Just past Nice, it is time to take a detour to the highly underrated and very pretty town of Vence. Thanks for subscribing! Thank you so much for your thoughts! Paris - Annecy - Provence - The French Riviera - Lyon by Train 5.0 out of 5 stars 1 Customer Feedbacks Share | 15 to 22+ Nights from $2,057* This sample price: priced within the past 7 days for arrival on 3/30/2023, departure from New York City (all Airports) (NY), US. Most markets are open 1-3 days/week and different markets focus on different things. Stroll around the city and take in the old Baroque buildings and little cafes. For that reason alone, I cant resist adding a day here to this suggested itinerary for the south of France! Once the home of popes, Avignon is the perfect place to kick off your south of France itinerary. Sadly we havent been to Bordeaux or Montpellier yet (hopefully soon!). Take a bus to Vaison-la-Romaine or ride a morning train to Orange (frequent departures), then connect to a less frequent bus to Vaison-la-Romaine, then explore the town's upper medieval village and lower Roman city in the afternoon (sleep in Vaison-la-Romaine; market day is Tuesday, so a Monday arrival is ideal), Day 9: Ctes du Rhne Villages. 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. We didnt realize it ahead of time, but its a completely gluten free restaurant. Hotel Negresco If youve seen photos of the French Riviera, theres a good chance youve seen photos of the iconic Hotel Negresco, with its tiled dome and bright white facade. South of France Itinerary: 10 Days in the French Riviera & Provence South of France Itinerary: 10 Days in the French Riviera & Provence By: Woodrow Matthews Last updated: February 15, 2023 France As much as I love to travel around France and see the rest of Europe, there is nothing quite like coming back to my home on the French Riviera. Day 1: Antibes and Cap d'Antibes. French Riviera & Provence Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Nice Day 2: Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Day 3: Monaco Day 4: Antibes and Cannes Day 5: Drive to Marseille Day 6: Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon Day 7: Mont Ventoux, Rhone wine region Day 8: Explore Provence Day 9: Drive to Nice via the Luberon Valley is a wonderful stop for a few hours. Check into your hotel, take a quick nap if necessary, and then spend the late afternoon and early evening exploring Nice. Prefer to dive into the slower pace of village life for a few days? 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. Here on Our Escape Clause, we are dedicated to helping travelers plan their adventures. Cheers, Julie. Joining the Paparazzi during the Cannes Film Festival, A Brief Tour through the Provencal Wine Region. From Rousillon it is a three hour drive back to Nice. 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. Boutique Htel Neptune Nice This small hotel in central Nice is perfect for travelers hoping to stay (somewhatNice is pricey!) To book your rental car for the south of France, we recommend checking prices, inclusions and availability via Discover Cars. I will be in Paris then want to go to the South. Take the train or bus to nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer, explore, and have lunch. We have rented a car from Denise airport and our hotel is in Monte Carlo. La Maison dAix This converted townhome makes the perfect luxury boutique hotel in Aix-en-Provence! Provence in particular has spawned countless novels and memoirsif youre looking for an excellent starting point, Peter Mayles A Year in Provence is a classic. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I assume you mean Nice Airport and Monaco. Going back and forth to markets, preparing our own french al fresco spreads, and exploring different villages with a home to come back to truly made the trip a special one. 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. For some spectacular scenery, visit the Parc National des Calanques. So relax and savor Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, St-Tropez, or Cannesamong other alluring destinationssaving the rest for another day. 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. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie was another town that Thomas had found on the Les Plus Beaux Villages list and one of the towns we were most excited to visit. We had heard many people rave about it, and the restaurant lived up to all the incredible reviews. 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 so much. Cheers, Julie. 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. Personally, if I were renting a villa Id look somewhere in the Luberon Valley, so near villages like Gordes or Bonnieux. Near the French Riviera, hilltop towns like Eze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence are well worth adding in to mix up beach towns if youre looking for great views. Villefranche-Sur-Mer panoramic view. I wish I knew exactly what the situation was going to look like in Augustit seems likely that some travel will be open by then (both France and Spain have mentioned a desire to open to vaccinated tourists this summer), but as for what that will look like, no clue. Enjoy views of the Mediterranean Sea from the cliffs of the French Riviera. South of France Itinerary Note: Pay Attention to Market Days! Wind up in Arles (sleep in Arles; big Saturday-morning market), Day 11: All Day in and near Arles. 25 different ways to spend one week in Europe. If you are hungry, have lunch here before resuming your drive. Do you think things are opening up? Youll be so glad you brought a Swiss Army Knife along for your south of France vacation! 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. Shop rental cars for your trip to the south of France today! The hill towns about the Riviera are excellent for wandering around, restaurants, etc, but of course, youre missing the beach. 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. The absolute best lavender fields are over at the Valensole Plateau, which is a bit of a drive but worth it if you want to see the biggest fields. 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 Goult for its understated and quiet beauty. Julie Last updated: February 5, 2023 France, Itinerary 30 Comments. This summer we went on an incredible three-week-long trip to Provence and the French Riviera. If you'll be in Provence when the lavender is blooming, then I would add an extra day to the itinerary just to see this. We had never witnessed such incredible hydrangeas and bougainvillea. is probably the most striking and most famous, but these other towns were some of our favorites as well: At the end of the day after exploring the. The Villa Ephrussi is a mansion that was built in 1905 by a rich baroness. SLEEP IN: Aix-en-Provence Pick up your rental car and drive to Aix-en-Provence. French Riviera & Provence Itinerary. By Rick Steves and Steves Smith Thanks and much Appreciated for your help! While youll experience a bit more rain than in the summer, fall can be a lovely time to visit the south of France if youre looking for reduced crowds and prices while still experiencing quite a bit of sunshine and some lovely markets. The total guide: The comprehensi. French Side travel exceeded my expectations and I look forward to . You can stroll through the entire complex in less than an hour if you are quick, longer if you are a history buff. And, whether 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! 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! Why go to Arles? 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! Id recommend maybe one base in the Luberon and then one between Valensole/Verdon Gorge. We absolutely love exploring southern France and have enjoyed a handful of road trips, train trips, and more throughout the region. Id recommend basing yourselves in one place in each the French Riviera and Provence to cut down on travel days that will eat into your exploring, aiming to only stay in 3 hotels/rentals during your honeymoon. The day starts with a half an hour drive west from Avignon to the Pont du Gard. Now, there are a few ways to get here. 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. Spend most of your day in Arles, then drive to Les Baux for late afternoon sightseeing and dinner (sleep in Arles), Day 12: Aix-en-Provence or Marseille. You have now given me a starting point in planning my trip! was in Apt, the largest town in the Luberon region. I went to Cannes as a child with my family but obviously this trip will be different. Hello, My friends and I are doing three days in the French Riviera. Had we been there longer, I would have stopped in more shops. To save this map to Your Places on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. Travel Adaptors for France If youre coming from outside of Europe, youll definitely need adaptors for your electronics. 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. Are freely accessible. Any input or advice would be so appreciated. With more time in southern France, you cant go wrong with spending a lot more time along the French Riviera, especially if youre visiting during the high season. PARIS: For the top experiences in the city, read our article Best Things to Do in Paris. Does this seem too rushed? All of that being said, if theres not a particular reason (not confident driving, etc) that you want to avoid a rental car, you will undoubtedly spend less and have more flexibility by driving yourself! It wasnt hard *in the beginning* because we were so excited to be there! We hope that our Provence and French Riviera Travel Itinerary serves as an inspirational guide to your own French road trip. There are many tours that leave from Avignon. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. If the weather's good, bring your swimsuit and float on your back for views of the 2,000-year-old aqueduct. Have dinner back in Avignon (sleep in Avignon), Day 8: Vaison-la-Romaine. Thanks. , theres something around every corner waiting to be discovered. Weve stayed in Saint-Rmy-de-Provence and Lourmarin and absolutely loved our experiences in both. The south of Francethe land of beautiful coastal cities, glitzy beaches, vineyards, lavender, and one of the worlds best cuisines. 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