Provence & the French Riviera 2009

Guidebook corrections:

Please note: The following corrections were submitted by readers and have not yet been confirmed by Rick. Check updates from Rick for the latest.

Hotel du Parc is no longer open in Avignon! I had a reservation with them, but they did not contact me when they shut down.

Robyn O. in Webster, TX USA 09/24/2008

Ste-Maries-de-la-Mer: We were almost at our destination when I flipped open Uncle Rick's book and read his comments. Suddenly, I was petrified! Gypsies? Nare-do-wells? Coney Island? Turns out, we had a terrific day at "le Med" (great beach-combing) and did not have any unpleasant encounters with gypsies or the like. Maybe they've all moved on to the Eiffel Tower? Perhaps the area deserves another look? As a side note, the Camargue (and Uncle Rick's "drive") was spectacular!

Beth Triggs in North Vancouver, BC Canada 08/06/2008

Maison Caree in Nimes isn't free any more. Have to wait to get inside, and then you see a movie on Roman gladiators. As a lover of Roman ruins, here is one of the finest (a real hexastyle pseudoperiperipital temple!)and you can't see the inside, it's turned into a tourist movie house. They've downgraded this to the lowest intellectual denominator.

Add a note for Villefranche: when you get off the train, go on the path that leads back over the train tunnel to the west (from Nice) and follow it into town. It's a long ramp all the way to Rick's listed hotels (ending at the hotel welcome and the entrance to the route around the fortress to the Hotel de la Darse. If you go the other way you go down lots of stairs and end up walking along cobblestones downtown.

Dennis Simpson in Redmond, WA USA 08/04/2008

Great book. Very helpful. We like to travel without hotel reservations (Early in the season) and then being able to select focus and be directed to a suitable hotel using your guide (including price) was invaluable

Martin Jansen in Agoura Hills, Ca USA 07/13/2008

Resturant list for Nice needs to be updated. We tried three in the 2008 guidebook and they we gone. Sorry I did not record the names, it proved to be very frustrating.

Sanford Lavine in Alameda, CA USA 07/11/2008

In Nice, there is no bus #15 to Mattisse & Chagall Museum...is has changed to #22. The tram and all buses are now just 1 Euro, even a better deal than your update says. Still have 74 minutes of use...can take 100 bus all the way to Menton, Monaco as you stated, but it's only 1 Euro now. Matisse Museum is 4 Euro, Chagall 8,50 Euro. Bus 22 follows old 15 route going to the museum, but not all 22's come back the same way...as driver. In Antibes, Picasso Museum did NOT open in Spring as hoped and still has "at least 6 weeks" more to go. Should let people know it likely won't open this summer. Also, bus 200 let us off on Briand (sp?) street by TI, not where your map showed. Took the train home to Nice...much better! In Monaco, if people want to find the American casino you list they'll need better directions. It's called the Sun Casino. Facing the Monte Carlo Casino, walk left down the hill, then go down the steps as if going to the Fairmont Resort...Sun Casino is at bottom of stairs and not visible from above.

Paul Lightner in Novato, CA USA 07/03/2008

Getting to St. Remy By Car: the parking at the TI lot is now 1 euro per hour

Les Baux - in the history section In the little chapel across from the entry, the slide show is now Roman monuments in the region. It is a nice slide show that allows you to think about the sites you want to visit. Also, there are many different special offers when viewing multiple monuments. We bought a Les Baux Castle, Orange theater, and Nimes arena pass for 18/19 euros per person, which was a good deal for what we wanted to view.

Bistrot a Vins in Arles is now closed on Monday and Tuesday

Lisa Valle in Sycamore, IL USA 05/26/2008

I just returned from two weeks in Nice and wanted to share a minor correction about the bus line to the Chagall Museum. The bus number is no longer 15, it has changed to 22, but the stops are still the same. Also, the bus fare to go just about everywhere has dropped to one euro from 1.30.

Whitney Beatty in Seattle, WA USA 03/14/2008

Aix-en-Provence- Cezanne Atelier- You need to make advance reservations to visit his workshop. You can do it on-line via the Tourist Office. You need to print the invoice to pay in cash (especes) before your appointment time/day. The workshop is small and they can only allow so many people in at any given time. It is one room only and no photos are allowed. In order to park your car, you need to go uphill past the Atelier, turn right to the Parking Lot, then walk down the stairs, turn left and cross the street to the Atelier.

Vasarely Foundation Museum- They are closed for lunch break from 12p.m.-1p.m. No photos are allowed. The gift shop needs to be updated as the postcards sold are not the ones that are displayed in the Museum itself. You need to purchase the big posters if you want to obtain pictures of any of the art work displayed at this museum.

k.m. in san francisco, ca USA 11/21/2007

The email address for the Hotel Voltaire in Arles is no longer active, it bounced back immediately. He has not yet responded to my fax (sent almost a week ago). Let's hope the phone number still works! :)

Becca in Torrance, CA USA 09/08/2007

No, again your information was wonderful! It allows us to confidently move around Europe on the public transportation system. Last time we were in Europe, we bought a train pass. We functioned very well this time just buying train tickets as we went, either from the train station or from a travel agent. I guess the most annoying thing for us in traveling is encountering huge tour groups! With your guidebooks, we can't imagine anyone going on a tour with a huge group. We are an older couple, and are able to plan a trip and travel with complete confidence, thanks to your guidebooks!

Sharon & Leo Marty in Olympia, WA USA 08/21/2007

p221: Cassis: Laundry at 9 rue Autheman, laundry is big disrepair, half washers broken, only one drier with a door; broken change and soap machines. We had our laundry done at a presse at the roundabout with bus stop on rue de l'argue. It was 20 euros for a whole pile of 2 peoples clothes, wash, dry, soap, fold.

p221: Cassis internet: Europrin open and first class. Internet next door to laundry at 9 Autheman is closed.

Cindy in Shurtleff, wa USA 07/13/2007

The Hotel Restaurant Grand Canyon du Verdon website had an e-mail address which I sent a message to twice and was delivered, but the hotel did not answer. This was the only hotel on the trip which did not respond. Why not?

Dave Brechner in Surprise, AZ USA 05/09/2007

The Chantecler email address in the book negresco@nicematin.fr was rejected. We went to the hotel/restaurant web site and found this email instead: chantecler@hotel-negresco.com

Tim Templeton in Laguna Beach, CA USA 04/01/2007

RS Provence 2007 map on page 348 makes it appear that Saint-Paul is on the D36 road. It isn't. D36 only comes within 1/2 mile of Saint-Paul. The road you have labeled D36 into Saint-Paul from the south is probably the D2.

[Editor's Note: Thanks; this has been corrected in the 2008 edition.]

Calvin USA 02/03/2007

The Hotel Reves d'Ocres in Roussillon has a sign saying they are under new management so I guess they did sell the place like you said. It has been beautifully decorated in fittingly red and ochre and is really delightful. It was by the far the best value we stayed at on our trip to the Luberbon.

Rupert Essinger in San Diego, CA USA 11/20/2006

I cannot get my emails through to La Bonne Auberge in Moustiers Ste. Marie. Has anyone succeeded? Is there a new address?

Holly Trahan in Princeton, MA USA 08/30/2006

The ferry trip to Chateau d'If is 10Euros per person plus 5Euros per person entry, and requires a 2-hour minimum stay before you can return (which is about 1.5 hrs longer than necessary).

Dave VanderWiel in Brecksville, OH USA 08/28/2006

In Provence, while visiting the Abbaye St. Hilaire, a lovely place near Bonnieux recommended in your Provence guidebook, our car was broken into. The passenger side window was broken and a purse was stolen (fortunately nothing valuable was lost). No other cars were at the abbey, so it may have been the work of young kids. It certainly spoiled our day.

Charles Soberman in Bloomfield Hills, MI USA 07/24/2006

The bike rental at Isles 2 Roues in Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue, p. 164 is 14 Euro a day. Minor point. More important at this shop, and perhaps at many others, you must have a passport with you to rent a bike. You cannot rent with a credit card absent a passport.

Paul Chummers in San Jose, CA USA 07/19/2006

6-06 The Chargall and Matisse museums are NOT giving a "free bus pass" as stated in the "06 guide". I spent two weeks in Entrevaux (page 234); it reminded me of Rick's old "back-door" sights, like "Mama Rosa's in Cinque Terre, or Selema in Portugal. One can get there by the Chemin de Fer de la Provence, the small gauge train. For one year they do have a bus going there from the bus station; cost 1.30 euros. An old Rick Steves fan, Tom Kilroy, San Dieo, CA

Tom Kilroy in San Diego, CA USA 07/12/2006

We used 2005 edition and here are our corrections (sorry if they were already corrected in 2006 version): 1.Calanque hiking in Cassis we thought was very well marked, contrary to what it says in the 2005 version of Provence and the French Riviera. We hiked all the way to En Vau without directional difficulties (follow painted markers such as tree trunks and rocks with the red, white, and green markings). You are very correct that sturdy shoes, a good fitness level, and lots of water are a must, but the reward was well worth the effort-spectacular clear water and beautiful beach. 2. Picasso museum in Antibes closed x 1 year for renovations. 3. You mentioned that the Castel restaurant in Nice was like a scene where Don Ho would show up. We found it to be more "loungy" and "hip" than Hawaiian. 4. The Old Nice Walk corrections: Under the "Rue de la Poissonerie" section you state that the Adam and Eve depiction is at #4. It is actually at #8. And the iron grill you mention is above #4, which is across from St. Rita's church. On Rue Droite, Espuno's has no "i"...it is spelled "Esipuno's" in your book.

Tammy Bailey in Heidelberg, Germany 07/09/2006

the only thing I would correct is your suggestion of the "Bates Hotel" called Le Colbert. This was the place from hell! The reservations weren't right, the owners were grumpy, mad, sad individuals that need a new job!

karen lockhart in montrose, AL USA 06/18/2006

In Provence 2006, pg. 323, Inland Riviera section, the hotels for Le Grand Canyon du Verdon (Les Gorges du Verdon), 3 things: 1. Hotel-Restaurant Grand Canyon du Verdon has a website through the city of Aiguines. http://www.aiguines.com/index.html Click on "Hebergements" at the top. Then click on "En savoir plus" under the Hotel's name. There is no pricing but there are pictures. 2. Hotel du Vieux Chateau: Db price is now 100 Euros (not 62) but includes breakfast and dinner. 3. Hotel Altitude: Db rooms range between 46-54 euros per person (not 55-60 euros total), no breakfast. It also has a website through the city of Aiguines. http://www.aiguines.com/index.html Click on "Hebergements" at the top. Then click on "En savoir plus" under the Hotel's name. The words are in French (although you should be able to figure out prices and dates) and there are pictures.

E. House CO USA 06/13/2006

We used the 2006 Provence Book in March and found the data on buses and trains was based on a Summer schedule ONLY. We bought a train ticket from Marseille thru Aix-en-Provence to Avignon and didn't find out until we got to Aix that there are no trains direct off season. So we spent the day going from Marseille to Aix back to Marseille to Avignon. And no bus from Saint Remy to Le Baux. And no bus from Le Baux to Arles. 95% of the info is accurate so we really were relying on the guide.

Skell in Goens, Wa USA 05/23/2006

I don't think the 2006 Provence guide reflected that the Riviera bus companies have been consolidated and are now called 'ligne d'azur' (see www.lignedazur.com).

ed innes in washington, dc USA 05/22/2006

The phone number listed in the Nice section for the Segway tours is incorrect - it is the number for the Paris office. When we called, she couldn't give us the number for Nice, and since we didn't have ready internet access to check the website, we missed out.

Keely in Sparks, NV USA 05/19/2006

The guidebook makes the option of riding a bus around Provence seem easy but the reality is that the buses don't run all that frequently. I could not take a bus to the Pont du Gard AND Nimes in any timely manner. I really should have rented a car. If I'd known how really easy it would have been to drive around there, I would have done it. I have to admit that I met some lovely people on the bus that I ended up connecting with and that wouldn't have happened if I'd been in my own car.

carolyn wolfe in Boise, Id USA 05/09/2006

Hotel Reves D'Ocres in Roussillon (where we have a reservation for a couple of days in October) has changed its website. The new website -- though still only in French -- is hotel-revesdocres.com, the same as the old but with the addition of a hyphen. The email address remains as it is in the book, hotelrevesdocres@wannadoo.fr.

Ron in DeWitt, MI USA 05/07/2006

We just spent two weeks in April in Provence and the Riviera (basing in St. Remy and Nice). Our two biggest diappointments were that the Musee Picasso in Antibes is now closed for 18 months and the Maison Carree in Nimes has been converted to a 3-D theatre with a movie about gladiators. Even if you pay the movie admission to get into the building you cannot see any of the interior -- it is completely draped in fabric.

Joan Holland in Arlington, VA USA 05/06/2006

In the Provence guidebook 2006 the email for Hotel Royal Phare no longer works. You must got to their website and use their form to email them.

rebekah in sacramento, ca USA 03/18/2006

Les Trois Figuiers near I'lsle sur la Sorgue has a new web site. www.chambresdhotesprovence.com is their new updated site. They have 8 rooms available, not 4. Also they offer an excellent dinner every evening around a family table for 27€ each. It is not to be missed. It is a very special place to stay.

Lorrie in Cincinnati, Oh USA 02/19/2006

The American Express office at 11 Promenade des Anglais, Nice is closed. It was closed when I was there last April. The only office for Nice listed in the American Express website is at the airport. You have this listed on pages 224 and 341.

Mike Rodin in Las Vegas, NV USA 01/30/2006

L'Ecole Buissonniere near Vaison is closed for the winter. Reopens near the end of Feb.

Jeff Smith in Alpharetta, GA USA 01/18/2006