Provence & the French Riviera 2010Favorite discoveries or tips: Restaurant in Maussane des Alpilles Fleur de Thym tel. 04 90 54 54 00 15, avenue dela Vallee des Baux, 13520 Maussane-les-Alpilles Jacquie Moffett in Laguna Beach, CA USA 10/17/2009 Menton just a 20 min train ride from Nice. An awesome small beach front town, with restaurants lining the beach front board walk......like a tiny Nice without all the bustle! We will go there for sure again, perhaps for a few days! Jeff & Di Lindquist in Reseda, Ca USA 10/09/2009 We absolutely loved Uzes and lunch on the little square. Believe it or not, it may have been the best meal we had on our entire trip to france, and i ordered the provencale grilled sandwich. Uzes is a true find and so much more charming than the now too touristy and somewhat frumpy arles. s. elizabeth in philadelphia, pa USA 10/05/2009 Les Olivettes in Lourmarin is a wonderful restored private residence, now five apartments. The owners are Bristish and American. It is just a five minute walk into Lourmarin; fews of village and chateau from rooms; pool, grills, bolles area and ping pong table. Claire in N. Conway, NH USA 09/24/2009 The best tip discovered in Rick's book, and confirmed during a July 2009 trip to Nice and Antibes, is the wonderful mass transit system in the South of France. The one Euro cost for hopping on a bus to hit the Matisse museum, or to go to Eze or Villefranche from Nice (or to Villarus from Antibes) was liberating. We made plans based on ideas from the 2009 edition of the book, and never were the suggestions incorrect. In fact, each idea seemed better than the next. There is absolutely no reason to rent a car in this area of France unless you really want to explore some of the outer areas. We learned that Rick's descriptions of places were right-on and his suggestions on what could be skipped were correct. Thanks. Pattie Laun in Ellicott City, MD USA 08/03/2009 If you are going to Festival Avignon and plan to go to at least 3 of the performances of the many shows available (i saw 5 plays and 2 concerts in two days), be sure to purchase an "OFF" card at the TI centre. it will save you 5 euro for each performance. John in Santa Rosa, CA USA 07/16/2009 Avignon Wine Tours. We used the 2008 version of your book so it may be in the 2009 version. This is an excellent tour. We did tour #2 (he now has 6 tours available) and visited 4 vineyards, got a running commentary on the Luberon, went to a wonderful restaurant in Bonnieux called Cafe Le Gare and stopped for cafe in Lourmarin. Francois, the tour guide, is an excellent guide, is very gracious, and answers any and all questions about wine and Provence. Kathy Casey in Barrington, IL USA 03/15/2009 On TAM buses in the Nice region (such as to La Turbie), bus drivers will ask where you are going when you get on. I wasn't prepared for this. Also, if you are going to order your SNCF/TGV tickets on-line and know when you want to travel, make sure you place your order at least 31 days in advance. I made the mistake of being on-line when the 30-day time limit occurred (in French time, remember!), and the prices all doubled for the same exact seats. The walk down from Eze-le-Village to Eze-Bord-de-Mer via the "steep path" (mentioned on p. 303) was the highlight of my trip; it wasn't that steep, and it only takes 45 minutes going down (even with lots of photo stops!). This walk was my favorite experience of my entire Provence/Riviera trip, and I would love to see it encouraged in the book. It ends steps away from thr Eze train station, beach, and a bus 100 stop. (But going up wouldn't be very fun!) There is a long-hours Monoprix on Place Garibaldi (one block from Nice's Gare Routiere), great for picnic supplies (even open long hours on Sunday!). There is also a supermarket one block east of the La Cremaillere bus stop in Monaco (handy on the way to Eze). There are free WCs in the Fragonard factory in Eze-le-Village; the ones by the TI cost 0.40 euros. As an aside, the Christmas lights and Christmas markets of Provence and Riviera towns were so fun (and unexpected!). Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 01/02/2009 I owuldlike to see you recommend a hotel in Beaulieu which is an easy walk to the beach, teh train adn the bus to vist the Riviera. The name is Le Havre Bleu. info@lehavrebleu.com phone 04 93 010140 29 Blvd.Marechal Joffre Great and inexpensive breakfast. mary lane in irvine, ca USA 11/16/2008 Le Relais des Dentelles Hotel-Restaurant 84190 Beaumes de Venise Tel: 04 90 62 95 27 It's not in the guidebook and it should be! Excellent food, pleasant service (not easy to find in France for Americans) and in a central area for the Rhone Valley wine tour. Debbie Alpern in Crested Butte, CO USA 11/04/2008 Our tour of the French Rivera was outstanding. Our tour guide was Sylvie Di Cristo/ www.azur-guide.net. She is very knowledgeable and personable. She took us to Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Eze and Monaco. We will always remember the beautiful French Riviera and Sylvie! Cathy Molinaro in Woodridge, IL USA 10/10/2008 A beautiful town near the border of France and Spain, Argeles-sur-Mer. We stayed at the Hotel Plage-des-Pins. Their website is www.plage-des-pins.com---- tel (33) 4.68.81.09.05 They have 50 rooms, half of them with balconies facing the ocean and a secured car parking. The beach across the hotel is beautiful and there were very few people in September. There are many restaurants to choose from just ten minutes walk from the hotel. The hotel offered free buffet breakfast if you stay 3 days. There is a casino next to the hotel. The town is very quiet (at least it was in September) and only a ten minute drive to the crowded town of Collioure and not far from the border with Spain. It was also a convenient place to stay in to visit Carcassone and Perpignan. Luba Marmorstein in Van Nuys, CA USA 10/05/2008 I would like to highly recommend Sylvie Di Cristo at http://www.azur-guides.net as a private guide for the French Riviera. My family and I used Sylvie this summer and she far exceeded our expectations. Since we were new to the area, she prepared an excellent overview itinerary that allowed us to see the best of Nice,Eze, and Monaco, while sharing a sincere, personal touch that other tours seldom provide. Her tour was the highlight of our Mediterranean cruise. Michael Warren in Lexington, KY USA 09/08/2008 We spent one week in St. Remy, Provence, in perhaps the best accommodation we've ever found. Rick should visit Au Moulin Entre Deux Mas (Provence Paradise), a cluster of renovated 17th-century farmhouses, and meet the owner/host. We stayed in L'Orangerie. Our experience in St. Remy secured it as one of our favourite places on earth! Beth Triggs in North Vancouver, BC Canada 08/06/2008 Confiserie Florian - Le Pont du Loup, Tourrettes-sur Loup. Candies made from local fruits and flowers. Tour of the small factory, shop(with samples), nice gardens. A good stop on the route from Vence to Grasse. Sanford Lavine in Alameda, CA USA 07/11/2008 I have some restaurant tips that I'll post separately. I just want you to know that the Provence/Riviera book needs some updating. Paul Lightner in Novato, CA USA 07/03/2008 La Turbie is worth a half-day trip if you're in the Riviera. La Trophee (Roman ruins) is an interesting historical site. La Turbie has outstanding views of Monaco. The village has good ambience. As a tourist you'll have it almost to yourself. leslein in Alexandria, VA USA 06/25/2008 Please add this B&B to the guidebook: http://www.apreslasieste.com/maison/guest_room_provence.php Apres La Sieste is a lovely B&B that is about 15 minutes west of Avignon in the cute town of St. Laurent des Arbres. The rooms were fantastic, as was the breakfast and ambience. This was my favorite B&B in France. Victoria Van Wie in Cypress, Tx USA 06/22/2008 La Pailotte restaurant in Arles, rue de Thermes. Amazing food, good service, warm ambience. Karen in San Diego, CA USA 06/03/2008 Maison Carree in Nimes -the outside is currently under renovation. Lisa Valle in Sycamore, IL USA 05/26/2008 L'Estellan restaurant in Les Imberts had the freshest of modern, provencal cooking with equally updated and classy ambiance that felt like a decorator had been there. We arrived early without a reservation, but they accommodated us very warmly. Lane Dolly in Falls Church, VA USA 05/25/2008 Imagine Tours provided us with a wonderful way of seeing the historic sites near Avignon. They took us to see the well known sites but also little known Roman bridges scattered around the countryside. David, who was our tour guide, is originaly from Texas so speaks English perfectly as well as French and several other languages. He always knew where to get the best photo. The first day we went to the Roman theatre at Orange, the Roman sites at Vaison la Romaine and we also explored the medieval village there. Then on to other Roman bridges and Crestet for photos, and still time left to explore Gordes, and Rousillon. On the way back we passed by Bonnieux and the Castle of the Marquis de Sade. The second day David led us around the Pont du Gard for great photos, followed by short stops at Tarascon and Beaucaire for pics of the castles there. Then on to Glanum and Les Baux de Provence. The third day of our tours we explored Aigues Mortes and the Roman sites at Nimes. Imagine Tours took us where we wanted to go and gave us the time to explore sites we wanted to. Our itinerary could have been done much faster, in 2 days had we not wanted to explore the places we visited on foot and get a feel of what the place was like. I am a mother who took 2 teens to explore the Roman and medieval sites of southern France. They were enthralled, loved every minute of it, and want to return. The medieval fortifications and perched villages of southern France are great placs for teens who love historical and medieval X-Box or computer games, to explore. They are thrilled by anything medieval or Roman. Before we arrrived in Avignon, we had just the best time exploring Annot and Entrevaux , taking the Train des Pignes to get there. These are both medieval villages. Entrevaux has a castle perched at the top of numerous switchbacks that you hike up. Our favourite hotel was Hotel Beausejour in Annot. We had a large room with 3 comfortable beds in a room that had the quaint medieval French atmosphere we were looking for. The bathroom was large and modern. Our favourite restaurant was Le Mathys Cafe in Avignon, 52 rue des Lices. We had wonderful inexpensive meals and good wine there in a quiet french ambiance.
Elizabeth in Sable River, NS Canada 04/25/2008 Please add Mas du Petit Grava, outside of Arles, to the next edition. We stayed here 3 nights at the beginning of March and in the over 30 European trips we've taken in the last 5 years I can only remember one other experience that came close in terms of the hosts' warmth and welcoming, the quality of the B&B, the great breakfasts and just the overall pleasant experience which we had. Melanie Bernhardt in Amsterdam, Netherlands 03/19/2008 La Merenda, a tiny little restaurant at 4 rue Raoul Bosio, is truly one of the best restaurants in Nice. The food there is unique and traditional, and the tables are so close that you can't help but meet new people over dinner. Stop by to make reservations (there is no phone) or get there early - it fills up and a line forms outside by about 8:30. Whitney Beatty in Seattle, WA USA 03/14/2008 Avoid Avignon in July due to the Festival. Hotels and restaurants all raise their prices, everything is jammed and the Festival is in French so has a limited appeal to most Americans! Then in August, it is jammed with vacationing Europeans!! No win situation here so try to go in April/May/June or September/October.Bon chance!!! Maryanne NJ USA 03/12/2008 I just posted a recommendation for the restaurant L'Epice and Love in Avignon. I mentioned David of Provence Tours which was incorrect. I meant of IMAGINE TOURS http://www.imagine-tours.net/us_provence.html. This is a fantastic organization that offers private car tours to wherever you want to go with very warm and friendly David who is an American resident in France for many years. I have nothing but great things to say about this service. It is not inexpensive but worth it if you do not want to drive, have limited time or are on your own. The car will take several people for the same price if you not alone. We went to the market at Carpentras and a brief walking tour of the town; drove to the top of Mt. Ventoux on a beautifully clear day, visited Vaison Romaine and drove to Sault. Then onto Roussillon, Gordes and to see the Abbey at Senanque (unfortunately the lavender was JUST beginning to bloom). We also visited an organic vineyard just outside L'Isle sur la Sorgue for tasting and buying! All in all it was a fantastic day, I saw a lot, had wonderful company and can't wait to return to see my new friends! I cannot say enough good things about David...friendly, personable, knowledgeable....you will like him a lot. Maryanne NJ USA 03/06/2008 Restaurant discovery in Avignon L'Epice and Love, 30 rue des Lices, Avignon Tel. 04 90 82 45 96 email: epiceandlove@hotmail.fr This restaurant was recommended to me by David of Provence Tours. He was right on! Located down a side street not far from the Tourist Infornmation Office, it is owned by Chantal, who has lived in the US and speaks great English. From Marseilles, she does all the cooking herself. The dinner menu was 16 Euros in June 2007 for 3 delicious and generous courses. She alwayas has a vegetarian option. This is a very modest and neighborhood restaurant that also accepts credit cards. I liked it so much I went twice! This is a great option for solo travelers. To reach it,turn right at the Info Office if you are coming from the direction of the railroad station; turn left if you are coming from the Place de l'Horloge. At that point the street has a different name but it will become the rues des Lices shortly. At the corner where you turn off the rue de la Republique, there is also a PNB Paribas bank branch with an ATM. The restaurant has tables outside in nice weather. I don;t think they are open for lunch. Great dishes: rabbit cooked in a ginger sauce and her crumble which is fantastic. I think mine was apricot as they and cherries were in season while I was in Avignon. Maryanne NJ USA 03/06/2008 If you want to go to Provence from England, there is service on FLYBE Airlines (budget) that I found very convenient. I flew from Southampton where the railroad station is right at the airport, having taken the train there from London. It is a relatively short flight; the Avignon airport is a short distance outside the town (you will need a taxi) and we had the best view of Mt. Ventoux and the Rhone Valley as we flew in. Service is not daily so be sure to check their website. Fares vary; I know I only paid 19 GBP returning on Sunday. It was an easy, fast way to get to Avignon as my time was short. And if you are not traveling on a train pass in the UK, ALWAYS book your ticket in advance to save on fares! Maryanne NJ USA 03/02/2008 Maison Lumani, Avignon Provence. 37, Rue du Rempart St. Lazare, 84000 AVIGNON; http://www.avignon-lumani.com/ tell : (33) 04 90 82 94 11. The rooms overlook a beautiful courtyard with huge plane trees, but the greatest assets are Elisabeth and Jean, the artists who were our hostess and host. Breakfast is included in the price of the room. Close to Pont d'Avignon and the palace of the popes; inside the city walls and very convenient to everything. Owners are generous with help, maps, guide books to borrow, and answers to questions which saved us a lot of time. We highly recommend this lovely place. We communicated by email in making reservations, etc., and Elisabeth kindly offered to make dinner reservations for us. Her choice, "75," is recommended in Rick's guide and was wonderful. Lumani should be added as well--it is a treasure. Charlene Resan-Vollmer in Mercer Island, WA USA 12/18/2007 In Cavaillon, the annual Melon Festival during the 2nd weekend of July from Fri-Sun is not as elaborate as advertised. The marketplace area is only in a small courtyard area- you do not need the whole day. Abbey de Senanque- You can only enter the Abbey with a guided tour and it is only given in French. The road into the Abbey is very narrow for 2 cars to go at once. It can barely fit 2 cars- one has to go in and the other has to give way. If you are scared of narrow roads going up and down, it is best not to drive. Example- our Peugot 207 barely fit the road with another car going to the other direction. Rustrel- Once you get into this town, there are not enough signs that guide you over to the Colorado Provencal hiking trails to see the red ochre rocks. I had to go to a local restaurant and ask for directions. The owners only spoke French- fortunately I understand and speak some French. The red ochre is not evident when you drive into town as I thought it would help guide us if we followed the red ochre. After the instructions in French, we drove through narrow paths with no signs to find the parking lot. At the end, the hike was worth it. It is definitely a beautiful area. Avignon- The town of Villeneuve across the Daladier Bridge is where you find Fort St. Andre. The two twin towers are a beautiful sight but it is mostly ruins that you will see inside the Fort itself. From the towers, you can get a good view of Avignon as you are high up. You can't go into the oldest Abbey. It is located inside the Fort- closed to the public. You have to pay a separate entrance fee for the adjoining gardens in the Fort. Carcassonne- Signs leading from Montpelier to Carcassonne are very confusing and misleading. You have to follow very closely with a good map. Aix-en-Provence- Hotel de France as recommended by your book is located in a narrow one-way street. You can't park there, only drop off baggage- works better if there are 2 people. Cours Mirabeau has been labeled and called "Champs Elysees of the South" or the most beautiful boulevard of Provence with the plane trees that line it, but the beautiful image of the boulevard is spoiled with cars allowed as there are a series of 3-4 beautiful fountains located right in the middle of Cours Mirabeau, but with cars running through, it becomes a busy thoroughfare. It is a good idea to park your car in one area and walk within the city of Aix-en-Provence as some of the streets are very narrow and parking is scarce, especially around Place Richelieu and Hotel de Ville during the Saturday morning market days. The road from Aubagne to St. Remy de Provence has signs that are not clear to the first time driver in Provence. There are many unecesssary toll roads that one can accidently get caught in. Example- We were caught in one that was heading straight to Nice. No exit/outlet for over 15 min. and we were stuck going the wrong direction until the town of St. Maxime de Baume. We tried to rent an apt. in St. Remy de Provence via on-line. We contacted the owner during the night before our morning arrival but she was not there when we arrived there at 9 a.m. as agreed. They had a notice explaining that they were not there, but we could not wait. Also, we made the reservation in March and re-confirmed it one month prior to arrival. The owner did not inform us until 11 days before our reservation to inform us that the apt. was not available during the first night of our 8 day stay. We had been keeping in contact via e-mail. We had to find alternate lodging plans for the first night. The owner would not refund us for the one night stay as our original reservation was for 8 days and was changed to 7 days by the owner. She said it is the "French way"- reservations are from Sat. to Sat. k.m. in san francisco, ca USA 11/21/2007 In the town of St. Remy de Provence where we stayed for five days, we found out that there are only full-service laundry service available- no alternative choice, they wash, dry, iron, and fold your laundry for you. You also have to allow at least four hours for the complete process. It least that was told to me at 9a.m. They charge by kilos. K. Moy in san francisco, ca USA 10/28/2007 Restaurant La Mama, 1 rue de la tour, Nice Don Harris in Bryn Mawr, PA USA 10/09/2007 Hotel Darcy, Nice: Maybe you should update your recommendation for this hotel. My experience was not positive. For example, 1) People were smoking in their beds in the small, four bed dormitory at night, which is very dangerous and not good for the health. When I asked the people to please not smoke in the dorms, they continued. 2) There are long-term transient people staying in the dorms that make the budget traveller feel like they are intruding. They have no maximum stay time. 3) When I asked the night manager about smoking in the dorms, he said it is normally forbidden. I opened the window next to me to remove the smoke in the room, the smokers complained to the manager that it was cold, and the manager came upstairs and closed the window, even after I explained that they were smoking in the room. The manager is a smoker, as well. 4)There was no hot water for the shower in the morning and they did not offer a rebate because of it. Again, I do not recommend this place. Stay across the street, and pay the extra 2 Euros per night for smoke free dorms.
Graham Moxon in Vancouver, BC CANADA 09/13/2007 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 We had read your Provence book prior to our vacation but, to our constant remorse, failed to bring it along, choosing instead a slimmer travel boook full of pretty pictures and few practical suggestions. We love your books and will never travel again without them. We did take your France guide, but it excluded Aix en Provence and Cassis, where we stayed four days. Luz Valdes in Roslyn, NY USA 08/25/2007 We stumbled upon the Bistro Des Arts in Avignon last week and it was absolutely the best food we had during our stay in Provence (2 weeks). Better than the very overpriced $350 so-so meal at Chateau de la Pioline (which otherwise was great). We went to dinner at the Bistro two nights in a row. The owner has spent time in the States and speaks English. Absolutely recommend it! Penny Ann Dolin in Gilbert , AZ USA 06/30/2007 Le Mas de Manon has moved from St.Remy to Valreas in the Drome Provencale. This B&B was a Rick Steves recommendation in the Arles area and we stayed there last year. It is now in a convenient location for exploring northern Provence, including Vaison la Romaine and the Cotes du Rhone wine route-- yet the Drome Provencale is not over-run with tourists! Our friends Marie-Odile de Dieuleveult and Claude Xiberras welcome you to their new B&B with large, well-appointed rooms and ultra-modern showers. They are superb hosts with a relaxed manner and we HIGHLY recommend this B&B to you. We hope to return sometime to see the lavender fields, which abound in the region. www.masdemanon.com or masdemanon@aliceadsl.fr We would also recommend eating at La Bella Napoli when in Vaison la Romaine! Great hosts, great food. They made something for us we remembered from last year, even though it had been removed from the menu... Jo Hinsdale & John Robandt in Salt Lake City, UT USA 06/02/2007 L'Oustalet 2 Av Philippe de Girard 84160 Lourmarin 04 90 68 07 33 Good menu, reasonable prices, good atmosphere, good service. 'Provence a la carte' private tour with Nadine 06 03 02 86 58 www.provencealacarte.com Although a little pricey, Nadine gave us a day that was a highlight of the trip. After singing the Avignon ditty from across the river in Villaneuve, we visited several vignerons for wine-tasting, and visited several hill towns, Séguret and Sablet, and had the opportunity to hear about everything in English, but also practice conversing in French. Nadine was a delight. Tod Weber in Cupertino, ca USA 05/28/2007 |
