Below you will find highlights from our trip (aka what we found to be the cant-miss moments), including essential travel tips and links to all the wonderful places we stayed to assist you with turning our special trip into your own. Hi Dominique! , a wonderful Michelin star restaurant located near Lourmarin. We can get another Airbnb or a hotel. So much to see, so little time. But for details on what to do in each place, either get Rick Steves guide (thats what we used and it was awesome) or do more online searching. 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. Check rates & book your stay at Sjours & Affaires Aix-en-Provence Mirabeau! If so, can you recommend a particular town or inn? Travel Adaptors for France If youre coming from outside of Europe, youll definitely need adaptors for your electronics. La Maison dAix This converted townhome makes the perfect luxury boutique hotel in Aix-en-Provence! Our longest beach day was in. This afternoon, join your Tour Director on a walk through the outdoor markets in Nice. Everyone else also thinks this is the best time to visit the south of France, so prices will be high and crowds will be large. If you fly into Nice, consider completing this south of France itinerary in the opposite order that Ive written it. Hello, What a great source of information-so very helpful in planning our trip which begins in Avignon on July 31. Tour little Crestet and take a walk above Gigondas (sleep in or near Vaison-la-Romaine), Day 8: Orange and Chteauneuf-du-Pape. Is that a good place to stay to have opportunity for day trips? Haha! Well, is one of those places. Hi! Do you have any suggestions for some cant miss day trips from Lyon? For some spectacular scenery, visit the Parc National des Calanques. After you get your fill of snapping photos, head to the Verdon Gorge, home to cascading cliffs, turquoise water, the nearby Lake of Sainte-Croix, some incredible hiking, andagain for summer visitors specificallyexcellent kayaking and rafting. This south of France itinerary is for you! It features first-class accommodations and small-group tours. A Pastis is a local, alcoholic drink. It is a land of luxury, with yachts dotting the shorelines, fancy hotels in every city, and epic parties you read about in magazines. In Avignon, we stayed at Hotel dEurope. 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. Winter definitely isnt an ideal time to be experiencing this south of France itinerary, but if cold weather and closed businesses are a worthy trade for rock-bottom prices and a lack of crowds, winter might be an option for your trip! I am having a hard time deciding where to go. 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. Id recommend booking things with as flexible as cancellation policies as possible. Hi, We are American citizens visiting Portugal and plan on flying to Nice (early July) to see French Rivera from there. 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). France or Italy: Which Destination is Right for You? The red hills of the Esterel alternate with the green olive trees and vineyards with glimpses of the blue Mediterranean in the distance. 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. We will rent a car. However, we do recognize that the views from Les Baux-de-Provence themselves are top-notch! Im wearing a dress I bought at one of the lovely boutiques there. Here on Our Escape Clause, we are dedicated to helping travelers plan their adventures. Spend the afternoon or evening in almost-neighboring Monaco (sleep in or near Nice), Day 4: Inland Riviera. Hotel Negresco is the most iconic choice for its history and location alone. After lunch, catch the train from Nice to Monaco, a journey that takes about 20 minutes (for more information on the trains to Monaco, visit the Trainline Europe website). Several questions. Portable USB Charger Dont stress about your phone dying while youre spending long days driving from village to village: add a portable charger to your south of France packing list. Take a gourmet tour, a historical walking tour, or see Nice through the eyes of a local. For a more classic Provence feel with small farming villages, lavender fields (July is a great time to catch the blooms! In Monaco, stroll along the harbor, as this is the place to go yacht spotting. We are planning a trip to southern France (flying into Nice) in mid-July for our long-awaited honeymoon! Next, they escorted us inside, where we began with an amuse-bouche and a salad course. The day starts with a half an hour drive west from Avignon to the Pont du Gard. I knew it was going to be pretty, but what we arrived to was a complete dream! The total guide: The comprehensi. Spend the first part of the day exploring the quiet, colorful streets. I know you suggested 14 days in Provence and the French Riviera but weve never been to Paris! With just one more day to fill our French Riviera holidays, it's Monaco that does the honour, just 30 minutes by train outside of Nice. 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. Prefer to dive into the slower pace of village life for a few days? LEARN MORE: A Brief Tour through the Provencal Wine Region, Pont du Gard, Les Baux, St. Remy, and more. Books About the South of France Whats better to add to your packing list than a book about the region youre visiting? For the Luberon Valley, all the major towns such as Gordes and Roussillon have beautiful places to stay, but youll want to book in advance as theyre mostly small, boutique properties. Would it make sense for us to stay between Luberon Valley, Valensole and Verdon Gorge so that we have a single base while visiting both of those areas before we head down to Nice? Hello Kate Thank you so much for the detailed itinerary. What is a good itinerary so we get the best out of this trip? From the Old Port you can take a two or three hour boat tour of the coastline. Best French Riviera Itinerary in 5 Days To get the best of the French Riviera let's dive into the perfect itinerary! I am a single woman and always travels solo to major cities like Paris, Rome etc. We also have guides to the towns on the Alsace Wine Route and how to spend one perfect day in Colmar. We stayed on an upper floor and from our balcony had a view just as good as that from Castle Hill. (Family of 4 with two college-age boys) Thank you. I love your site. My favorite was a thin crusted truffle pizza. Visit the colorful markets along the Cours Saleya in Nice's Old Town. On day 2 you could drive and visit the towns in between Nice and Monaco (Villefranche, Saint John Cap Ferrat, and Eze). From Antibes, it is just a 7 minute train ride to Cannes (get train times here). From the. That way when planning out our day, we can take a slightly modified route to add an extra spot we wouldnt normally have seen. at Bastide de Marie is wonderful! drive), in a medieval village called Cagnes-sur-Mer. The dates for the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 are May 16 to May 27. Get to a wine village near Vaison-la-Romaine. One of the joys of travelling here is touring the back roads and soaking up the stunning variety of landscapes: fields of lavender, ancient olive groves, clifftop roads, maquis-cloaked hills and even snow-tipped mountains. Id consider skipping the Riviera and sticking to the areas surrounding the Luberon Valley since youre short on time and visiting in winter. Thats not to say you couldnt stay longeryou absolutely could! Check into your hotel, take a quick nap if necessary, and then spend the late afternoon and early evening exploring Nice. There are an abundance of poppy fields in Provence. Check rates & book your stay at Le Dortoir! Youll be so glad you brought a Swiss Army Knife along for your south of France vacation! Choose your own departure city and dates. June is a wonderful time to visit Provence, but Id aim for the end of the month and into July if you want to catch the lavender fields at their best. Now, there are a few ways to get here. Sounds like we would like to be sure to see Aix-en-Provence, Gorge, Eze & Vence. From Eze, take highway A8 west. We have reimagined our brand and blog for a better future. We were thinking of flying in to Paris (assuming cheapest, easiest), only staying1-2 night there. Many thanks in advance. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 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. This is an upscale hotel in the heart of Avignon, within walking distance of the best of Avignon. We should be arriving in Nice on the 26th of June. Arrive early to explore this medieval village and its evocative ruins, as large groups of tourists can soon overrun the place. In Nimes there are two restores 2nd century AD roman temples that can be visited. Shop rental cars for your trip to the south of France, Sjours & Affaires Aix-en-Provence Mirabeau. Its much faster! It is kind of the same with the Ferraris here, too. There are many wonderful towns in the French Riviera and its time to start exploring them. A bit long-winded, I know, and will likely be dated advice within a week, but thats the best I can offer now! I went to Cannes as a child with my family but obviously this trip will be different. What are some activities or locations we should go to? EUROPE TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Get more travel ideas in our article 10 Days in Europe itinerary, which has 10 itineraries for your next trip to Europe. The wealth that sits in this harbor is unbelievable. You can tour the arena and if you are really lucky you may even get to see a bull fight. Dont care. were so happy to have a home base during our time in Provence. 11 Days. Photo: Claudio Vincenti. Spring is also an excellent time of year to be exploring Provencal markets, something that we have taken full advantage of when visiting during this time of year. The Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct that was built to supply water from Uzes to Nimes. In Chateauneuf-de-Pape, we recommend La Cave du Verger des Papes, a great, old wine cellar that offers tastings everyday.Honestly, just driving the area around Malaucene, Vaison-la-Romaine, and Orange is spectacular. , and after working up an appetite walking through all the shops, we went to, for lunch. Despite our early arrival (we were probably 3 weeks early from peak bloom and vibrancy), some of the fields we found were already impressive spectacles and the scents of lavender and buzzing of bees were just as impressive. ), 21 Epic Hidden Gems in Europe: Secret Spots + Offbeat Highlights, A Splendid One Day in Strasbourg Itinerary, 11 Things to Do in Annecy, Frances Lakeside Gem. Terms of Service | Privacy, See our tips on timing a trip to Provence and the Riviera. It is time to rent a car and drive some of the most scenic roads in France. As an Amazon Associate, Our Escape Clause earns from qualifying purchases. 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 have rented a car from Denise airport and our hotel is in Monte Carlo. Could to suggest some of the villages to visit? Take a quick walk through town. 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. During this memorable tour, you will explore the culture and heritage of France in addition to discovering the centuries-old influences that . We had a wonderful time calling, , we wondered how we would manage to transport our newly-found treasures to the states. Now it is time to leave the French Riviera and enter Provence. 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. 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. We love the south of France in the spring, and would happily visit in the spring again. This time I want to go to the south of France but not sure the best way to do that if I am traveling solo. with soft leather, and linen dresses to stay cool. 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 This is what we did and had a terrible time. time of year to be exploring Provencal markets, something that we. Paris in Winter: 31 Reasons to Visit (+ Tips! 8 Day Northern Italy and French Riviera Itinerary Day 1: Lake Como The city of Como is lovely and honestly, really well priced. Our website uses cookies. Les Quatre Dauphins Located in the heart of Aix-en-Provence, Les Quatre Dauphins boasts light and bright decorthis is the kind of hotel that you dream of when booking a trip to the south of France! 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