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. Id think of that areaAix + small Provencal villagesas a separate section from the Riviera. I went to Cannes as a child with my family but obviously this trip will be different. It wasnt hard *in the beginning* because we were so excited to be there! 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. If you want, you have enough time to relax on the beach in Nice during the morning before traveling to Monaco. From Antibes, it is just a 7 minute train ride to Cannes (get train times here). Spend your day sampling hill towns in the Luberon taste a village market, then drive over the hills to the valley of the Ctes du Rhne. Pick up your rental car as early as possible in Nice. Planning a trip to France? 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. We will be coming from the U.S. in Sept. & only have 18 days, including travel, for France & Sicily. 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. In theory, theres supposed to be more news from the EU on this front June 7, but well see! Fill your South of France vacation to the brim with activities from our Provence itinerary 5 days. Since '82, we've spent well over 150 weeks vacationing in France. Some links throughout this site are affiliate links. Could things be 100% normal by then? Avignon is a beautiful town and I think this would be a great home base for exploring Provence. Planned to then drive to southern France & fly out of Nice to Sicily. We were looking at an Airbnb in La Ciotat. The two biggest airports in the Provence-Alpes-Cte dAzur region are Marseille and Nice, and you can easily fly into either to start your trip to southern France. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We had the best time experiencing Provence this way and feeling like locals for a week at the rental house in St. Saturnin Les Apt. We love the south of France in the spring, and would happily visit in the spring again. Day 3: Village-hopping road trip. is a wonderful stop for a few hours. To read about our experience at the Cannes Film Festival, read Joining the Paparazzi during the Cannes Film Festivaland find out how you can visit the Cannes Film Festival for free. Once the home of popes, Avignon is the perfect place to kick off your south of France itinerary. 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. and the itinerary was excellent. 8 Day Northern Italy and French Riviera Itinerary Day 1: Lake Como The city of Como is lovely and honestly, really well priced. ), 55 Epic Road Trips in Europe (Itinerary Ideas + Tips! Cannes is famous for its luxury hotels and of course, the Cannes Film Festival. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Just food for thought! Getting Around During Your Trip to Southern France. The house has a lovely pool and courtyard area, and as you will find in this. After dinner in Monte Carlo, take the train back to Nice. 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. I know you have mentioned Aix-en-Provence and Nice as two potential bases for the itinerary but I understand that may not be enough (i.e. The old town and marina of Saint-Tropez We made great use of the pool and all of the lounging areas, eating breakfast on the patio and sipping wine in the evening. There are many tours that leave from Avignon. Along the way, you have the option to make a detour to St. Tropez, if you so desire. Using Aix as a home base while in France. Day 1: Antibes and Cap d'Antibes. You can drive to the top in your car but for avid cyclists, cycling to the top of Mont Ventoux is quite an accomplishment. Boasting impeccable reviewsespecially for the breakfast, cleanliness, and customer service at the hotelluxury travelers will love both the creature comforts and central location of La Maison dAix. The food was fantastic, but the sunset we witnessed was one of the most incredible sunsets weve ever seen, with the sky and calm blue waters turning a cotton candy pink hue. We had never witnessed such incredible hydrangeas and bougainvillea. If you have less time, we also have an article that lists 25 different ways to spend one week in Europe. A good thing to do on your first day is to stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, a paved walkway along the coastline of Nice. Overview Itinerary Hotels Tours Map I am interested in going to the South of France but would like to stay in a house or villa that we would use as home base, but do day trips to various areas. Inside you'll find: Flexible itineraries including 1-2 days in Nice, 2 days in Monaco, and 2 days in Cannes; Strategic advice for art lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, film fans, sports car aficionados, and more The house is gorgeous but what most people come here to see are the gardens. Most of the time when we take day trips while traveling, well decide on our final destination and then fill our day with things that are along the way. Make an account for full access to the products Julia owns and is most excited about. Sure, the Luberon Valley also has stunning fields, and theyre definitely worth seeingbut in Valensole, be ready to pull your car over nearly constantly, because every field seems to be more gorgeous than the last. If you search Provence small group tours, thats where I found the results I think youre looking for (as opposed to Provence tours that mostly suggests day trips). We loved exploring markets on market days. The dates for the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 are May 16 to May 27. Also. That way we could reference them while traveling. Now it is time to leave the French Riviera and enter Provence. 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! Maybe, but Id bank on a contingency plan or two. Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Negresco! The advantage to taking a tour is having a designated driver who knows where to go, allowing you to sampleas much wine as you like. Home to everything from sprawling lavender fields to hilltop towns to fishing villages to the sparkling Mediterranean Sea, its no wonder that traveling through Provence and the French Riviera is a dream trip for manyand this south of France itinerary makes it easy to enjoy the perfect trip. Second question, it sounds like we may miss the lavender fields in bloom! If you manage to time it right, on Thursdays Aix-en-Provence has three markets in town at once, so you can get the perfect experience all in one spot. . The Valensole Plateau is the worlds premier location for growing lavender. The information is easily discoverable. It is time to rent a car and drive some of the most scenic roads in France. French Riviera & Provence Road Trip Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Marseille Day 2: Aix-en-Provence, Roussillon, Gordes & Fontaine-de-Vaucluse Day 3: Plateau de Valensole and the Lavender Fields Day 4: Gorges du Verdon Day 5: Menton Day 6: Monaco Day 7: Eze, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Nice Day 8: Nice Thanks. 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. 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