Cities/Towns to explore traveling west from Nice

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spicetraveler
spicetraveler

I'm currently planning a weeklong trip to Nice and the South of France in Spring 2016. I'm also following this with a trip to Menorca in Spain for another week. In addition to being in Nice for at least 3-4 days, I wanted to explore one or two other towns in Provence as I head west to Barcelona. I was thinking either Cassis, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Nimes, Avignon or maybe a small hill town.

Is one week enough to make this work comfortably, without feeling rushed?
Are there any cities/towns to avoid along the way?
Are the trains convenient for traveling westward from Nice through Provence?
I would prefer to hire a car towards the end of Provence sightseeing and just drive down to Barcelona because it seems faster and a little more convenient.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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regards
regards
In response to #0

Is one week enough - yes
Are there any cities/towns to avoid - no
Are the trains convenient - yes
I would prefer to hire a car - good idea and expensive.
Any ideas or suggestions - read the reply you got two years ago.

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jstutu
jstutu

A great day trip via train is inland to Cunuo in Italy and return, i do know you want to go further along the coast, but it is a surprise and very unlike country you would expect to see around Nice or in Italy anywhere.

http://www.beyond.fr/travel/railcuneo.html

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basie
basie
In response to #0

I think you'll enjoy any of the towns you've mentioned, and all are easily reached by train. My own personal preference is to stay at least two nights in a town because otherwise, I have the feeling of constantly unpacking and packing again. I suspect that you could, for example, use Arles as a base for exploring Avignon.
Finally, study rail schedules regarding the part of your trip that involves travel onward to Barcelona. If you rent a car, you may not actually save time, and you'll need to add the costs of gasoline and insurance and tolls. Besides that, I like the fact that, when I get sleepy, and I can take a nap on the train, while I can't while driving on the autoroute.

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wayoutback
wayoutback

What was the outcome from your planned trip in 2014?

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-western-europe/france/wine-food-tour-around-the-south-of-france?page=1#post_21031472

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