France/Provence - Anyone been there?
- Thread starter blueroti
- Start date
Hi Raymond,
Sure!
We drove from Nice to Avignon and took the train from Avignon TGV to Paris. We got to the wrong train station and almost missed train! We didn't get hold of any Michelin Map, only a GPS for navigation.
We stayed in various accommodations including castle, & very 'Gordes'-feel Maison. Changed accommodation everyday in Provence. It's so much fun chatting with the host using our limited French!
Nice is beautiful, too bad we didn't have extra day there. I like the narrow cobbled streets in Luberon area. Lacoste & Bonnieux are small hilltop villages with not much tourists, though they are listed as most beautiful villages in France! Gordes is a bigger village where you'll see more tourist groups.
Rousillon is prettiest during sunset! Enjoy the colors of this village.
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has a lively big Sunday market (very popular among the locals).
Skip Lourmarin... find it too 'newly renovated', i.e. too touristy
Avignon is more historical
In summary, I can't really list down which are the nicer places. What I can say is, I really enjoyed exploring Provence by ourselves. It's the adventure, different sights & encounters in the Provencal atmosphere that made the trip memorable
Send me your email and I shall allow access to my pics in FB!
Sure!
We drove from Nice to Avignon and took the train from Avignon TGV to Paris. We got to the wrong train station and almost missed train! We didn't get hold of any Michelin Map, only a GPS for navigation.
We stayed in various accommodations including castle, & very 'Gordes'-feel Maison. Changed accommodation everyday in Provence. It's so much fun chatting with the host using our limited French!
Nice is beautiful, too bad we didn't have extra day there. I like the narrow cobbled streets in Luberon area. Lacoste & Bonnieux are small hilltop villages with not much tourists, though they are listed as most beautiful villages in France! Gordes is a bigger village where you'll see more tourist groups.
Rousillon is prettiest during sunset! Enjoy the colors of this village.
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has a lively big Sunday market (very popular among the locals).
Skip Lourmarin... find it too 'newly renovated', i.e. too touristy
Avignon is more historical
In summary, I can't really list down which are the nicer places. What I can say is, I really enjoyed exploring Provence by ourselves. It's the adventure, different sights & encounters in the Provencal atmosphere that made the trip memorable
Send me your email and I shall allow access to my pics in FB!
Hi Ete,
Am planning trip to France this Oct, covering Paris & South of France. Also thing about driving around Provence/Rivera.. Like to check with you..
1) Did u encounter any problem with right hand drive? Like, whay sort of adjustments do the driver need to do..
2) Which car rental did you use?
3) Is the GPS "reliable"? I use Garmin in Spore and sometime the GPS announces the direction after I'd already passed the turning/junction.
Thanks!
Am planning trip to France this Oct, covering Paris & South of France. Also thing about driving around Provence/Rivera.. Like to check with you..
1) Did u encounter any problem with right hand drive? Like, whay sort of adjustments do the driver need to do..
2) Which car rental did you use?
3) Is the GPS "reliable"? I use Garmin in Spore and sometime the GPS announces the direction after I'd already passed the turning/junction.
Thanks!
Hi jennifer, you might catch the mistral wind. So be prepared for cold dry and VERY windy days.
1) My hubby drove. It would be likely to drive manual car. He adjusted within few hrs of drive. Just watch out for traffic in opposite direction from sg.
2) europcar but do adv bking n confirm again if therez any auto car.
3) garmin. We used theirs. Direction is pretty gd except that the coordinates provided by lodging may not be true. We failed to locate one lodging and gotta get down n seek help.
1) My hubby drove. It would be likely to drive manual car. He adjusted within few hrs of drive. Just watch out for traffic in opposite direction from sg.
2) europcar but do adv bking n confirm again if therez any auto car.
3) garmin. We used theirs. Direction is pretty gd except that the coordinates provided by lodging may not be true. We failed to locate one lodging and gotta get down n seek help.
Hi all,
You don't need to get the International Driving Permit for countries that use the English or English-like alphabet. No problems in UK and France for me. So that will save you 20 bucks.
I'm right now in a small town near Lyon, and will be attending a French wedding tomorrow. Don't envy me.
Then after that, it's to Swindon for a year. Swindon is a really nice place.
You don't need to get the International Driving Permit for countries that use the English or English-like alphabet. No problems in UK and France for me. So that will save you 20 bucks.
I'm right now in a small town near Lyon, and will be attending a French wedding tomorrow. Don't envy me.
Then after that, it's to Swindon for a year. Swindon is a really nice place.
