{"id":8633,"date":"2022-07-08T12:10:23","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T17:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justwing.it\/?page_id=8633"},"modified":"2022-09-11T14:28:57","modified_gmt":"2022-09-11T19:28:57","slug":"provence","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/justwing.it\/france\/provence\/","title":{"rendered":"Provence-Alpes-Cotedazur"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Transportation and Accommodations<\/h3>\n

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Getting There<\/h4>\n

Provence (or Provence-Alpes-Cotedazur) is a region in the South of France. The two main cities in the region are Nice and Marseille. Nice is the capital of the French Riviera, while Marseille is surrounded by charming French villages, vineyards, and lavender fields. Both cities have airports easily reached from within Europe. To visit Provence, flying to either airport is feasible. The airport you pick should depend on your desired itinerary and the flight options available.<\/p>\n

Marseille is ideal if looking to visit the wine regions in Southern France, the coastal towns of Cassis or Marseille, Les Calanques National Park, the Verdon Gorge, Provence lavender fields or any of the smaller Provence towns (Avignon, Gordes, Lourmarin etc.). This area is more easily accessible with a car and provides a charming and more authentic holiday, with small villages and natural places to visit.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, Nice is a convenient starting point to visit the French Riviera (Cote d’Azur) and perfect if looking to visit Monaco, the village of Eze, Cannes, Antibes, or St. Tropez. Exploring the French Riviera section of Provence will provide a different experience than areas around Marseille as it will be more focused on beaches, shopping, fashion and luxury vacationing. If both types of holidays interest you, plan a longer trip and use either Marseille or Nice as a departure and arrival point into Provence.<\/p>\n

The train between Nice and Marseille is about 3 hours so it is also possible to do any of the options noted above from either airport. Simply keep in mind that flying to Nice to visit areas around Marseille (or vice versa) will require some additional travel time by train so plan accordingly.<\/p>\n

Marseille and Nice will both be accessible with a direct flight from many cities in Europe. If traveling from within France, consider taking a train as both cities have train stations with trains traveling across the country. Both the Nice and Marseille airports are located about 30 minutes from the city centre.<\/p>\n

Getting Around<\/h4>\n

For a diverse Provence itinerary, a car is highly recommended as it provides the most flexibility. When renting a car, I recommend picking a more established rental company like Avis, Hertz, or Enterprise. Be sure to assess the car for damage, taking photographs to document the vehicle beforehand so you are not incorrectly charged for damages upon return.<\/p>\n

In Europe, and especially in Provence, renting a bigger car is not necessarily the better option. The roads and parking spaces are smaller, which can make driving a mid to large vehicle much more challenging. Outside of the city, parking can be difficult for a midsize SUV, both on the street and in parking garages as spaces are often quite small. Finally, remember to ask what type of fuel the rental car requires, as many cars in Europe may use diesel instead of petrol.<\/p>\n

If you are not interested in renting a car, plan to stay in one or two locations which are easily accessible by public transport and consider booking tours to visit places outside your home base location. Avignon or Aix-en-Provence would be a good option if looking to see small French villages, lavender fields, and wineries.<\/p>\n

Of course if your intentions are just to relax at the beach and stay local, then a car or tours will not be necessary. Plan to visit the French Riviera in Provence for the nicest beaches and little need for a car. Nice and Cannes are both easy cities to stay in on the French Riviera where a car would not be required.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”8663″ img_size=”large” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image image=”8687″ img_size=”large” qode_css_animation=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” background_animation=”none” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”8639″ img_size=”large” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image image=”8748″ img_size=”large” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image image=”8803″ img_size=”large” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image image=”8743″ img_size=”large” qode_css_animation=””][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Accommodations<\/h4>\n

Provence-Alpes-Cotedazur is a vast region, meaning the options for accommodations are expansive. Depending on the length of your trip, I would recommend picking a few places as a home base and then using a car to take advantage of visiting all the region has to offer.<\/p>\n

Provence<\/h5>\n
Marseille<\/h6>\n

Marseille is one of the two main cities in Provence and has its own airport. The city itself is busier and does not have the charm some of the smaller towns more inland offer. With this in mind, only stay in Marseille if it is for convenience directly before or after traveling to the region. For other nights, choose from the options below for a more delightful experience.<\/p>\n

Aix-en-Provence<\/h6>\n

Located 30 minutes NW of Marseille, Aix-en-Provence (pronounced “X”) is not as large as Marseille but still feels like a small city. The city centre has lots of shopping, restaurants, wine bars, and cafes. The town itself is very centrally located and can accommodate daytrips to visit the wine regions around Provence, other small towns (Avignon, Gordes, Lourmarin, etc.), the Verdon Gorge, Lavender fields, Cassis, and Les Calanques. This makes it a great option for a home base for a few nights if you prefer not to move around to different accommodations.<\/p>\n

In summary, Aix-en-Provence is nicer than Marseille, but not as cute and quaint as Avignon or other small villages.<\/p>\n

Avignon<\/h6>\n

Located about 1 hour north of Aix-en-Provence, Avignon is a fortified town with walls around the border of the town. The town itself has an old, cute feel to it and has plenty of dining and shopping options. I preferred Avignon to Aix-en-Provence and would recommend staying 1 – 2 nights here if you are more willing to move accommodations. Avignon is further from some of the other common daytrips (i.e. the Verdon Gorge, Les Calanques, St. Tropez) so best to plan a shorter stay here.<\/p>\n

Cassis<\/h6>\n

A port city, Cassis is about 1 hour east of Marseille. It is a fairly easy highway drive to reach Cassis from Marseille. The town itself is a bit rundown, similar to Marseille, but provides a convenience factor because transport around Cassis is limited. If you choose to stay outside of Cassis, plan to drive or walk into town for meals as taxis are limited.<\/p>\n

That being said, there are a lot of vineyards around Cassis, some of which provide vacation rental options. We stayed in a rental around the vineyards, with incredible views over the surrounding region. This was perfect for two nights, but did come with challenges when traveling into Cassis for meals. It is possible to walk in the daylight, but walking back in the dark to accommodations can be nerve-wracking as some paths are not lit and there are wild boars in the area.<\/p>\n

Gordes<\/h6>\n

Tiny, adorable village about 45 minutes north of Aix-en-Provence. This hillside village overlooks the surrounding land. The town itself can be easily explored in a quick visit. It can also be a nice option for a single night stay where you arrive late afternoon and enjoy the quieter, more peaceful countryside with dinner overlooking the area around.<\/p>\n

Cote d’Azur<\/h5>\n
St. Tropez<\/h6>\n

Part of the French Riviera, St. Tropez sits about halfway between Marseille and Nice on the coast. This makes it a feasible daytrip from different locations in Provence. From both Aix-en-Provence and Cassis, the drive takes about two hours. We decided to visit St. Tropez between Aix-en-Provence and Cassis, departing Aix-en-Provence early and arriving at St. Tropez around lunch time where we explored the town and had a lunch on the beach. Following lunch, we checked out the beach but then departed to reach Cassis.<\/p>\n

Visiting St. Tropez is a feasible daytrip, but also can be done at a slower pace and more relaxing if one night is booked in St. Tropez. It is a very upscale, fancy location. If looking for a luxurious spot on the coast to stay, consider a few nights here, but if just trying to drop-in and check out the upscale lifestyle, a day is perfect.<\/p>\n

Nice<\/h6>\n

Capital of the French Riviera with its own airport. The cities along the French Riviera (Cannes, Antibes, and Nice) are well connected by trains. Nice is centrally located if wishing to visit different cities and towns along the French Riviera including Cannes and Antibes, but also provides quick transport to Monaco and the small mountaintop village of Eze<\/p>\n

Cannes<\/h6>\n

Located a short train ride away from Nice, Cannes is an upscale beach town with good beaches and shopping in town. Cannes is great if planning to relax on the beach. If interested in visiting Monaco and the village of Eze, the journey will be slightly further from Cannes than from Nice as you need to pass through Nice to reach Monaco and Eze if traveling from Cannes.<\/p>\n

Accommodation recommendation when visiting Provence:<\/strong><\/h5>\n

4 nights in central Provence<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

2 nights in Aix-en-Provence<\/p>\n

2 nights in Avignon*<\/p>\n

*if prefer not to move around, then 4 nights in Aix-en-Provence will be more centrally located for different daytrip options<\/p>\n

1 night St. Tropez<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

2 nights around Cassis<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

And if looking to expand the trip and spend more time visiting the French Riviera part of Provence, swap the order of\u00a0 Cassis and St. Tropez. Then stop in St. Tropez for a night and continue onto Nice or Cannes.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” background_animation=”none” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Things to do and see<\/h3>\n

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Provence is part of Southern France sitting on the Mediterranean coast with a great climate. It is known for its numerous wine regions, the French Riviera, rocky mountains, fields of flowers, and quaint French villages. It is the oldest wine producing region in France, making Reds, White and Roses with the main focus on Rose.<\/p>\n

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Verdon Gorge<\/h5>\n

The Verdon Gorge is a river canyon and the deepest canyon in Europe. It is a spectacular site with the teal green water in the canyon and white cliffs on each side. The canyon river then opens up into Lake St. Croix with an aquamarine blue color.<\/p>\n

Plan a day to visit the Verdon Gorge as there is a variety to do here.<\/p>\n

Pont du Galetas<\/h6>\n

The bridge at the mouth of the river which opens up into Lake St. Croix. This bridge is a famous photo spot for beautiful views of the Verdon Gorge from land. Around here will be the busiest with other visitors looking to take-in the view and enjoy the natural beauty from the water<\/p>\n

Rent a boat and explore the canyon on the water<\/h6>\n