Anyone been to provence?

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Author Message   1-2many Citizen Username: Wbg69 Post Number: 375 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 10:04 am:        where did you stay? hotel, b&b, or rental house or apt.? recommendations? which towns did you hit - which do you think are must-see's, and which are just so-so? we have found a TON of options in this area, and I am wondering if anyone can add personal opinion to the mix. thanks.   bookgal Citizen Username: Bookgal Post Number: 411 Registered: 7-2001 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 11:35 am:        When do you plan on going? Why not rent a small house? Look in the back of the New York Review of Books - they always have ads (plus then no commission). Do you want to be near the coast or not? Any particular interests? I like the northern part of Provence (Gigonadas, VAcqueras,Beaumes de Venise, Seguret etc....the Luberon is futher south and about 1000 times more touristy. It is good to do towns on market days and plan your outings around that...eg. Tuesday is Vaison, Friday is Carpentras etc.   1-2many Citizen Username: Wbg69 Post Number: 377 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 11:53 am:        how do you find out the market days for each town - internet? our vacation is in November (low season). we are considering renting a small house, but as we consider this option we wonder if this may be too much independence (i.e., no help!) for our first trip to the region. we are thinking of staying in/around Avignon for being central to the various villages, and also in a larger village with some sites to see there as well. did you rent a car when you went? do you recommend it? which guide(s) do you recommend for information? Is New York Review of Books a magazine, or part of the NY Times? thanks!!   bookgal Citizen Username: Bookgal Post Number: 412 Registered: 7-2001 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:06 pm:        the New York Review of Books is an independent literary review (newspaper format) Absolutely rent a car...it is the only way to access smaller villages. There are local buses which go to the main towns and villages but you would be dependent on the schedules. We've rented several houses -it allows you a lot of flexibility. feel free to private line me -I know the area pretty well.   JGTierney Citizen Username: Jtg7448 Post Number: 36 Registered: 6-2003 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 2:00 pm:        I went about 5 years ago. We did rent a car and were happy that we did. We stayed in various B&B's throughout the area. Each place made arrangements for parking. I enjoyed the car as we got to go to the 'off the beaten' path places. I like Aix-en-Provence quite a bit. Avignon was bigger than I had anticipated. But that may just be me...??? If you have the time drive up to the Gorges du Verdon. Moustiers-ste-Marie was my favorite town of the trip. It is set between two sharp peaks, dangling from them is a star hung during the Crusades. The gorge runs through the town and the hotel we stayed in was set just above it....so romantic. Check out link: http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/alaupro/moustier/moustier.htm Enjoy!   mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2008 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 2:34 pm:        We rented a villa with pool and car. Very pretty, quiet and peaceful. After a few days it was BORING!!! (five single American girls outside a small country village in France). Anyway, we ended up in Cannes where it was way too crowded. Nice to get back home. There's nothing like being in a BAR!   jet Citizen Username: Jet Post Number: 259 Registered: 7-2001 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 4:06 pm:        Rent a car,don't make any reservations. Provence is for wandering around. It's been low season since June. Don't be afraid to make bids for hotel rooms that you might think are to expensive, if you get some French tude , get back in that car of yours and wander round somemore.   jet Citizen Username: Jet Post Number: 260 Registered: 7-2001 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 4:18 pm:        Hey, 1-2 many . If your a wine person you might want to head over to St Emilion . My wine buddies are telling me that this is THE year. Think shipping cases home. Stuff could be worth big bucks a few years from now.   1-2many Citizen Username: Wbg69 Post Number: 379 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 4:58 pm:        hmmm.... I AM a wine person! maybe this'll be not just a vacation, but my BIG BREAK!! what's the limit on what you can buy, again? excuse me while I go Google...   Jonathan Ben-Asher Citizen Username: Jonathanba Post Number: 68 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 11:30 pm:        We went for our honeymoon in June, 1990. It was wonderful. We started in a tiny village outside Nice, called Ville-Franche, and took the train to Avignon. The old part of Avignon is very beautiful, and you can do great day trips from there to the surrounding villages. From Avignon, we rented a car and stopped at a good number of the small towns surrounding the mountains to the north, I believe. Carpentras was very interesting (they have a great market on one or two days of the week), but it was really the smaller towns which we loved. Arles is particularly beautiful. You don't really need reservations (we didn't have any, and it was in June.) Don't try to do too much, just savor the food and the pace. Bike riding is great. It is vey easy to be jealous of how well the French live. Their country is beautiful, they eat well, they have less heart disease, they don't seem to work much, everyone looks great. --- Jonathan Ben-Asher   Liz Citizen Username: Mschiquita Post Number: 23 Registered: 7-2003 Posted on Friday, September 26, 2003 - 9:46 am:        1-2many - my hub and I spent time en Provence a few summers ago, I have a great B&B recommendation (between Avignon and Carpentras, off the beaten path just enough) - they also feature a great restaurant - reasonable and not too fancy... private line me and I'll give you the contact info if you like, also I have some great guide books that were so helpful including one on the market towns I'd also be happy to tell you about or even lend for a look-see.. PS - friends went to this B&B this July and said it is still fabu! AND have you read the Year on Provence books???!!!! Divinely inspiration!   Liz Citizen Username: Mschiquita Post Number: 24 Registered: 7-2003 Posted on Friday, September 26, 2003 - 9:48 am:        I meant divinely inspiring OR divine inspiration....or both, I guess!   bookgal Citizen Username: Bookgal Post Number: 413 Registered: 7-2001 Posted on Friday, September 26, 2003 - 10:00 am:        The Carpentras market is on Friday and worth a trip especially as you are going in November...mushroom and truffle season. Yum!