Do you think things are opening up? Maybe, but Id bank on a contingency plan or two. Thats a beautiful time to be in southern Franceitll definitely be busy, but not quite the peak summer crowds of July and August yet! South of France Itinerary: 7-Day Road Trip Through Provence & the French Riviera Whether you're cruising with the top down through the stunning wine country of Provence, or driving through the French Riviera along the sparkling coast (aka "The Cte d'Azur"), southern France is a region you'll want to absorb every last inch of. Explore, shop and save your most loved outfits, daily looks and inspiration from the blog. In a pinch, you can certainly complete this itinerary with a combination of buses, trains, and booked tours, but that would be far less efficient than a road trip! After our week along the French Riviera, we ended our France trip with a peaceful two days at. As an Amazon Associate, Our Escape Clause earns from qualifying purchases. Read about how to see and do it all in our French Riviera and Provence itinerary. was one of our favorite from the entire trip. Depending on where you are traveling from, most flights arrive into Nice in the late morning or early afternoon. Take the train or bus to nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer, explore, and have lunch. Planned to then drive to southern France & fly out of Nice to Sicily. My husband and I are fully vaxed and cant wait to start travelling overseas again! From Rousillon it is a three hour drive back to Nice. Home to everything from sprawling lavender fields to hilltop towns to fishing villages to the sparkling Mediterranean Sea, it's no wonder that traveling through Provence and the French Riviera is a dream trip for many-and this south of France itinerary makes it easy to enjoy the perfect trip. Take a train to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue via Marseille or Nice (best to arrive on a Saturday or Wednesday, and awaken the next morning for market day); wander and explore the town, and consider a canoe ride down the crystal-clear Sorgue River (sleep in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue), Day 6: Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Avignon. By Rick Steves and Steves Smith Delicious!! I think youll definitely be able to find what youre looking for. How to choose? ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Except for perhaps in the very early fall during a hot year, though, you likely wont want to swim during this time of year, and of course, there wont be any lavender around. All I can say is truffle risotto! Amazing! . I know you have mentioned Aix-en-Provence and Nice as two potential bases for the itinerary but I understand that may not be enough (i.e. You can tour the arena and if you are really lucky you may even get to see a bull fight. Take a boat trip or hike to the calanques, then watch the ptanque balls fly (sleep in Cassis), Day 14: Fly Away. And if buying larger items, its much more cost-effective to buy a few pieces to fill a crate, that way youre making it worthwhile. Packing and unpacking your belongings, loading and unloading the car, checking in and out of your hotels and/or apartments all of these things take up more time than you might initially think. From one of the world's prettiest and most romantic capital cities to a fairytale-like countryside sprinkled with lavender fields and century-old vineyards to the glistening Mediterranean Sea and its cosmopolitan coastal towns, this 10-day tour of Paris, Provence, and the French Riviera has it all. The first few days in the French Riviera, we stayed at a friends house near Grimaud. Cycling Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence, Vence, Our Favorite Town in the French Riviera, Driving the Monaco Grand Prix Race Course. Thank you so much Kate for getting back to me. Love your travels. We hope that our Provence and French Riviera Travel Itinerary serves as an inspirational guide to your own French road trip. Spend the day visiting Nmes (Roman amphitheater) and the Pont du Gard (Nmes works better first). Consider my guidebook's seaside walks in Cap Ferrat, or take the one-hour boat cruise from Nice's port, then spend the afternoon or evening in almost-neighboring Monaco (sleep in or near Nice), Day 4: Inland Villages. . Make an Account. As a silver lining, if the lavender is gone some of the crowds will disperse also. Take This Map With You! Though Aix-en-Provence does have daily markets, to see the markets at their biggest and best, plan to spend a day here on either a Thursday! To read about how to rent bikes and cycle up Mont Ventoux, read our post Cycling Mont Ventoux. Hi Ellen! While youre in and around Cassis, be sure to also check out to picture-perfect Port de Cassis, visit the (extremely accessible) Calanque de Port Miou, and admire the views from the Cap Canaille. In theory, theres supposed to be more news from the EU on this front June 7, but well see! I am thinking, is it possible to arrange a multi-day round trip in Province, to avoid renting a car? I went to Cannes as a child with my family but obviously this trip will be different. That being said, it certainly doesnt need to be your only destination along the French Riviera! Theyre not particularly charming, and the vibe is very could be a modern hotel anywhere in the world, but they absolutely get the job done for a budget or even mid-range traveler visiting Aix-en-Provence. LEARN MORE: A Brief Tour through the Provencal Wine Region, Pont du Gard, Les Baux, St. Remy, and more. My family would like to spend one month in South France visiting beautiful villages! Le Dortoir Featuring near-perfect reviews and a crisp, bright interior, Le Dortoir is an excellent option for visitors to Nice who want to enjoy a spacious hotel room without Nices top-end luxury prices. Id like a few beach dates where I can swim in the ocean, sit under an umbrella (basically being catered too lol) and then go out to fun dinners, walk around, shop (love antique markets etc.) Your email address will not be published. The information is easily discoverable. In: Europe, Featured Summer, France, Travel. If you have time, also consider ducking into one of the other beautiful art museums in the city. Today you will return to Nice, completing your circuit of the French Riviera and Provence. If youre not interested in seeing Paris on this trip, Id definitely recommend checking flights to Nice as well, as that will save you time. In our opinion, St. Tropez does not live up to the hype. Provence, rather than trying to squeeze both destinations into your limited time. , we took full advantage of it. I also wouldnt miss the Valensole Plateau as youre heading toward Aix-en-Provence if youre visiting during summer/lavender season. Where would we stay as a base for the trip? There are several great restaurants that sit along the waters edge, a great place for lunch. Ellen. There, the beach is long but narrow, so we tried to get there before 10am. I will be in Paris then want to go to the South. Read all of our articles in our. If you have the energy, climb Castle Hill for a birds eye view over Nice. How Long Does This South of France Itinerary Take? I also dont want to do too much traveling and instead chill in a few cities and talk it all in! From the Pont du Gard drive 40 minutes south to Arles. All hilltop villages and rolling countryside filled with lavender fields, the Luberon Valley is absolutely stunning and a must-visit on any Provence itinerary. has incredible shopping. Youll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! Best French Riviera Itinerary in 5 Days To get the best of the French Riviera let's dive into the perfect itinerary! Spend the day exploring the town, hitting up the impressive Papal Palace, the Pont dAvignon, and the Les Halles Market in between wandering the streets and marveling that youre finally in southern France! For day trips right around the coast, it will undoubtedly work. Thank you so much for your thoughts! In Monaco, stroll along the harbor, as this is the place to go yacht spotting. Learn how to visit Pere LeChaise Cemetery, plan your time with our 3 Day Paris Itinerary, learn where to get the best views of Paris, and read our Paris Food Guide for information on what to eat in Paris. at a pretty leisurely pace and enjoy some beach time! Choose your own departure city and dates. 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. Here is our Provence and French Riviera Itinerary from a couple of summers ago when we went on a road trip in Southern France. So glad we could help a couple of years ago. They are easy to drive and give travelers a much different perspective of the French Riviera than from the shoreline. It just arrived and its even more beautiful than we remember, a special collection that we can cherish and reflect back on. I took my last trip based on your itineraries here. Theyll search both local and international brands that have available cars, and allow you to compare prices, reviews, and inclusions side-by-side. Rolling hills, vineyards, tiny French townsjust breathtaking! Be sure to seek out the Christmas marketsa fun bonus of a winter trip. Day 3: Village-hopping road trip. Parking is at the bottom of the village and a good 15 minute walk. Provence, anyway, other than an endless collection of photos of blooming lavender fields? not everything in your itinerary can be done has day trips from these 2 bases alone), and you also seem to have suggested 2 days in Luberon valley. September is such a beautiful time to visit. Here on Our Escape Clause, we are dedicated to helping travelers plan their adventures. The advantage to taking a tour is having a designated driver who knows where to go, allowing you to sampleas much wine as you like. drive), in a medieval village called Cagnes-sur-Mer. Take a boat trip or hike to the calanques, watch the ptanque balls fly, and end your day with a drive up Cap Canaille (sleep in Cassis), Day 14: Fly Away. Next, they escorted us inside, where we began with an amuse-bouche and a salad course. Stroll around the city and take in the old Baroque buildings and little cafes. To book your rental car for the south of France, we recommend checking prices, inclusions and availability via Discover Cars. Be sure to at least make time for a quick stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, admiring the view from Castle Hill, and lunch spent diving into a plate of Nicoise salad. (Family of 4 with two college-age boys) Thank you. We loved having a drink at Cafe de Paris Monte Carlo. Sure, the Luberon Valley also has stunning fields, and theyre definitely worth seeingbut in Valensole, be ready to pull your car over nearly constantly, because every field seems to be more gorgeous than the last. Both are gorgeous small towns with excellent views. 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. Im sure they exist, though Im not personally familiar with any! The best option is to fly into Nice or Marseille and pick up a rental car . 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. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. in Bonnieux. Antibes is home to Port Vauban, the largest yachting harbor in Europe. 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. Towns will host markets on different days, so if you know you want to go to a market or a particular town, make sure to do some research first. If you like the idea of visiting Cannes and Antibes on a tour, check out this 5 hour tour from Nice. This is one of the most famous luxury hotels in France and has built up quite the storied history (and held a number of famous guests) since it opened in 1913and its also a whimsical and wonderful place to stay today. Theres no better place to close out your south of France itinerary than soaking up the sun along the French Riviera. ALSACE WINE REGION: Learn how to plan your visit in our 3 Day Alsace Wine Region itinerary. Near the French Riviera, hilltop towns like Eze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence are well worth adding in to mix up beach towns if youre looking for great views. To the north of Avignon are the towns of Gigondas and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, great places to go wine tasting. Even as European road trip veterans of sorts, we still got too excited when planning our most recent trip to France and booked ourselves into an itinerary that moved around too muchand we paid for it in exhaustion. We were thinking of staying in Nice and visit the surrounding areas and then going to Provence region before flying back to California. Wearing a lemon print dress, while sipping a fresh frozen lemonade in Menton, a city famous for its lemons. Leave Arles on day 2, driving 19km (12 miles) northeast to the tiny village of Les Baux-de-Provence in the southern Alpilles. Is this possible to do? The gorgeous city of Aix-en-Provence is known for its beauty, its accessibilitythis is a great place to base yourself for part of your southern France tripand most importantly, its markets. If you have less than 2 weeks in the South of France, we recommend narrowing your focus to either the Cote dAzur or Provence, rather than trying to squeeze both destinations into your limited time. Youll be so glad you brought a Swiss Army Knife along for your south of France vacation! Unfortunately, I dont, but off the top of my head, Id consider maybe Paris Luberon Valley Paris. ), you will likely need a car to get between them. Julie Last updated: February 5, 2023 France, Itinerary 30 Comments. In the afternoon, take my self-guided Avignon walks and enjoy dinner on one of the town's many atmospheric squares (sleep in Avignon), Day 9: Nmes and the Pont du Gard. Start the morning with my guidebook's self-guided walk through Vieux Nice (take time to smell the fougasse and sample un caf); spend your afternoon at one or more of Nice's fine museums, then have dinner on the beach (sleep in or near Nice), Day 3: Coastal Route to Monaco. To help you get started, we've listed our top picks for where to go in Provence and the French Riviera, and our plan for your best two-week trip. 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. This 10-day French vacation takes you to Paris, Aix-en-Provence, and Nice to sample French food and wine and enjoy its cultural delights. Both towns are absolutely lovely, but in our biased opinion, we do think that Saint-Rmy-de-Provence is slightly prettier than Les Baux-de-Provence. I wish I could offer some 2020 specific advice, but everything has been developing and changing so quickly that its hard to predict from one day to the next! Are freely accessible. Explore Vaison-la-Romaine's upper medieval village and lower Roman city, then set sail along the Ctes du Rhne wine road and visit a winery or wine cooperative. Hope you guys have a wonderful trip! 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. Also, before heading home, we stopped in Gordes for drinks at. Villages like Gordes, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Roussillon, etc, are an absolute delight, and the fun of the region is driving between them and visiting several in one stay. Shop rental cars for your trip to the south of France today! Day 2: Nice, Eze and Monaco. Other favorites include Lacoste for its picturesque views, Menerbes for its delightful charm (if you ever read A Year in Provence, this is the town! Our first week in Provence was spent exploring the areas around the house we rented in Saint-Saturnin-ls-Apt. Id recommend basing yourselves in one place in each the French Riviera and Provence to cut down on travel days that will eat into your exploring, aiming to only stay in 3 hotels/rentals during your honeymoon. Several questions. Have dinner back in Avignon (sleep in Avignon), Day 8: Vaison-la-Romaine. Here is my recommendation for a road trip itinerary in the French Riviera starting in Nice: Arrival in Nice on Day 1. We have rented a car from Denise airport and our hotel is in Monte Carlo. You can also research ahead of time and get a reservation at one of the many beach clubs throughout the beaches in the South of France. From late June to late July, when the lavender blooms, the drive to Vaison-la-Romaine via Sault is a must (sleep in or near Vaison-la-Romaine; Monday arrival is ideal because market day is Tuesday), Day 7: Ctes du Rhne Villages. Take the train from Nice to Antibes, a journey that takes about 20 minutes (visit the Trainline Europe website). You have now given me a starting point in planning my trip! Day 5: Beach day or additional sightseeing. This afternoon, join your Tour Director on a walk through the outdoor markets in Nice. With 18 days you have some flexibility. We didnt realize it ahead of time, but its a completely gluten free restaurant. I love that you added books about the South of France as well. Overview Itinerary Hotels Tours Map Youll have a much better end to the day by arriving early in Nice and going out for a nice dinner and night on the town rather than visiting the headache that is St. Tropez. Also, enjoyed your Sicily blog! What is a good itinerary so we get the best out of this trip? Hello Kate, Thank you for such a helpful article! Vence is quaint, scenic, and gets very few tourists. Perusing the open-air markets of the villages of Provence is an iconic part of any trip to the regionso make sure to structure your South of France itinerary so you dont miss the best ones! We had never witnessed such incredible hydrangeas and bougainvillea. Since '82, we've spent well over 150 weeks vacationing in France. Fly out of Marseille or, if leaving from Nice, take a train back to Nice and savor a last night on the Promenade des Anglais (sleep in Nice). 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