Of all the suggested stops on this south of France itinerary, this one is probably the most anticipated for many summer visitors. If you like the idea of taking a walking tour of Nice, here are several ideas. As the largest city in the region and home to a good airport, glamorous Nice is the obvious final stop for your south of France trip. Oh, Im thinking early/mid September. Roam the old city streets, explore the castle ruins, and go shopping here. Required fields are marked *. This French Riviera and Provence Itinerary is good for: Day 1: Arrive in Nice Day 2: Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Day 3: Monaco Day 4: Antibes and Cannes Day 5: Drive to Marseille Day 6: Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon Day 7: Mont Ventoux, Rhone wine region Day 8: Explore Provence Day 9: Drive to Nice via the Luberon Valley Day 10: Fly home (or extend your travels). , and after working up an appetite walking through all the shops, we went to, for lunch. Driving the Monaco Grand Prix Race Course. What is a good itinerary so we get the best out of this trip? Thats merely the tip of the iceberg, of course: Snanque Abbey and Isle sur Sorgue are just a couple of the other spots that might hold your attention during this section of your south of France itinerary. Free shipping for many products! Provence-Alpes-Cte dAzur is then divided into six subregions, whose names youll probably notice around you as you work through this south of France itineraryVaucluse is one example. PARIS: For the top experiences in the city, read our article Best Things to Do in Paris. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, Im working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA. Famed for its casinos and yachting community, Monaco . If you do end up flying into Paris, definitely dont drive to Provence/the Riviera, but instead book the fast train from Paris (probably to Aix-en-Provence). In the days leading up to this event, you can drive the race course. However, book tickets in advance as prices for high speed trains increase as the date of travel gets closer. Over the course of 10 days, you'll enjoy the beauty of Paris with the help of a local guide before spending three nights in Aix en Provence. We follow your travels and learned much from you when we did the 3-week family trip to the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany and Italy in summer of 2019. I also wouldnt miss the Valensole Plateau as youre heading toward Aix-en-Provence if youre visiting during summer/lavender season. Definitely stroll down Cours Mirabeau. I love that you added books about the South of France as well. Stroll down picturesque, tree-lined boulevards in Aix before heading to the coast, where the Mediterranean traces your route from Cassis to Cinque Terre. Note that on Sundays, fewer trains run, and buses often disappear. You will see the stunning "hazy lazy" lake and can eat your fill of pasta and wine right by the water's edge. This is hilltop town perched on ochre red cliffs. ), 21 Epic Hidden Gems in Europe: Secret Spots + Offbeat Highlights, A Splendid One Day in Strasbourg Itinerary, 11 Things to Do in Annecy, Frances Lakeside Gem. Cheers, Julie. PROVENCE AND FRENCH RIVIERA through Avignon, Aix en Provence, Cannes and Arles TOUR SUMMARY Glamour, picturesque villages and stunning mountain scenery: this tour through the French Riviera and Provence is sure to impress with its diversity and dramatic beauty! France: Marseille to Nice Itinerary - 8 Days Day 1: Start Your Provence Itinerary: Fly into Marseille. at Bastide de Marie is wonderful! Id give Sicily a week minimumwith that timeline, you can cover the east coast (Taormina, Siracusa, etc.) with soft leather, and linen dresses to stay cool. Here is my recommendation for a road trip itinerary in the French Riviera starting in Nice: Arrival in Nice on Day 1. There are lots of half-day or full day trips, but some round one lasting for few days would be perfect, like we did in Scotland. The hill towns about the Riviera are excellent for wandering around, restaurants, etc, but of course, youre missing the beach. Now, there are a few ways to get here. You may want to look into Menton, too! Where would we stay as a base for the trip? If the weather's good, bring your swimsuit and float on your back for views of the 2,000-year-old aqueduct. I will be in Paris then want to go to the South. Consider my guidebook's seaside walks in Cap Ferrat, or take the one-hour boat cruise from Nice's port. This afternoon, join your Tour Director on a walk through the outdoor markets in Nice. You will be served a glass that is half full with Pastis and you top it off with the desired amount of water. Here on Our Escape Clause, we are dedicated to helping travelers plan their adventures. ), and Lourmarin for its idyllic beauty. We set out to see and experience as much as we possibly could during our time in Provence. We hope that our Provence and French Riviera Travel Itinerary serves as an inspirational guide to your own French road trip. For that reason alone, I cant resist adding a day here to this suggested itinerary for the south of France! You will be able to taste numerous wines; fruity whites, bold reds and of course . It looks like it would taste citrusy but it is nothing like that. Some links in this post may be affiliate links. Several questions. WE are novice travelers to France and are really seeking guidance on our first journey. We typically focus on travel in the USA and Europe (especially in our beloved Italy), but feature destinations across the world! Hello Kate Thank you so much for the detailed itinerary. Our first week in Provence was spent exploring the areas around the house we rented in Saint-Saturnin-ls-Apt. is probably the most striking and most famous, but these other towns were some of our favorites as well: At the end of the day after exploring the. We made great use of the pool and all of the lounging areas, eating breakfast on the patio and sipping wine in the evening. You are covering a lot of ground in two weeks, especially with Paris too. Check rates & book your stay at La Maison dAix! Weve stayed in Saint-Rmy-de-Provence and Lourmarin and absolutely loved our experiences in both. If you click through a link on Our Escape Clause, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. drive), in a medieval village called Cagnes-sur-Mer. June is a wonderful time to visit Provence, but Id aim for the end of the month and into July if you want to catch the lavender fields at their best. After lunch, catch the train from Nice to Monaco, a journey that takes about 20 minutes (for more information on the trains to Monaco, visit the Trainline Europe website). Joining the Paparazzi during the Cannes Film Festival, A Brief Tour through the Provencal Wine Region. Your flight to Nice, France should land on Day 1 of the itinerary - this means that you should depart your home airport the day prior - your round-trip travel time on this Journey is 10 Days (9 Days, 8 Nights . Would it make sense for us to stay between Luberon Valley, Valensole and Verdon Gorge so that we have a single base while visiting both of those areas before we head down to Nice? Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are our recommended priorities: Day 1: Fly into Nice. A bit long-winded, I know, and will likely be dated advice within a week, but thats the best I can offer now! Hi, We are American citizens visiting Portugal and plan on flying to Nice (early July) to see French Rivera from there. Check rates & book your stay at Le Dortoir! For dinner, go to Old Nice (Vieux Nice), a scenic part of town with narrow streets, colorful buildings, and lots of cafes to choose from. Your help would be awesome. First, small aperitifs were served outside in the garden with a view over the town. We also considered staying in Provence for a few days too. French Riviera & Provence Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Nice Day 2: Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Day 3: Monaco Day 4: Antibes and Cannes Day 5: Drive to Marseille Day 6: Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon Day 7: Mont Ventoux, Rhone wine region Day 8: Explore Provence Day 9: Drive to Nice via the Luberon Valley Visit Nmes (Roman amphitheater) in the morning and the Pont du Gard in the afternoon. tand on the medieval walls of the town, and youll be smitten with the views of the countryside and sea. That way when planning out our day, we can take a slightly modified route to add an extra spot we wouldnt normally have seen. That being said, we have visited the Valensole Plateau outside of lavender season as well, and while its certainly not as magical as it is when the lavender is at its peak, its still a striking and beautiful part of Provence. Its definitely one of my favorite and probably one of the most scenic spots in all of Provence. Early July is considered the absolute optimal time for enjoying the lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau, though late June, the rest of July, and maybe the very beginning of August can work as well. Get to a wine village near Vaison-la-Romaine. This summer we went on an incredible three-week-long trip to Provence and the French Riviera. , a small bed and breakfast in the Alpes-Maritimes. If the weather's good, bring your swimsuit and float on your back for views of the 2,000-year-old aqueduct (sleep in Avignon), Day 10: The Camargue. Outdoor dining and activities will definitely be your best bets, but luckily, thats generally where youll find the best of southern France anyway! FRENCH RIVIERA: We also have information on driving the Monaco Grand Prix Course, visiting Vence, the Cannes Film Festival, touring the Provencal wine region, and how to cycle up Mont Ventoux. 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. Anecdotally, borders just officially opened between all Spanish regions for Spanish residents and citizens this week, and France is experiencing a notoriously long and expansive list of restrictions. Take the train from Nice to Antibes, a journey that takes about 20 minutes (visit the Trainline Europe website). I know Aix-en-Provence and Avignon are supposed to have lovely ones, and Im sure the smaller cities and towns will have plenty too. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. Day 4: Scenic drive from Cannes to St.-Tropez. Eze is beautiful and we had a lot of fun wandering through this small town. We just dont want to do a river cruise or a tour group really. , we took full advantage of it. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Its where Gordes is as well as places like Bonneiux, Lourmarin, Roussillon, etc. 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. Camargue, Provence, and French Riviera Itinerary: an introduction Day 1 | Get Lost in Nice Day 2 | An Escapade to Monte Carlo + Beautiful Villages and Sunsets 9 AM: Visit the Richest Country in the World 3 PM: The Medieval Village of Eze 5 PM: Beach Bums + Sunset Views at Saint Jean Cap Ferrat Day 3 | Charming Villages & Beautiful Beaches Thats a beautiful time to be in southern Franceitll definitely be busy, but not quite the peak summer crowds of July and August yet! Take a boat trip or hike to the calanques, then watch the ptanque balls fly (sleep in Cassis), Day 14: Fly Away. The house is gorgeous but what most people come here to see are the gardens. A few tips on driving in southern France: budget generously for gas and tolls, book your lodging each night with the parking situation in mind, and rent the smallest car you possibly can. Things are definitely more open than they were a couple of months ago, but Id say its still a bit of a gamble to plan on a trip to two countries right now. 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! Nice: Cote d'Azur, French Riviera, Saint Paul de Vence; Provence: Saint Remy, Journey Villa, Avignon, Les Baux, Culinary Experience; . , a gorgeous pink villa from the early 1900s. The day starts with a half an hour drive west from Avignon to the Pont du Gard. 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. Hello Kate, Ive really enjoyed reading your blog posts about all your wonderful travels. This south of France itinerary is for you! Aix and Nice are both pretty bignot Paris big, but definitely small towns. Saint-Remy is the birthplace of Nostradamus and the site of the institution where Van Gogh chopped off his ear. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for PROVENCE & THE FRENCH RIVIERA FOR TRAVELERS. 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. Heres our post on it: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/things-to-do-in-annecy-france/. Hand Sanitizer Weve never been sorry to have this floating around in our day bag. In. Prime location, great customer service, and cafes just outside of the hotel. I wish we knew! Sounds like we would like to be sure to see Aix-en-Provence, Gorge, Eze & Vence. Drive north to Vence or Grasse (you choose), then continue on to the Gorges du Verdon (sleep in tiny Aiguines or Moustiers-Ste-Marie), Day 5: Drive to Provence. is a wonderful stop for a few hours. 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