South Of France
Hi,We are an irish couple in our 30s going to a wedding in Cassis in September, hiring a car for the 5day trip and have a few days spare before we fly back out of Nice. Can you recommend 3 overnight drive stops along that route? We like nice covey beaches, off the beaten track, traditional villages, picturesque non touristy spots. We dont speak french so obviously recommend somewhere we would manage to eat! We would like to see Cannes and St Tropez but it seems overated and wild expensive to sleep there. I was looking at madelieu de napoule beach.
Ideally 3 stops that show typical sum up South Of France,
Many Thanks,
Fiona
1
If you're already in Cassis it's worth doing the drive along the coast to La Ciotat for amazing views. There are also lots of people offering boat trips from Cassis heading west to the Calanques which is very nice.You seem like beach people, but it's really worthwhile to head inland to the Luberon area (which is about a 2 hr. drive from Cassis). This is the classic version of Provence that most people imagine. Gordes and Roussillon are probably the two most famous villages, but there are lots more, and plenty of small roads to explore.
2
Yeah, the villages in that area are the nicest. Goult, Bonnieux, Lourmarin will be less crowded than the two mentioned above, but I find them equally beautiful. However, I don't think you should skip Gordes or Roussillon. Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is touristy, but it's really nice and different than other villages. If you are going more east, I'd recommend Les Baux-de-Provence.If you are going to the cities, Arles is my favourite. Calanque d'en vau is a beautiful place.
I always managed to find someone who speaks at least basic English, so it's not that complicated. Besides, you could learn a few expressions found in the menus to order what you like or something.
