First 2 weeks of June, I'm planning to hire a car in Provence & make my way to the Italian border. I will be flying from London - would like to avoid Marseille, but guess that's the most convenient airport from which to begin? -Wondering how busy this time of year is; hoping it's early enough to beat the huge crowds. Possibly might visit the Camargue, as it looks a pretty wild area. I'm also interested in Roman ruins, Romanesque churches and monasteries (eg Senanque, near Gordes). Guess I'd like to visit Arles, Orange & Aix-en-Provence, but only if they're not over run by tour groups. Any suggestions for quiet towns/villages would be greatly appreciated. I especially like orchards and olive groves. I speak reasonably good French, but have never been to this region before. Have much more experience with less touristed areas in Tuscany & Umbria; where I will be heading after Provence. Thanks for advice
Someone else recommended this site on another thread and it seemed so good I bookmarked it to share with others:
http://www.beyond.fr/index.html
You might consider taking the train: you can bring more luggage and there are direct trains to Avignon so you can avoid
Marseille if you want to:
http://www.seat61.com/eurostar-to-lyon-avignon-marseille.htm#.VuVHZWf5OGM
There are two exits from Avignon TGV station. Outside the south exit a number of major car hire companies are housed in a row of cabins opposite the exit. Do check which ones have nearby locations for the cars or provide transport to the car lot.
i think in the first half of june you should be fine. arles is a lovely city and my personal "must" in the area. roman sights (especially the amphitheater), a good atmosphere, nice restaurants, a lively market and the sea not far away. the roman theater in orange is also worth visiting.
the pont du gard should also be on your itinerary. this aqueduct near uzes is pretty amazing and from roman times.
What's your transport modus because this is imo off-ther-beatrn-path. Cycling is the ideal means of transportation for these opportunities:
Some 3 km northeast of Arles: Abbaye de Montmajour. Continue 4 km to and on the D82 and you'll find aquaducs romaines and a meunerie romaine. The moulin of Daudet is also within a bowshot.
Leaving (or entering) Arles in southeast direction to Pont de Crau: aquaduc ruins though pretty well in 'shape'.
And then the usual suspects, to find in guidebooks and on this forum (e.g. Les Baux)
If you like olives, here's a place you might want to visit: http://www.moulin-cornille.com/v2/index.html
The town of Maussane les Alpilles is also a sweet one to put on your itinerary. Smaller, but much more "authentic" than St-Rémy and has a nice Thursday market.
If you go to the Camargue, be sure to pack heavy-duty mosquito repellent.
Since you like olive groves you might want to visit the area around Nyons with probably the largest concentration of olive trees in France. From there it isn't far to Les Baronnies, a micro region that is one of my favourite parts in Provence. http://www.buislesbaronnies.com/en/
After that you could continue south-east towards Sault, and then through the lovely and relatively quiet area around Banon, Simiane-la-Rotonde, Viens, St-Michel-l'Observatoire… This is partially in Lubéron but not at all as crowded and touristy compared to the more famous but spoilt Lubéron villages such as Gordes, Roussillon, Ménerbes, Bonnieux, .. where you will see more tourists than locals.
After you could visit the town of Manosque and maybe you also want to see the Gorges du Verdon (touristy but beautiful)and continue south from there through Trigance, Aups, and Cotignac.
Closer to the coast, quiet but beautiful and often overlooked are the Montagnes des Maures with fine villages such as Collobrières and La Garde-Freinet.
Artemis, was it you who first provided the link for beyond.fr? My memory isn't always kind when it comes to giving credit where credit is due.... if so, thank you.
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