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. Shop rental cars for your trip to the south of France, Sjours & Affaires Aix-en-Provence Mirabeau. were so happy to have a home base during our time in Provence. The French Riviera gets insanely crowded in July and August so it is better to avoid traveling here during these months. End your day in Cassis and watch the sun set from the old port while you savor a bouillabaisse dinner (sleep in Cassis), Day 13: Cassis. Take the train or bus to nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer, explore, and have lunch. Stand on the medieval walls of the town, and youll be smitten with the views of the countryside and sea. Getting Around During Your Trip to Southern France. France or Italy: Which Destination is Right for You? I am meeting my daughter in Paris and plan to travel via train to Nice and hit some of your highlighted spots in reverse. to places like Eze, St-Paul-de-Vence, Monaco, etc, might suit you perfectly. It is a wonderful part of Europe to explore! If you have the energy, climb Castle Hill for a birds eye view over Nice. You will be able to taste numerous wines; fruity whites, bold reds and of course . The easiest way to get here is by uber or taxi. Our website uses cookies. You will be served a glass that is half full with Pastis and you top it off with the desired amount of water. Fill your South of France vacation to the brim with activities from our Provence itinerary 5 days. 25 different ways to spend one week in Europe. Villefranche-sur-Mer sits on the coast just east of Nice. Heres our post on it: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/things-to-do-in-annecy-france/. thank you for the wonderful blog! Really not interested in the city (no doubt fun, but save for another time). Right now I am thinking around 10 days but could extend a little if necessary. Home to everything from sprawling lavender fields to hilltop towns to fishing villages to the sparkling Mediterranean Sea, its no wonder that traveling through Provence and the French Riviera is a dream trip for manyand this south of France itinerary makes it easy to enjoy the perfect trip. I am happy that I stumbled across your site. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Some will be about food, and others will be French flea markets/brocantes that focus on textiles, clothing, or antiques. Continue south and set up in Avignon. Hi Kate, I really enjoyed reading your post. in Valensole. Hi, We are American citizens visiting Portugal and plan on flying to Nice (early July) to see French Rivera from there. ), Paris Bucket List: 50 Fun Attractions + Things to Do in Paris, How to Plan an Epic 2 Week Europe Trip (+ Europe Itinerary Ideas! Weve stayed in Saint-Rmy-de-Provence and Lourmarin and absolutely loved our experiences in both. , a gorgeous pink villa from the early 1900s. drive), in a medieval village called Cagnes-sur-Mer. Terms of Service | Privacy, See our tips on timing a trip to Provence and the Riviera. Here are some quick pros and cons of completing this south of France itinerary in each season. Provence-Alpes-Cte dAzur is an immense region that is absolutely packed with things to do, from strolling past lavender fields to perusing markets to going on adventurous hikes to relaxing on the beach, and so much more. Happy Birthday and Anniversary! If you are hungry, have lunch here before resuming your drive. There are many tours that leave from Avignon. 11 Days. Just past Nice, it is time to take a detour to the highly underrated and very pretty town of Vence. While the cities and towns visited throughout this south of France itinerary are generally walkable (even Nice! estinations mentioned toward the end of the trip like Nice, Cannes, and Saint-Paul-de-Vence are located along the Cte dAzuraka the French Rivierain the eastern part of the region. ), 19 Sun-Soaked Summer Destinations in Europe, French Breakfast Guide: How to Enjoy Breakfast in France, 19 Best Things to Do in Strasbourg, France, The Many Charms of Cassis, France: Things to Do + Guide, The Ultimate Packing List for Europe: Summer Edition, The Ultimate Europe Bucket List: 75 Fun Things to Do in Europe, Sublime Saint-Emilion, France: Things to Do + Travel Guide, Paris in August is Actually Pretty Wonderful, One Day in Paris: How to See Paris in a Day, 35 Best Cities to Visit in Europe (Bucket List for City Lovers! And on your final day spend time in Monaco. Celebration of my 70th birthday and my wedding anniversary in 45 years. you could ever want. Get a head start to the beach so you can claim your spot, as the beaches get crowded quickly. There are many wonderful towns in the French Riviera and its time to start exploring them. Obviously not enough time to see both in detail, but thought we could get a basic overview & know if there was somewhere we want to return with more time. I am a single woman and always travels solo to major cities like Paris, Rome etc. Continue west into the Luberon and explore the villages of the Provenal heartland la Provence profonde (sleep in or near Roussillon), Day 6: Luberon Hill Towns. The day starts with a half an hour drive west from Avignon to the Pont du Gard. We kept driving by these beautiful fields, and we eventually decided we couldnt pass up the. 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? If you like the idea of visiting Cannes and Antibes on a tour, check out this 5 hour tour from Nice. Im sure they exist, though Im not personally familiar with any! Would you just skip Paris & fly into another city, or not that big of a deal to start there & drive, or take a train from Paris to the south & then get car? For a more classic Provence feel with small farming villages, lavender fields (July is a great time to catch the blooms! Our first time visiting Provence we made t, his mistake, staying only one or two nights at four different hotels. So can you suggest a list of all the places we should use as our bases (overnight stays) so that we can cover all these places and yet not be packing/unpacking every other day? With 18 days you have some flexibility. This is a popular tourist attraction so expect large crowds of people. Delicious!! My husband and I are looking at going to southern France for a week or two in July 2023. Rolling hills, vineyards, tiny French townsjust breathtaking! In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. 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. Do you think things are opening up? All of that being said, if theres not a particular reason (not confident driving, etc) that you want to avoid a rental car, you will undoubtedly spend less and have more flexibility by driving yourself! Both are gorgeous small towns with excellent views. We learned this on our way to Villa Ephrussi during our time in. Free shipping for many products! Ive outlined some popular, well-reviewed, and well-located options in two of the most popular bases visited during this south of France itinerary: Aix-en-Provence and Nice. Settle in at your hotel, then take a walk along the Promenade des Anglais up to Castle Hill (sleep in or near Nice), Day 2: All Day in Nice. 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. (For travelers who happen to be visiting in the offseason, look up. Were full-time travel bloggers who have been exploring the world since 2016, visiting 50+ countries across 5 continents along the way. Day 2: Les Baux-de-Provence & St-Rmy-de-Provence. Oh, Im thinking early/mid September. Arrive early to explore this medieval village and its evocative ruins, as large groups of tourists can soon overrun the place. The Cannes Film Festival is held for 10 days in mid-May every year. Stroll along the coastline of Antibes, visit the Picasso Museum, and, if you are interested, visit the Absinthe Museum. 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. A Week in France: The Riviera, Provence & Paris 9 days | 12 days with Normandy & Paris extension Group size 15-38 travelers Reviews 113 See dates & prices Overview Itinerary Reviews Traveler photos Hotels, flights & FAQ Fully Refundable Booking Period Feel good about booking your tour today. Note: This post contains affiliate links. It wasnt hard *in the beginning* because we were so excited to be there! Check your email for a confirmation message. Vence is quaint, scenic, and gets very few tourists. Unlike many other places, though, traveling during the high (read: summer) season here comes with enough advantages that unless youre entirely allergic to crowds and high prices, Id recommend planning your trip then. . Id consider skipping the Riviera and sticking to the areas surrounding the Luberon Valley since youre short on time and visiting in winter. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie was another town that Thomas had found on the Les Plus Beaux Villages list and one of the towns we were most excited to visit. I do have a question for you. Your journey continues along the coast of the French Riviera. Take a minivan tour of the wine road, bike to Sguret and Gigondas, or hike to Le Crestet for lunch (taxi back) (sleep in Vaison-la-Romaine), Day 10: Orange and Arles. We will be coming from the U.S. in Sept. & only have 18 days, including travel, for France & Sicily. Now it is time to leave the French Riviera and enter Provence. Other cool things to do are to go gambling at the Monte Carlo Casino, visit the private collection of cars of Prince Rainier III, or walk through the Japanese Gardens. In Avignon, we stayed at Hotel dEurope. Sit down for a fantastic French meal on a stunning terrace, and youll immediately feel all the glitz and glamour of the Cote dAzur. Its definitely one of my favorite and probably one of the most scenic spots in all of Provence. and the itinerary was excellent. Cycling Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence, Vence, Our Favorite Town in the French Riviera, Driving the Monaco Grand Prix Race Course. Take a gourmet tour, a historical walking tour, or see Nice through the eyes of a local. Nice is fantasticwe highly recommend visiting Eze and Vence when in the area as well. . at Bastide de Marie is wonderful! You can tour the arena and if you are really lucky you may even get to see a bull fight. Hoping to visit southern France and find yourself overwhelmed with village names and potential places to visit? Hello, this is simply superb, thank you very much for sharing this. Also, wear closed-toed shoes when exploring hilltops. We absolutely love exploring southern France and have enjoyed a handful of road trips, train trips, and more throughout the region. Wearing a lemon print dress, while sipping a fresh frozen lemonade in Menton, a city famous for its lemons. , and after working up an appetite walking through all the shops, we went to, for lunch. I also wouldnt miss the Valensole Plateau as youre heading toward Aix-en-Provence if youre visiting during summer/lavender season. Long before we even mapped out where we would be staying, I had this on my list of, While not as popular as nearby St. Tropez or Port Grimaud, the town of. Basing yourself in Nice and taking day trips (on non-beach days!) Your journey through France begins in Paris, the City of Light and arguably the most popular city on the planet. Mainly wanted to see cute small towns & pretty scenery, not into the big cities for this trip. Small Pack of Tissues Most bathrooms in France will have toilet paper, but not all of them (especially in rural areas). Hello Kate Thank you so much for the detailed itinerary. For hours of operation, visit the Palais des Papes website. The red hills of the Esterel alternate with the green olive trees and vineyards with glimpses of the blue Mediterranean in the distance. The Valensole Plateau is the iconic home to those never-ending lavender fields pictured on tourism brochures around the world! was one of our favorite from the entire trip. 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. Thats not to say you couldnt stay longeryou absolutely could! You can also tour Monaco on one of these day trips from Nice: In 2023, the Monaco Grand Prix will be held from May 26 to 28. see our FAQ. I know you suggested 14 days in Provence and the French Riviera but weve never been to Paris! Driving in Provence is fairly simpleGPS directions work well, and you park outside the historic centers so you dont have to worry about driving on tiny roads. If your group is comfortable with it, Id look into potentially taking a train from Paris to Aix-en-Provence or Avignon and then hiring a driver for the Provence portion. ), 55 Epic Road Trips in Europe (Itinerary Ideas + Tips! , was near Nice (about a 30 min. 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. We love the south of France in the spring, and would happily visit in the spring again. Its quintessential Provence, made from stone, with French blue shutters and roses climbing. Its much faster! From Avignon, drive one hour east to the beautiful town of Roussillon in the Luberon Valley. With more time in southern France, you cant go wrong with spending a lot more time along the French Riviera, especially if youre visiting during the high season. Frozen lemonade in Menton, a gorgeous pink villa from the early 1900s of. In both been to Paris Service | Privacy, see our tips timing... Hello, this is a popular tourist attraction so expect large crowds of people day trips ( on days! Epic road trips, and others will be served a glass that is half full with Pastis and you it. About a 30 min eye view over Nice itinerary 5 days of.... Castle Hill for a week or two in July and August so it is to! Tourists can soon overrun the place week or two nights at four different hotels longeryou could. Fields ( July is a popular tourist attraction so expect large crowds of people the big for. The Valensole Plateau as youre heading toward Aix-en-Provence if youre visiting during summer/lavender season rental cars for your trip Provence... 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