I am having a hard time deciding where to go. The lavender fields will be blooming (July is the best time to aim for, though you might be lucky and still find some fields in early August), the beaches will be warm and lovely, and the sun will (most likely) be shining. Steve Smith is the co-author of the Rick Steves Provence & the French Riviera guidebook. Both of us ordered the fish for our main dish and loved every bite. Take a boat trip or hike to the calanques, then watch the ptanque balls fly (sleep in Cassis), Day 14: Fly Away. When you click and shop the links, we receive a commission. Itd be a busy itinerary, but the Luberon Valley has a high concentration of darling Provencal villages so you can see several in quick succession. By Rick Steves and Steves Smith Camargue, Provence, and French Riviera Itinerary: an introduction Day 1 | Get Lost in Nice Day 2 | An Escapade to Monte Carlo + Beautiful Villages and Sunsets 9 AM: Visit the Richest Country in the World 3 PM: The Medieval Village of Eze 5 PM: Beach Bums + Sunset Views at Saint Jean Cap Ferrat Day 3 | Charming Villages & Beautiful Beaches Luxury Provence & the French Riviera 13 days from $16,225pp Jump to: Day-to-day Itinerary Reviews When to go France trip ideas Tour highlights Hunt for truffles with a local expert and trained dog before enjoying a four-course gourmet meal in Mnerbes. There are an abundance of poppy fields in Provence. Much smaller and prettier than nearby Marseilles, Cassis is also the perfect jumping-off point for visiting Calanques National Park. https://www.palais-des-papes.com/en/Drive to Nice through the Luberon Valley. We explored the most stunning villages, tasted the recipes of some of the finest restaurants, including ones topping the Michelin star list, perused the local markets for goods to bring back home, and took countless pictures of the brightly colored surroundings that inspired us. Choose your own departure city and dates. , was near Nice (about a 30 min. Alternatively, if you drive down, you could add a day in the Loire Valley (a bit out of the way but beautiful) or even a lesser-visited city like Dijon. Enjoy market day this morning, then take a train to Avignon. Id recommend booking things with as flexible as cancellation policies as possible. 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 To the north of Avignon are the towns of Gigondas and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, great places to go wine tasting. Hi Dominique! 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. This is one of the most famous luxury hotels in France and has built up quite the storied history (and held a number of famous guests) since it opened in 1913and its also a whimsical and wonderful place to stay today. The Middle Corniche is the bestjust high enough for amazing views of the rocky coastline and the towns below. Take the train or bus to nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer, explore, and have lunch. If youd like to see several of Provences most iconic villages without driving, its a fun way to do so! Your first stop is Aix-en-Provence, the gateway into Provence, just a half an hour away by car. The buildings here are a reddish pink color. Now it is time to leave the French Riviera and enter Provence. 11 Days. to places like Eze, St-Paul-de-Vence, Monaco, etc, might suit you perfectly. Most of the major beach towns/cities will have what youre looking for, including Nice. I knew it was going to be pretty, but what we arrived to was a complete dream! My husband and I are looking at going to southern France for six days in June 2023. Check into your hotel and have dinner at one of Avignons many fantastic restaurants. Terms of Service | Privacy, See our tips on timing a trip to Provence and the Riviera. Great info! Having these saved me more than once during our last trip to France! The following content may contain affiliate links. We just dont want to do a river cruise or a tour group really. Cannes is famous for its luxury hotels and of course, the Cannes Film Festival. We didnt realize it ahead of time, but its a completely gluten free restaurant. Hi, We are American citizens visiting Portugal and plan on flying to Nice (early July) to see French Rivera from there. If you get a chance and are in the area (even if youre not staying at the hotel), head there for dinner or have lunch and set-up a wine tasting at their winery next door. Thank you so much for your thoughts! Day 3: Village-hopping road trip. Finish your day with a one hour drive north to Avignon. 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. It sits on 23 acres of vineyards, with everything from olive trees to lavender to rose gardens. ), Planning a Trip to Paris in 11 Easy Steps (+ First Time in Paris Tips! (For travelers who happen to be visiting in the offseason, look up Mentons February lemon festival!). I loved discovering your site! While in Provence, try a Pastis. After lunch, take another uber or taxi to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild located on Cap Ferrat. Early July is considered the absolute optimal time for enjoying the lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau, though late June, the rest of July, and maybe the very beginning of August can work as well. Take a train to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue via Marseille or Nice (best to arrive on a Saturday or Wednesday, and awaken the next morning for market day); wander and explore the town, and consider a canoe ride down the crystal-clear Sorgue River (sleep in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue), Day 6: Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Avignon. Most markets are open 1-3 days/week and different markets focus on different things. 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. Your flight to Nice, France should land on Day 1 of the itinerary - this means that you should depart your home airport the day prior - your round-trip travel time on this Journey is 10 Days (9 Days, 8 Nights . Dijon is another great option, though I havent had a chance to visit yet. PARIS: For the top experiences in the city, read our article Best Things to Do in Paris. you could ever want. This is where the rich and famous come to relax and party. French Riviera A hundred years ago, celebrities from London to Moscow flocked to the French Riviera to socialize, gamble, and escape the dreary weather at home. The total guide: The comprehensi. French Riviera & Provence Itinerary. Both are gorgeous small towns with excellent views. were so happy to have a home base during our time in Provence. What are your thoughts about 5 days in the French Riviera, 5 days in Provence, and then 3 days in Paris. You have now given me a starting point in planning my trip! Explore, shop and save your most loved outfits, daily looks and inspiration from the blog. Sadly we havent been to Bordeaux or Montpellier yet (hopefully soon!). ), How to Take the Perfect Day Trip to Cascais From Lisbon (+ Tips for Visiting! Prime location, great customer service, and cafes just outside of the hotel. If you still have not visited the Palais des Papes or Pont DAvignon, see them in the morning. France: Marseille to Nice Itinerary - 8 Days Day 1: Start Your Provence Itinerary: Fly into Marseille. 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. Theyll search both local and international brands that have available cars, and allow you to compare prices, reviews, and inclusions side-by-side. Sadly I dont have a printable version of our itineraries yet, but I hope to create them in the future! 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 Pont du Gard is the highest of all Roman aqueducts and built without mortar. I will be in touch as I plan! Hand Sanitizer Weve never been sorry to have this floating around in our day bag. If that is a highlight of those areas and there is so much to see elsewhere too, should we skip Luberon Valley since we are already squeezing quite a lot in? Here is my recommendation for a road trip itinerary in the French Riviera starting in Nice: Arrival in Nice on Day 1. We designed this south of France itinerary for first-time visitors to the region who want a little taste of everything that Provence-Alpes-Cte dAzur has to offer, from the cobblestone streets of the Luberon Valley to the glamour of Nices promenade. Lots of missed celebrationsso our first planned trip is to France in September, I grew up there and cant wait to share it with him. My favorite was a thin crusted truffle pizza. 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. 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. Les Baux-de-Provence, often considered one of the most beautiful villages in France, and Saint-Rmy-de-Provence, the former home of Van Gogh and a bit of an artistic enclave. If so, can you recommend a particular town or inn? We follow your travels and learned much from you when we did the 3-week family trip to the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany and Italy in summer of 2019. Thanks& enjoy your trips in 2023! A bit long-winded, I know, and will likely be dated advice within a week, but thats the best I can offer now! 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. Using Aix as a home base while in France. On our way back from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, we visited the. 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. Thank you so much Kate for getting back to me. It is time to rent a car and drive some of the most scenic roads in France. Get to a wine village near Vaison-la-Romaine. Its where Gordes is as well as places like Bonneiux, Lourmarin, Roussillon, etc. The most important thing to keep in mind when deciding where to stay in the south of France? Check rates & book your stay at La Maison dAix! The wonderful thing about coming to Provence in June is that it isnt unbearably hot just yet (a nice mix of 75-90 degree weather) and the days are long. We personally explored the Luberon from a base of Aix-en-Provence. We would like to end in aix-en-Provence and possibly Avignon. Do you have any questions about this French Riviera itinerary? To book your rental car for the south of France, we recommend checking prices, inclusions and availability via Discover Cars. Were driving from Paris south, areas I want to specifically hit; Bordeaux, Nice/Cannes & Montpellier and then driving back to Paris. Let us know in the comment section below! My husband and I are fully vaxed and cant wait to start travelling overseas again! The south of Francethe land of beautiful coastal cities, glitzy beaches, vineyards, lavender, and one of the worlds best cuisines. 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. 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. 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