Provence & the French Riviera 2010

Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: The Jardin Exotique in Eze Le Village.
Why: The most fabulous view we saw. Also, the changing of the guard at the palace in Monaco. Prince Albert and his friends opened 6 big windows on the 2nd floor. They stood in the windows and watched the guards and band and waved at us.

Worst: Modern art in general
Why: Our group of four senior adults generally did not like modern art, except for the Marc Chagall art. The free audio guide was most helpful and necessary. We liked the historic old towns, and ancient ruins better than modern art.

G. Sellers in Melbourne Beach, FL USA 02/09/2010

Worst: Hertz, Aix-en-Provence
Why: Although we reserved an automatic compact car more than half a year ago and then confirmed it, when we arrived at the office, they did not have. Only an automatic car they have at that time was a huge luxurious car. We had to pay very expensive extra charge and we had to deal with its inconvenient size. Terrible service francaise!

Ryoji Matsumoto in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan 12/20/2009

Best: Pont du Gard and the Roman Theatre in Orange
Why: The Pont du Gard is a stunning example of Roman engineering capability. We climbed up to the panoramic view at the top of the aqueduct. We also enjoyed the Roman theatre in Orange. The Audio guide was very informative.

Worst: Palais des Papes in Avignon and the Les Baux
Why: The audioguides at Palais des Papes were repetitive and tiresome. The rooms were very large but generally empty. The entrance fee was quite expensive for what we got out of it. At Les Baux, you need a good imagination.

Art / Karyn Lougheed in Markham, ON Candada 11/01/2009

Best: Roman Theater in Orange
Why: Fabulous sight! It still has it's back stage as most Roman theaters don't anymore, and Rick's self guided tour of it written in his book was super! An awesome sight if you love Roman structures!

Jeff & Di Lindquist in Reseda, Ca USA 10/09/2009

Best: Uzes, St. Remy, Les Baux, Vaison la Romaine
Why: Beautiful villages. Uzes is so charming and still "off the beaten path" yet so refined. great lunch on the square. We had a wonderful lunch in Saint Remy and found the shops quite good in terms of quality. We spent far more time in Les Baux at the ruins than we planned for. the old castle is amazing. The town has become something more like an epcot center visit. we spent two nights in vaison la romaine and found this to be a wonderful place to mingle with the locals. the restaurant owners were thrilled to have us. we got great wine recommendations from them. we stopped to watch a soccer game in a bar and the young men were very friendly inside. le beffroi was so nice. great visit.

Worst: arles
Why: i visited about 15 years ago and thought the place was charming and beautiful. this time, it seemed a little frumpy, too touristy. can't quite put my finger on it, but things seem to be getting a little shady or just badly in need of updating. maybe the economic downturn? wished we had spend the night in st remy or uzes instead.

s. elizabeth in philadelphia, pa USA 10/05/2009

Best: Walking tours in France and Italy
Why: great detail and directions. Helps get started in a city and better understand it.

Louis in Lorraine, PQ Canada 09/27/2009

Worst: Hotel Miramar in Vence
Why: Gentleman checking us in was not friendly and in fact was condescending. Walls were quite thin; altho there was a wonderful deck, it faced inland, not to the sea, which we could see from our room.

Claire in N. Conway, NH USA 09/24/2009

Best: Bus from Nice to Cap Ferrat (#81) to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, then walk to Plage de Passable
Why: What a perfect day!! The Villa was beautiful and the gardens were amazing. Then the downhill walk to the beach to have lunch at the Restaurant de la Plage Passable -- very, very nice. Decided that the free beach made sense, and it was great. It actually had the best of all substrates for a beach -- finely ground stone. Better than the large stones in Nice, better than sand that gets everywhere. Loved the day!

Pattie Laun in Ellicott City, MD USA 08/03/2009

Best: Fondation Vincent Van Gogh D'Arles
Why: Contemporary artists paid homage to Van Gogh. I have been thinking about the artwork I saw weeks after returning from Provence. Fernando Botero's painting of a chair and shoes in his signature "chubby" style; a U.S. artist's work of Van Gogh's face done with what appeared to be colored raffia. I wish I could see them all again.

Sharron Stevens in Oberstaufenbach, Germany 07/25/2009

Best: Drive to Mt. Ventoux and to the Luberon
Why: The views were spectacular; the lavender was aromatic; the villages were picturesque; the backroads were extremely interesting.

Scott Hudson in Cincinnati, OH USA 07/10/2009

Best: Roussillon
Why: It was a perfect day to walk around the city. It was very picturesque. We enjoyed lunch at a wonderful restaurant overlooking the forest. We loved it.

Worst: Uzes
Why: Our fault, we came during lunch when the TI was closed so we didn't know what to do and left after a brief walk

Kathy Casey in Barrington, IL USA 03/15/2009

Best: www.gites-de-france.fr
Why: I put a deposit on a house to rent with friends. Unfortunately, I had to cancel the reservation. Fortunately, I did purchase the cancellation insurance for 32 Euro, so almost all the deposit was refunded without hassle. This company is very responsive, and appears to have both renter's and owner's interests in mind.

Sharron Stevens in Oberstaufenbach, Germany 03/07/2009

Best: Nimes Roman sites, walks on Cap Ferrat, Monaco self-guided walk
Why: I loved the Nimes arena, Maison Carree, and Castellum, a great combination of Roman sites. I was too timid to go up the elevator in the Carree d'Art, but I will next time! The two walks on Cap Ferrat (Plage Paloma and St. Jean to Beaulieu) were fabulous!! I wish I'd made the time to do the 2-3 hour one and/or to walk from Beaulieu to Villefrance. The Monaco self-guided walk was great; I got off at the Place d'Armes bus 100 stop, did the self-guided walk, walked around the port, and ended at the casino, then caught the bus to Eze-le-Village.

Worst: Les Baux, Eze-le-Village (old town), Villefranche-sur-Mer
Why: I didn't go into the chateau in Les Baux, and there wasn't much else there. (I wish I'd taken the train to Orange instead.) Eze-le-Village's old town reminded me of Les Baux (not much to see or do). Compared to the other Riviera towns I visited, Villefranche also had very little to see or do. Note: I was there during the week between Christmas and New Year's.

Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 01/02/2009

Best: Wine Safari
Why: Mike is so knowledgable and enthusiastic about wine. His relationships with the winemakers add to the hospitality. We toured with Mike for 2 1/2 days. On one day 2 women unexpectedly joined us.It was not a problem but there may be some misunderstanding aobut how "private" the tours are. I suggest clarifying this with Mike ahead of time. We especially liked the Domaine Boisson and Domaine de Tara. We tasted a lot of wine and we were glad we were not driving.

mary lane in irvine, ca USA 11/16/2008

Best: Arles, France
Why: Great place to stay, easy to get to other Provence locations.

Janet Hellmann in Staten Island, NY USA 11/04/2008

Best: Domaine de Coyeux wine tasting
Why: Besides very good wine and fanstastic scenery, pleasant helpful staff.

Worst: Cave du Verger des Papes
Why: They are bottling their own wine in conjunction with someone these days and that's all they want you to taste or to sell you.

Debbie Alpern in Crested Butte, CO USA 11/04/2008

Best: L'Ecole Buissoniere, near Vaison-la-Roamaine
Why: Just spent 4 days with John and Monique and found them to be exceptionally gracious hosts with a truly beautifully restored country home only 5 minutes from Vaison-la-Romaine. They made wonderful Provencal dinners for us two nights allowing us to visit and learn even more about the region. John's tour suggestions were great. Anyone considering visiting northern Provence would be smart to use L'eEcole Buissoniere as their base for several days.

R J Willis in Stillwater, OK USA 10/10/2008

Best: Using the buses in Nice
Why: Easy to follow instructions for using this great public transportation option.

Jane Sauther in Spokane Valley, WA USA 08/26/2008

Best: Les Baux
Why: Exactly as Uncle Rick suggested, we entered the castle grounds at the last entry (8 p.m.). Besides our family of four, there were only two other people on the grounds. We explored the castle before the sun set, enjoyed spectacular views, and only left when the lights were turned on (providing for a stunning photograph). Les Baux is breathtaking and extraordinary!

Worst: Arles
Why: Not everyone in our group felt this way, but I was not impressed with Arles. After visiting some spectacular towns and villages in the surrounding area, I found Arles to be dirty and unwelcoming :(

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

Best: Vence
Why: Small, quaint authentic walled city, absence of overwhelming tourists and souvenir shops. A "hidden secret". I was expecting Vence to be just a bedroom town for Nice and Cannes

Worst: Traffic in Nice and Monaco
Why: Horendous traffic, impossible parking,Not possible to enjoy if driving and traveling by car

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

Best: Nice
Why: Two excellent museums, beautiful old town. great visit, even though crowded.

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

Best: Canoeing the Gardon River under the Pont du Gard
Why: Just canoeing the Gardon river was a lot of fun. Seeing the Pont du Gard come into view around a bend in the river, and looking up to see the keystone with it's engraved dedication pass above us was wonderful. Stopping for lunch and ice cream on the beach next to the Pont, before continuing on down the river felt decadent and was the icing on the cake for us that day.

Worst: The Nice train station
Why: The Nice train station was a whole order of magnitude worse than any train station I have ever been through, in my whole life. There was no drop off zone. I had to pack our luggage from the 6th floor parking garage, including going down three flights of stairs, because the elevator only goes from the 6th to the 3rd floor. When we went inside the station, it was filled with people sleeping on the floor, and panhandlers and grifters constantly harassing us. We had planned to arrive in the morning, have lunch in a place recommended to us in Nice, and then catch a train we had reserved in the afternoon to Levanto. Instead, I bought tickets on the next train to Ventimiglia where we went to the beach for lunch, and we waited there for our through train to Levanto. On our vacation we passed through wonderful stations in Frankfurt, Strassbourg, Colmar, Forbach, Paris East, North, St. Lazarre and Lyon. And Avignon, Arles, Ventimiglia, Genoa, Levanto and Milan where the service and signage were great and the stations were wonderful. I can't understand why the Nice station was such a horrid inhospitable mess.

Jon Broshious in Berkeley, Ca USA 07/09/2008

Best: Bus 100 trip,
Why: Wonderful views, now only 1 Euro. Easily can do Villefranche, Monaco, etc.

Worst: Bus 200 trip
Why: Lousy views...go to Antibes, Cannes, by train. Bus 200 is very slow and has no views. Train follows coastline.

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

Best: small towns in the Luberon
Why: Seeing these towns was such an adventure; they are all so gorgeous!

Worst: Village les Bories near Gordes
Why: Skip it! This is a stone village that has been inhabited for hundreds of years, but apart from seeing stone huts that have been used as recently as the 1900's, nothing is here. The long winding (single lane)road that goes to the site is treacherous. IMO other stops are probably more worthwhile.

Victoria Van Wie in Cypress, Tx USA 06/22/2008

Best: roussillon
Why: Roussillon en Provence, the “Village of Ochre,“ is experiencing an artistic rebirth, and re-confirming its reputation in the Luberon Valley and in the world, as a place of stunning beauty and inspiration. Today, Roussillon en Provence boasts more than eleven art galleries representing fifty artists, and reaffirming the artistic spirit of Roussillon.

Eight galleries and artists have joined together to create a unrivaled cultural hub for art lovers who will find works to appeal to all tastes.

Visitors will have the pleasure of discovering the beauty of Roussillon as they discover the creations of our inspired artists.

The light, the colors, and the ochre earth itself, are the heart and the inspiration for the diverse works of art, which include figural and abstract painting, ceramic sculpture, bronzes, glass and artist-created jewelry.

This Celebration of the Arts continues daily and will be ongoing each year. We would be delighted to welcome you and your clients to our village.

Thank you to insert these information on your guide and or your website.

riqueau USA 06/16/2008

Best: Les Baux and Cathedrale d'Images
Why: We arrived at Les Baux around 10:30 am and expected a crowd but it wasn't bad (however this was during the last week of May). We spent several hours here and enjoyed wandering the castle ruins and the medieval town. Another reader had mentioned they thought this was a tourist trap but it really is a sight well worth visiting. Lunch at "Le Varietes" in their garden courtyard was very good and reasonably priced. Cathedrale d'Images is very close to Les Baux (we walked from Les Baux). The Cathedrale is unlike any other experience. Just being inside a rock quarry is interesting given that so many structures have been built for centuries using this rock. This year’s theme is Van Gogh. The sound and light show was profoundly moving. You shouldn't miss this!

Anne Schiedel in Basel, Switzerland 06/08/2008

Best: Carmargue, coastal area near Arles
Why: With a car this area can be covered in a day and is truly a bird watchers paradise(pink flamingos, various herons, avocets, etc etc). I could have spent a lot more time and wished I had a spotting scope.Driving along D-37 and the Etang de Vaccares was the best for bird watching.We went back a second day to see St Maries de la Mer, the seaside town. It was a bit touristy but worth a quick visit. Truly a unique part of the world....the horses, bulls, salt and rice industry and the culture. And yes the insects and mosquitoes are really bad!

Anne Schiedel in Basel, Switzerland 06/08/2008

Worst: Wine Safari
Why: We paid for a private tour, but were joined by a busload of engineering students (35 people) without any notice. They were a lot of fun, but a private tour is a private tour. Mike seemed to sleepwalk through the tour. We would not go back.

Karen in San Diego, CA USA 06/03/2008

Best: Cote du Rhone Driving Tour
Why: It was a fantastic way to spend the day. The scenery was breathtaking. Our favorite spots were our lunch stop in Suzette where we dined at Les Coquelicot (tres bon), a cocktail to enjoy the view at Le Panoramic in Le Crestet, and finally our stop at the Domaine des Girasols. The wine tasting experience was very fun as we had "Mama" who shared her love of wine and quilting with us.

Worst: Stes-Maries-de-la-mer
Why: Rick is not kidding when he talks about the crowds of people...we enjoyed the Camargue, but we decided we would skip the overcrowded town after a drive by where cars were parked miles down from the town.

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

Best: St. Remy de Provence
Why: Both the Wednesday market and the town's shops were easier to find and of higher quality than in most other Provence towns. It's easy to spend a whole day here.

Worst: L'Isle Sur la Sorgue Sunday antique market
Why: Wherever it was, we missed it. Antiquing was our primary focal point for the whole trip, but the merchandise was flea market quality or worse.

Lane Dolly in Falls Church, VA USA 05/25/2008

Worst: Arles arena
Why: Found it pretty pricey and you don't see much. Save your money and admire it from the outside

Kate Buechler in Winnipeg, MB Canada 05/22/2008

Best: Therese, the Socca lady
Why: She is everything Rick said, and more--she has raised her prices to 3 Euros per portion

Betsy Romano in Bloomfield Township, MI USA 03/10/2008

Best: Saturday Market
Why: The Saturday market in Arles is excellent--the best place to put together a picnic. We got a small tub of paella valencia, grapes, goat cheese and a baguette. Our best lunch in Provence.

Aimee in Oakland, CA USA 08/26/2007

Best: We loved the Russian Orthodox church-Nice
Why: The history of this church was amazing - so beautiful!

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

Best: Plage Bestouin
Why: we liked this beach much better than the one by the TI, better swimming and less crowded and better vibe.

How to take the bus from Nice to Monaco and back

Walking tours in old Nice

Worst: tourist train
Why: didn't go to castle on hill (was hard to tell from the flyer), only went to view the calanque

Cindy in Shurtleff, wa USA 07/13/2007

Best: Les Baux
Why: Come late before closing and you will have the castle as well as the village all to yourself. We came at 7 pm right before closing, there were few people but by 8 pm we were all alone in that magnificent setting climbing through the castle ruins. There were only few people in the village as well. That was beginning of June.

Edward in Newton, MA USA 06/25/2007

Best: Pont du Gard, Domaine des Girasols
Why: Our picnic and hike at the beautiful Pont du Gard was one of my favorite days of our trip. It could be I was just getting tired of cities and needed to get outdoors, could be I was starting to yearn for home or could be I just didn't respond to Avignon which I thought was crowded, dowdy and grey. It was fun watching and listening to all the French families picnicing and hiking as well. It was the Sunday of a holiday weekend so crowded but a nice, mellow crowd. Everyone was there for the same break I was seeking. Also our wine tasting at Domaine des Girasols was so pleasant and fun. Marie Elizabeth's English is very good and she is so warm and kind. I really regreted being able to buy only one bottle of the fantastic wine, I would love a case...

Worst: Avignon
Why: I just didn't get the appeal. It was just grey and crowded and we balked at paying 4E to walk on a bridge that doesn't cross the river.

Terry in Lafayette, CA USA 06/05/2007

Best: Aix-en-Provence
Why: Exactly as described, a place to people watch and experience high-energy, but also relax. The hotel there, Hotel le Manoir, was also quiet and lovely, making me wish we'd planned to stay there longer.

Worst: Les Baux, Tour of Palace of the Popes, Nice Light Rail
Why: Although I would probably go back to Les Baux, and would recommend anyone to go there because it was so beautiful, it was unfortunately absolutely jammed with tourists. Although we arrived early as recommended, staying into the afternoon meant not even being able to walk the very crowded streets. And this was in May! Must be worse in the summer. So I would say if you can't get there early, don't even bother going.

The Palace of the Popes is impressive from the outside, but the audio tour is rather boring. The place needs some life and props, like Madame Toussaud has done with Warwick Castle (sounds corny, but it was very well done!).

Just an update on the Nice tram- not done, no sign of being done, and therefore the city was still quite a mess.

Tod Weber in Cupertino, ca USA 05/28/2007

Best: Pont du Gard
Why: Simply an amazing structure which must be seen to fully appreciate. What an incredible spot for a picnic!

Worst: French Riviera (with disclaimer)
Why: Something beyond anyone's control--the miserable weather while we were there. We had a great time anyway.

Jeri Cary in Juneau, AK USA 05/08/2007

Best: Entrevaux
Why: Scenic ride on the narrow-guage railway. After climbing the 9 switchbacks to the top of the citadel, photo panels detail the ongoing renovation work by volunteers. But warn visitors coming from Nice that in winter the village is deserted, shops closed, and it's COLD in the mountains! Wear warm clothes and bring your lunch. We planned to stay all day but took an earlier train back to Nice because once we climbed up to the citadel there wasn't anything else to do.

Karen Woodworth in Athens, OH USA 01/17/2007