Independent travel to Provence. Master class. Routes around Provence, advice needed

Practical information

For whom: for everyone
Duration: 6 days
Price per 1 person: 910 € (37,300 rub.) or 470 € (19,300 rub.)

The cost of the Provence route includes:

• transportation costs - car rental for 6 days - on average 420 € + gasoline for the entire route about 100 €, total 520 € (21,300 rubles) or public transport - about 80 € (3,280 rubles)
• hotel accommodation - from 200 € (8200 rub.)
• food expenses - 120 € (4900 rub.)
• fee for visiting attractions (mentioned in the route) - approximately 70 € (2800 rub.)

Description of the route in Provence

Provence is strongly associated with endless lavender fields and grape valleys, an azure sea and hills dotted with small picturesque villages, where, as many years ago, you can buy hand-picked aromatic herbs and oils, ceramics, fresh fish and, of course, excellent wine.

Traveling between the cities of Provence is best done with a rented car, because not all cities and villages can be easily reached by train and/or by car. intercity bus. If renting a car is not possible, then visit only those cities on the route that can be reached by public transport.

Day one. Castellane (Verdon Nature Reserve)

Provence is, first of all, amazing nature. By visiting the small town of Castellane or the tiny villages of Aigines, Le Salles-sur-Verdon, Bauduant or many others located near the Verdon Nature Reserve, you can enjoy the incredible beauty of the Verdon Gorge and the amazing Lake Sainte-Croix. The Verdon Gorge is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful places in Provence. The beginning of the Verdon Gorge is located about 5 km from the town of Castellane. It is best, of course, to come here by rented car, because the roads along the Verdon Gorge are incredibly beautiful. The most popular road is the Cretan road. Along it there is a mass observation platforms with breathtaking views of the canyon, the Verdon River and lakes. You can also get to the gorge from Castellana by bus.

Travel time: no more than 35 minutes
Ticket price: from 2 €

Day one. Toulon

Toulon, with its narrow streets, small squares, numerous fountains and magnificent port, is one of the most attractive cities in Provence. It is small, so half a day is enough to explore it. The main attraction of the city is the Cathedral of St. Mary of the 11th century, located near the wonderful Avenue Republique. You should definitely visit the National naval museum, located nearby, then walk to Place Louis Blanc, admire the Church of Saint-François de Paul, marvel at the oldest defensive fortification of the city - the Royal Tower, look at the Toulon theater and stroll through the Comunal Les Oiseaux park.

Train Toulon-Marseille
Travel time: from 47 minutes
Ticket price: from 11.5 €

Day two. Marseilles

The oldest city in France, the country's largest seaport. Once here, you should definitely take a leisurely stroll through the streets and breathe in the air of Marseille, which has everything: from the smell of fresh fish and salty sea to the aromas of spicy thick soup mixed with oranges. Take a look at the old port, stroll along the beach, and try a real Marseille bouillabaisse in one of the restaurants on La Canbière Street. Buy a couple of marine-themed souvenirs here. Stop by the Museum of Archaeology, see the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde and the Cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Major, visit the famous Château d'If, which is located on the island of the same name, one and a half kilometers from Marseille, and in the evening return to the port again to see the ships and yachts against the backdrop of an incredible sunset.

Train Marseille-Aix-en-Provence
Travel time: from 34 minutes
Ticket price: from 7.6 €

Day three. Aix-en-Provence

The town of Aix-en-Provence is home to famous Provençal markets, craft workshops, fountains and sweet callisons - leaves made from almond dough and candied fruit. This town is very small, so exploring it will only take half a day. It is best to start your walk from the central street - Boulevard Mirabeau, where the most famous fountains in the city are installed, one of which has thermal water. Walk to the picturesque Place d'Albert, visit the Paul Cézanne Museum, and look into the Cathedral of the Holy Savior of the 12th-15th centuries. and to the first Gothic church in Provence - Saint-Jean-de-Malt. Women will certainly enjoy the curious Tapestry Museum with its collection of the 17th-18th centuries.

Train Aix-en-Provence-Saint-Martin-de-Cros
Travel time: hour 33 minutes - hour 56 minutes
Ticket price: from 16.2 €

Bus Saint-Martin-de-Cros-Les Beau-de-Provence (No. 715)
Travel time: from 30 minutes
Ticket price: 2.2 €

Day three. Les Baux de Provence

Les Baux-de-Provence is a very small but incredibly picturesque town located on the rocks near the ruins of the Beau castle. Les Baux is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful towns in France. Built right on the rocks, it literally breathes the Middle Ages. Curved, narrow and uneven streets, houses with different slopes, numerous handicraft shops - as if everything here is made of stone. You should definitely visit the grounds of Beau Castle, located at the top of a kilometer-long mountain range. From here, from the very top, stunning views of Provence open up. At the Beau Castle there is a museum dedicated to the history of Les Baux, its Medieval and Renaissance heritage, and the olives grown in the Les Baux valleys.

Bus Les Baux-de-Provence-Arles (No. 59)
Travel time: from 20 minutes
Ticket price: 2.2 €

Day four. Arles

In this amazing city Vincent Van Gogh lived for 15 months, so be sure to pick it up at the visitor center special card around the city, in which certain places associated with the works of the famous artist are marked. Also in Arles you should definitely visit the 1st century Amphitheater, the ancient Roman theater, the Church of St. Trophime, Montmajour Abbey and the thermal baths of Constantine and Aliscan. From Arles it is very easy to get to the famous Camargue nature reserve, where you can see the famous Camargue horses and bullfighting bulls.

Bus Arles-Sainte-Marie-de-la-Mer
Travel time: from 46 minutes
Ticket price: 2.2 €

Day four. Camargue

Day five. Avignon

The famous "Papal City". You need to start from the old part of Avignon; you just need to walk along the quaint narrow streets, looking at the amazing buildings. The most important attraction of Avignon is the unique Papal Palace of the 14th century. Nearby is the Small Palace, inside of which there is a wonderful Museum of Art. Be sure to walk to the magnificent Pont Saint-Benedict (Avignon Bridge), explore the Carthusian Monastery, visit the Notre-Dame de Dome Cathedral, Fort Saint Andrew and the Calvet Museum.

Train Avignon-Orange
Travel time: from 13 minutes
Ticket price: 6 €

Day six. Orange

The town is very small, so it will only take half a day to see its sights. In Orange there is a superbly preserved semicircular ancient theater and a nineteen-meter high Arc de Triomphe. The ticket price also includes a visit to the Municipal Museum, where you can learn a little more about the former greatness of the city. Gigonda is located approximately 16 km from Orange. An alternative to a rented car is a taxi. The trip will cost approximately 25 €.

Day six. Gigonda

Our route ends in the small village of Zhigonda, famous for its wines. Around it lie endless vineyards, you can wander along them for hours. Zhigonda is a typical wine-growing settlement; there are no monumental historical sights here, but wine lovers and connoisseurs will find this place very fascinating. If you are traveling during the lavender blooming period, then go further, for example, to the town of Seau, famous precisely for its love of lavender and its endless lavender fields.

Travel to Provence - wonderful independent trip in the southeast of France in September for a week.

Prices and options for Provençal travel

• WHEN -
• HOW TO GET THERE – The best (and easier) way to get to the southern French coast is by air. Many local cities have airports (Marseille, Avignon, Grenoble, Nice, Toulon, Aix-en-Provence, Nimes). From the capital of the state to Avignon you can travel by train by express train.
• TRANSFER - in Nice, at the airport Charles de Gaulle (Paris), in Marseille.
• TRANSPORTATION NETWORK – Most of the settlements along coastline, are connected by excellent highways and railways. In addition, you can always rent a car.
• WHERE WE WILL BE - Nice, Arles, Nimes, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Orange, Cannes.
• EXCURSIONS - in France
• WEATHER CONDITIONS – at the beginning of autumn, the weather here is comfortable like summer. On average, daytime temperature is about +24°C. In the evenings it is only a little cooler.
• ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD – You can stay comfortable in hotels in Arles, Avignon and any other coastal towns. There are more than enough small hotels and boarding houses here. The cuisine of Provence is quite traditional French cuisine in its best form. It contains a place for a variety of fish, seafood/dairy products, and a variety of vegetables.
• DURATION – 7 days

Flavors of Provence

The best way to get acquainted with picturesque places is to visit oldest port country of Marseille. Walk around this city, Longchamps, the majestic Sainte-Marie-Major Cathedral, the local abbey, dine in a restaurant, be sure to try the famous bouillabaisse fish soup. To end the day, drive to Aix-en-Provence, stopping at the Château d'If along the way.

On the second day - Arles, Nimes

We recommend spending a couple of days in the Vaucluse department, which includes the towns of Avignon and Orange. Here you will not only see world-famous sights, but also have the opportunity to enjoy privacy and peace.

On the fifth and sixth days - Cannes

Drive through the Haute-Alpine department with its many villages to Cannes. There it is worth seeing the Church of Our Lady of Hope and the delightful Russian church in honor of the Archangel Michael. Don't forget to also take a walk along the Croisette and the coastline.

On the seventh day - Nice

It’s worth completing the trip by going to Nice, where a huge number of unusual people work. Quite often you are lucky enough to meet celebrities relaxing by the sea on the coast.

Afterwards, there is nothing stopping you from finishing your trip and going home. Our journey to Provence is over.

Have a nice holiday!

Details of obtaining a visa can be found in the article: Schengen visa. Instructions for receiving

Provence travel itinerary

In France We have already been, but it was not explored by us. His proximity to Spanish part of the route finally predetermined our choice. The route changed about a dozen times and received its final form after receiving a visa.

Originally planned Arrival to Girona and departure from Venice, but due to the strong increase in car rental prices, a flight Kyiv - Gerona - Kyiv, a car, was purchased.

Current flights to Gerona from Kyiv no, so it’s convenient to buy a ticket to Marseilles or Nice, can be reached by UIA, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France airlines, Turkish Airlines– except Mau, all flights are with transfers.

Air tickets are easier to search for and buy on aviasales- faster and almost always cheaper, proven.

The first destination was the famous ancient Roman aqueduct Pont Du Gard not far from the Franco-Spanish border - this is not Provence yet, but a very interesting and beautiful place.

Then stop at Avignon, former residence of the Pope, further to the most beautiful village on the route Gordes (Village des Bories, Gordes, France), the action and filming of the film took place here Good year».

After this village the reserve (nature park) begins Luberon. Then we passed Apt, another notable village.

We didn’t stay in Apta for long - the main goal of the day awaited us - Verdon National Park. For us it began in a small, standing on a rock village of Moustiers Sainte-Marie– mega popular among Western tourists. We deliberately missed the village Bonnieux and Lacoste- there will be something to visit next time - nevertheless, I recommend these villages for visiting. They are famous, in particular, for the castle of the Marquis De Sade.

Minimum big cities and reducing travel to 150-200 km per day. The exception is a long journey from Spain to complete the second part car travel, then we drove as much as 700 km. – a ridiculous distance for European roads.

Travel Focus focused on natural beauty and small villages, a minimum of museums and galleries and other cultural heritage this time, although admiring medieval architecture was not canceled.

To see the beauty Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon) the whole day was allotted. The path passed by a beautiful reservoir Pont De Galetas, then drove along South road to Corniche Sublim and turned onto Cretan road (Route des Cretes)– from there the coolest views of Verdon Canyon. In the town Castellane The Cretan road intersects with the Napoleon road, we drove along it a little.

This part of the journey took place in tough mountain serpentine conditions, which ended just before Nice and took several hours. What I mean is that if anyone decides to repeat it, it’s better to spend the night in one of the mountain villages.

After Verdons a course was set for the Cote d'Azur, the town Menton for an overnight stay and rest, then move across Nice and Cannes to Villefranche-sur-Mer and Le Lavandou, next to her Borms les Mimosas- a must visit - there are ancient streets, a magnificent beach and wine.

I give all names in the original language for ease of use of the map and navigator.

How to travel around Provence

How to travel around Provence? On what and with whom. I heard that travel agencies already organize excursions on minibuses, as large buses will pass not everywhere due to the narrow roads and narrow streets of Provençal villages. But by bus to Provence? In the company of unfamiliar people and on a schedule?! Well, no big deal, only for cars. They didn’t want to bring their own, Wizz Air spoiled us with prices, so we ordered at the airport.

Upon arrival in Girona airport us car. Instead of the requested Forf Focus, was proposed Citroen C4, diesel. I didn’t mind, the car is new, French and has about 3 thousand km on it, a clean interior and a bunch of useful features. Price around 23 euros per day with full insurance France and Spain. There is no security deposit required for full insurance. Cost including travel in France, in the case of only Spain it would be cheaper.

This is where the celebration of low prices ends, France is a very expensive country and we traveled when there was supposedly a crisis in Europe, now (2016) everything will be even more expensive by 20 percent.

Pont Du Gard - a Roman aqueduct on the French-Spanish border

We went there after a three-day holiday on the Spanish sea; our car soul couldn’t stand sitting on the beach any longer. Departure early in the morning, it was around 6, the first stop, not counting the technical one - ancient roman aqueduct Pont du Gard. It’s easy to find – it’s available in navigators and navigation programs.

Here I was immediately “killed” by the price of parking - 18 euros regardless of the time, even if you just drove through the barrier, you can only pay with a card that has a chip, all other payment methods are in the office, which is located a hundred meters from the barrier.

It is impossible to park a car at the entrance, there is simply no parking space within 2 kilometers, the road is narrow with one lane, on the sides there are densely planted beautiful maples without bark and not a centimeter for parking along the side of the road.

Entrance to the park where the aqueduct is located Pont du Gard is free, the parking lot is very large, since the place is popular, many organized bus groups come during the day.

Aqueduct three levels, people look like ants, and very photogenic in any weather.

Our early morning arrival guaranteed us an almost complete absence of people; there were a dozen cars and one bus in the parking lot. The bus was a military one; on this day they said goodbye to some prominent military leader. On the territory of the park there were laid tables (wine, cheese, snacks), and soldiers were on guard. In general, we got to the farewell ceremony, the passage of a company of soldiers along the top of the aqueduct and, in the finale, a volley of guns. In this situation, the entrance to mere mortals would probably be closed, and the guard posts would be a kilometer away. In France Such ceremonies can be observed by everyone; they do not take much time and there is enough space for military personnel and tourists.

Pont du Gard turned out to be amazing place– photogenic and somehow very beautiful in light clouds. Gordon River only strengthened the images. I couldn’t believe that all this was built 2000 years ago; there were no obvious signs of restoration.

At the entrance to the alley leading to the park there are several cozy hotels on the shores of reservoirs. I recommend a place to stay for the night.

In as in all France lunch is on schedule, that is, before 12:00 and after 2 o’clock in the afternoon there is nowhere to eat. I advise you to stock up on groceries- ham, cheese, vegetables, fruits. There are a great many supermarkets and small markets along the road. A partition in the luggage compartment served as a table for lunch.

Avignon

And we're further along Provencal expanses. The next point is the medieval residence of the pope and Avignon city. Only the city center is of interest. We leave the car right next to the fortress wall, which is surrounded by central part. Lots of history, cozy streets and a lot of tourists.

The main attraction of Avignon – Papal Palace.

There are many cozy cafes and restaurants in the center, but we have a budget and a great desire to see as much as possible. And the French catering works strictly according to the schedule - lunch until 13.30, in the evening from 19.00 to 21.30. We only got used to it on the third day of our three-week trip!

More about Features of dinners in French restaurants. In France and in particular in expensive bottled water and inexpensive wine. I advise you to just ask for a carafe d'eau in a restaurant, otherwise they will bring you Evian or Perrier– they are noticeably more expensive. Cards are accepted everywhere, but in small villages they prefer cash.

I'm sorry Avignon for a short date, after all, the expectation from - these are villages and natural parks, and Avignon is a classic tourist and beautiful city to which we will return soon. Find the right hotel in Avignon >>

Vaucluse department and Luberon natural park

After Pont du Gard and Avignon we are entering the department Vaucluse (Fontaine D Vokluse) And Natural Park Luberon (Parc Naturel regional du Luberon). Here is one of the most beautiful villages in Provence - Gordes (Village De Gordes) and another beautiful village - Le Beau.

In the village Proud were filming a movie Good year"- about a successful stockbroker from the States who, unexpectedly for his relatives, decided to stay in and take over the inheritance rights to the vineyards. Tanya and Nika had not seen photographs of the village of Gord, had not watched the movie, and reacted somehow dryly to my statement that “now we will see something very beautiful.” Like, let's go and let's see.

But on the way we saw lavender fields for the first time in our lives, they say they still exist in Poland near Warsaw. I don’t know about Poland, it happened here in France. At first these were small purple patches, often fenced with low voltage wire, as indicated by the sign on the fence. Gradually, the purple spots became larger and when approaching the village Gordes the entire space around was filled with lavender.

This, if you imagine the open spaces Cherkasy region, sown with wheat, where yellow predominates for kilometers around, only instead of wheat there are purple colors of lavender. A very photographic place, but if we drive up to each photo spot during restricted hours and wait for the sun, the trip will be five times longer and ten times more expensive.

I looked at the road, a small serpentine with an upward climb, around the mountain, and suddenly... Tanya was the first to see it. And I just heard a loud “Wow” nearby and reflexively took it to the right into the travel pocket. We were lucky that there was a parking space. A hundred meters away a rock of a regular pyramidal shape opened up, built up with stone houses, buildings and fortress walls from the very ground. Crowned this splendor medieval castle. I immediately wanted to live here for a while. The desire disappeared after I read an advertisement on one of the houses with a price of 300 euros per night. Moreover, 300 is not the most high price If you go along this route, take a tent in the car.

Due to its well-deserved popularity in Gordes village (Gordes) very bad with parking for any money, for the first time I looked for a place for about fifteen minutes. Found in the center. Village of Gordes– an absolute “must visit”, a must-visit place for everyone who travels around. Depending on the availability of time and money, spend here from a couple of hours to a whole day with lunch and an overnight stay if your budget allows.

Turn off the beaten path and main streets, avoid the crowds, look into all the corners of this stone labyrinth and be sure to go to the observation deck of the castle. It should be amazing here in the fall with a minimum of tourists and maximum romance.

An excellent place for lovers of autumn boredom - if you’re going to be moping, it’s here in, believe me!

Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

We are leaving from Gordes village on another road, we are heading for the mountains, to the so-called Haute Provence, just not yet imagining where the famous Verdon Canyon. We focus on the village Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, we saw her on the mountain a kilometer away. I highly recommend this village for overweight people - all the roads lead very steeply up, going down is no less interesting - but it’s worth it. Strengthen your heart and become familiar with medieval Provençal architecture. Again, it’s better in early autumn - you can breathe more freely.
It’s better to park your car downstairs, but if you can’t bear to walk, you can drive up a little and look for a parking space in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie- may not be available during the season. Tired of parking prices, I leave my car for free at a small gas station at the entrance, filling it up with diesel right there.

IN Moustiers-Sainte-Marie It’s also a convenient place to stay for the night with further plans to travel through the mountains and hit the tracks. There are many routes - they are all marked with signs. The village is very beautiful and also deservedly popular among tourists - ancient houses covered with ivy, signs in the Provençal style, tsevets everywhere, cozy courtyards, cafes, restaurants. There are several waterfalls and crazy panoramic views in the surrounding area.

Verdon Canyon National Park (Verdon Gorge)

Then I navigate using a paper map for better orientation in space, we head towards the Verdon Canyon (Gorges du Verdon) and pass a very beautiful Saint Croix reservoir, apparently, is a popular holiday destination among sophisticated Europeans. Panoramas of rare beauty open up before us to the place where Verdona river, flowing from the reservoir, cuts through the mountains with a narrow turquoise ribbon, twists and turns in the rocks as if painted. Height Verdon Gorge about 800 meters, the road winds along the cliff, sometimes carves pockets in the rocks, a couple of times we encounter fresh stones on the road the size of a football, every kilometer there are places to stop, view points.

Verdon Canyon- second most beautiful after Grand Canyon from what I have seen in life.

How to get to the Verdon Canyon

The Verdon Canyon lies between settlements Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and Castelan, the length of the gorge is about 50 km, you need to go along the D952 road. Most start from the coast in the area Nice, Cannes- then we move from Kastelan village By D952, further along Cretan road (loop) D23 By northern edge of the canyon, then we leave again for D952 to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. For us, it all happened in the opposite direction.

So, we turn to the picturesque and marked by all the guidebooks Cretan road. It has the best views of the gorge.

Official name Cretan road – D23 and this is the most scenic road in Provence driving along which was one of the goals of our road trip. The road itself landmark of Provence and France, the length is about 100 km, almost all of it lies at an altitude of about 1 km. above sea level. The maximum lift height is 1343 m at a point called Col du Grand Ballon.

Best time to travel Cretan road– summer-autumn and you need to plan a trip through it for the whole day. In terms of complexity and number of serpentines, it is practically not inferior to the famous hellish road Transfagarasan in Romania , and in terms of the power of impressions it even surpasses.

It is optimal to start moving along Cretan road in the morning, you can spend the night in one of the villages along the route (see above), on the Cretan road itself there are also several small hotels with views.

There are many observation and viewpoints along the entire length, and there is simply no point in providing a map of them. If time allows, stop at all of them; if time is tight, stop at one after another.

We turn off from Cretan road back on D952 and we move to the town Castellane. Home sight- a beautiful castle-church on the top of a cliff, the soft evening light obliges you to stop and take a few photos.

I zoom in on the church as far as the weak zoom is enough. In the area Castellane we come to the intersection with dear Napoleon, beautiful place, there is a lake nearby, there are few people. Dusk begins to approach and the crew demands to continue the journey - an overnight stay is planned in Menton, small town near Nice not far from the border with Italy.

After Castelana We'll be driving for a couple more hours mountain serpentine, which never ends, helps out diesel Citroen, I go in 3rd gear almost all the time, we go up hills the same way, without changing gears. The fuel consumption sensor shows an average of 6.5 liters per hundred, which is relevant when the cost of a liter of diesel is 1.35-1.42 euros.

I understand that in Mentone We won't be there before midnight. I called the hotel to warn. I've heard that the French speak English poorly, and I'm worried that they won't understand. In tourist places they speak English, I get the answer - we are waiting for you, monsieur, do not trouble. What nice people, these French.

Cote d'Azur. Menton

The development of the Cote d'Azur, as I already said, we began with Mentons, for the first time this city appeared in the reports of my travel friends as a place where you can inexpensively spend the night, swim, and sunbathe.

That's all true, housing prices in Mentone affordable compared to dear summer nice. Hotel Moderne 3* in the city center a couple of hundred meters from the beach. Wonderful staff, cozy rooms in Provencal style and friendly staff.
Street parking from 20:00 to 8:00 am V Mentone free, I park right next to the hotel on the street.

The madam at the reception told us about this, the dialogue went something like this:

- Bonjour, madam!
- Bonjour, monsieur!
-Where can I park my car
- there are parking spaces near the hotel, you can occupy any
- How much?
- It is free And I’m starting to love this city...
- Can I have a higher room, with a balcony and a view of the city... (I’m starting to get impudent)
- Si, monsieur (smiling)

In the morning, after an easy French lesson with another madam at the reception, I find out where breakfast and the beach are... They remembered us, they showed us everything and told us everything in a mixture of French and English, we understood everything...

What is Menton? This is a typical town on the French Riviera; we didn’t see them on this trip. less than ten. Ancient, well-kept and intimate. The whole party is in the central part of the city, there are also restaurants, cafes, nightlife. The embankment is not very long and not very interesting. The beach is small pebbles, the sea is clean, there are few people, unlike neighboring Nice.

What to see in Menton

There are few attractions and absolutely all of them are located in the old center, we lived nearby so we walked.

Main attraction - old church Saint Michel on a hill which can be reached by steps from Old Port. Around the basilica there are narrow ancient streets that are pleasant to walk in the morning and before sunset in the evening. There are several natural viewing platforms here.

Nearby there is an old cemetery, from the cemetery best view to the sea and the old town, there are several Russian graves in the cemetery.

The city itself is considered the most flowery place in Europe; in the summer everything is literally buried in flowers.

In the old port, a fortress wall called a bastion has been preserved, not far from Jean Cocteau Museum, we didn't go in. The museum has a collection of ancient mosaics, paintings, graphics, carpets.

For inspection Menton One or two days are enough, including the beach and the clear azure sea.

Beaches of Menton equipped with showers, unlike beaches Nice. The pebbles are smaller than on the beaches of Nice, there are even sandy beaches. In general, if sightseeing doesn’t excite you – best option beach and cafe.

Due to proximity borders with Italy The cuisine here is a little Italian, although the prices are still French (high). The closer to the embankment, the higher the prices; the same rule also applies in the neighboring Nice.

From Menton you can go to San Remo, the trip on which we changed to a whole day of idleness for Cote d'Azur pretty tired from the mountainous part of the trip upper Provence. It was decided not to mix everything together, so we put it aside Italy next time. What to do in Menton? The same as everywhere else in Mediterranean resorts. Wander the streets, dine on all sorts of French delicacies and indulge in other impractical but enjoyable activities after a busy day. Find and book hotels in Menton >>

Nice

Nice dedicated two and a half days. I will focus on practical aspects, and will tell you in detail in a separate article.

The main problem of a road traveler in Nice– parking, or rather, there is parking everywhere, no – cheap parking. It took us about an hour to find the place. for 15 euros per day, underground parking would cost 24 euros. The parking lots indicate the price and number of available parking spaces. When you park, remember or take a photo of the entry point; the exit may be a couple of blocks away.

Nice noticeably more expensive than its neighbor Menton, if desired, accommodation can be found for a hundred euros per day, but usually it is 120-150 euros for a modest hotel. Alternatively, renting an apartment for a company, which is rented out here on a weekly basis, can save you a lot of money.

Of the must-see places, in addition to churches and architecture, urban market in the center of Nice And Promenade des Anglais, along which you can walk almost to the airport.

There is a good lookout, you can climb it at the beginning Promenade des Anglais– on the left when looking at the sea.

Beaches of Nice Only the lazy did not scold. The last “nickname” I heard was an expensive nursing home. Well... someone was just unlucky. Much worse are pensioners, of whom there are no more than gays, large pebbles and the lack of any infrastructure on free beaches.

Paid beaches, where everything is included, including waiters with champagne and a carpet to the sea, cost around 80 euros. Considering the cost of luxury hotels adjacent to the embankment, the price for comfort is quite reasonable. This is where all the pathos ends.

How much does it cost to eat at Nice? Prices in restaurants decrease in direct proportion to the distance from the embankment and freeze at 20-30 euros per lunch, depending on appetite. Our lunch, which consisted of “Nice” salad, fish soup with croutons, some sauces, seafood and dessert for Nika, cost 60 euros for three.

Nice strongly associated with the pretentiousness of the French, which is discussed on forums. This is a myth based on the inferiority complex of some of our citizens. The French, of course, are moderately snobbish, but they are much more simply well-mannered and know their worth. They don’t pry into your soul, they don’t pick on tourists, and they don’t unnecessarily barge in with questions like “where are you from.” Not everyone speaks English, that's true. Therefore, it is worth learning a few phrases in French.

By Cote d'Azur we had Monte Carlo, about which I will also write a separate article, including attractions, prices and useful addresses. Mandatory program - Formula One track and Prince's Palace. IN Monte Carlo we managed to exchange a 500 euro bill - several attempts before had ended in failure. IN Monte Carlo a price record was set for parking in the city - for this money one could rent an apartment somewhere in Croatia or Spain.

In general, for the future, in Monte Carlo It’s better not to go by car, he goes here train from Nice- use it. And it's not just the cost of parking.

Departure from Monaco– these are traffic jams, for about thirty minutes we were sandwiched between a Ferrari California and a small roaring Porsche 911 Carrera. We weren’t eager to get on the autobahn; we continued traveling along the sea. Find and book hotels in Nice >>

Cannes, Villefranche and Le Lavandou

Of these three, the village of millionaires impressed me the most Villefranche, which eclipsed even tourist Saint Tropez.

All we love is the marina oval with luxury yachts, restaurants and cafes on the shore, water taxis, cobbled streets and beautiful cars. If time is short and you would need to choose one town along the way, you would choose Villefranche.

Villefranche-sur-Mer– picturesque and cozy, houses clustered around the bay and supported by mountains descending almost to the sea. Eat railway, which is very convenient to travel if you don’t have a car. Trains are inexpensive and run on schedule, no traffic jams. The embankment is narrow and very homely, filled with restaurants, yachts and idle people. Expensive, beautiful, cozy and comfortable. I strongly recommend this place for a stay for a couple of days.

From sights of Villefranche Church of Saint Michel and Rue Obscure, which is cut right into the rock and therefore it is dark here even during the day.

Review of a trip to Provence and a holiday on the Cote d'Azur of France

I liked everything, and it’s difficult to single out anything, especially since the report did not include several interesting places that we simply did not have time to explore deeply. I will try to highlight the places that hooked me more than others and to which we will return.

• Verdon Canyon
• Fortified village of Gordes
• Lavender fields and the village of Moustiers Saint Marie
• family beach holiday in Le Lavandou
• millionaires' village Villefranche

What is Provence like? What did we like best? I have already answered the second question, but it is very different. In the north it is similar to Switzerland, in the south it is a typical Mediterranean region. Some may find it boring, others too pretentious and glamorous. There will be no indifferent people. It must be very beautiful there in the fall. We saw him as described above. In any case, it is difficult to see in a package organized tour, no offense to fans of this type of vacation.

He combined what is impossible to combine in another country - quiet provincial villages against the backdrop of wondrous natural beauty and a vibrant luxurious life Cote d'Azur. This is the dialectic that the French have developed.

Separate line gastronomy and wine are taking place, a topic worthy of a separate story with useful addresses and details. And so it turned out to be a long report. I recommend cold bandol rosé. If you have time, it's worth visiting the winery Bandol. This is a short distance from Marseille if you drive from Nice. If you don’t have time, any minimarket will help. Champagne in France There is always something ready to eat from the refrigerator.

About parking, I will say that there is space everywhere, very few are free. France is almost the only one European country, in which I paid so much precisely for parking and toll roads . On average, it was about 15 euros per day for active trips.

About autobahns in France. Part of the route from Gerona to Pont du Gard, and at the exit to Cote d'Azur . The rest of the route was through the mountains and local free roads. You pay for highways depending on the mileage; there are toll booths at intervals along the road. They are clearly marked and visible from afar.

Payment is intuitive; you simply throw money into a metal basket that looks like an enlarged basketball basket. A hundred kilometers of travel costs approximately 10 euros and this is very expensive compared to Austria, Croatia and Spain. Along the coast it is better to take the autobahn if you are in a hurry. Traffic jams are guaranteed on weekends and during evening rush hours. The speed was exceeded, but within “reasonable” limits. There were many video recordings - no fines were issued, no letters were received upon arrival.

It is better to book hotels in advance regardless of the season. Firstly, it will be cheaper, secondly, you don’t waste time searching, and thirdly, in some cases you have the exact coordinates of a hotel somewhere in the middle of nowhere - convenient for the motorist. Travel around Provence better by car.

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I really liked it, although we only touched on it a little and really want to go back. I recommend this part of France as a place for active travel at any time of the year, and as a place for lazy beach and gastronomic holiday. The best time is April-October.

How to get to Provence

Internet sites that help you save money when planning your own trips

Aviasales- low-cost air tickets around the world

RoomGuru– search for budget accommodation, hotels and apartments around the world and on all popular booking sites, including Agoda, Booking.com and other popular booking systems

Booking.com– familiar and convenient search and booking of accommodation around the world

– car rental all over the world with the possibility of free cancellation

Website for purchasing bus tickets in Europe and the CIS countries

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Provence is the most picturesque region of France with the richest historical and cultural heritage. Many tourists dream of visiting Provence. And for those who were lucky enough to realize travel to Provence- these are endless vineyards, silvery olive groves, lavender valleys, mountain ruins of the Alps, an area where people live who savor every minute of their existence. This article and video will tell you all about it.

Traveling through Provence

For those who are just going to travel to Provence- these are hotels full of romance and imbued with stunning Provençal serenity, places where you can enjoy hiking and dining on sun terraces throughout the year, discoveries that await you in local cafes and markets.

Provence owes its spectacular views and unprecedented popularity to the successful geographical location, thanks to which the regularity of the plains is intertwined with the southern maritime flavor and complemented. Sea lagoons, reed swamps, pastel salt marshes, the floods of the raging Rhone, the tectonic “steps” of Les Baux - all this awaits traveling around Provence.

Traveling around Provence: popular places

The most beautiful city France, which is the Provencal center of antiques - Aix-en-Provence;

Arles is a city illuminated by the genius of Van Gogh:

Nice is a city with many museums and aristocracy of all stripes;

City of festivals and palaces - Cannes;

Gambling State of Monaco;

Avignon with its beautiful crenellated fortifications;

Bustling Marseille and many other attractions that you simply cannot count.

Aix-en-Provence

For travelers in France - Provence is an opportunity for collectors to scour the local flea markets in search of interesting curiosities. AND best place than Aix-en-Provence, it is simply difficult to find. A city with a luxurious historical heritage, but full of young energy, thanks to the famous European Academy of Music, the university and the numerous art festivals that permeate the capital of Provence with creativity and lively creativity. unique charm, thanks to ancient streets paved with stone, elegant facades of aristocratic mansions, decorated with balconies with openwork forging, the city hall and many fountains that once saved the townspeople from the plague.

Arles

The vibrant, colorful area of ​​Arles has long been a paradise for those traveling to travel to Provence, photographers from all over the world. For them, the National School of Photography annually organizes summer festivals and master classes. The pristine beauty of Arles captivated Gauguin and Van Gogh, who left an indelible mark on history.

Cannes

Cannes is called the city of rising stars and luxury yachts, luxurious beaches and constant holidays. Most famous place The city's Palais des Festivals and the Avenue of Stars bear the fingerprints of many celebrities. The Old Port has dozens of wonderful restaurants that combine high-speed Wi-Fi with.

Monaco

For those with good taste and refined love of life and those planning travel to Provence y is an opportunity to visit the Principality of Monaco, the main attractions of which are the royal family, Formula 1, casinos and yachts.

Best restaurants and hotels Cote d'Azur, Formula 1 Grand Prix, famous casinos are just a few reasons to visit the smallest European state. Of course, the pleasure is not cheap, but the famous Monte Carlo casino is located here, where you can

Avignon

The city is famous for its theater festival. Avignon has the largest Gothic palace, which was once the residence of the Pope. The city is also famous for its legendary Pont Saint-Benez.

Marseilles

Traveling through Provence, be sure to visit Marseille. The symbol of the city is Notre-Dame de la Garde. Climbing to the roof of the cathedral you can enjoy an amazing view of the city. And nearby, in the Abbey of St. Victor, the most terrible catacombs are open to the public. From the Old Port you can sail on a tourist boat to the Chateau d'If, a former prison in which the Count of Monte Cristo himself was a prisoner. In city squares there are many cafes and clubs, interesting second-hand bookstores.

Fontaine de Vaucluse

A natural source, which is a picturesque lake. The rate of water release is 22 tons per second. A powerful and mesmerizing spectacle. It is also one of the deepest karst caves (308 m).

Grass

The French capital of perfumery, surrounded by fragrant lavender plantations, is the city of Grasse, founded in the 11th century. The city was once famous for its glovers, who scented ladies' gloves with jasmine and exotic spices. Afterwards, glovers became perfumers.

Here you can visit the International Perfumery Museum and choose a scented soap or essence from a street vendor.

Camargue

For lovers travel, Provence– this is also a corner where tourists will find a unique park located in the Rhone delta. The pink flamingo nests here. The park's live attractions are white mustangs and black bulls. In the Camargue they are engaged in eco-tourism, growing pure vegetables and fruits. Camargue wines are gastronomic souvenirs.

To leisurely see all the sights, as befits a true Provençal, a lifetime probably won’t be enough. But for those who are preparing to be poisoned in travel to Provence y is the most beautiful thing that can be created by nature and people.

Independent travel does not necessarily mean a trip to Asia, or a third world country, or somewhere very, very far away. Independent travel first of all assumes that you do not use the services of tour companies. That is, in general. And you take on all the worries and troubles of organizing the event.

Undoubtedly, travel is different from travel. Some require very careful and lengthy preparation. You can go to others by purchasing a ticket yesterday. Using the example of my next trip, I will tell you how I prepare for trips myself.

So, first things first! As I wrote, the first and most important thing is to choose the right direction.

For example, in the summer I like to travel to Europe. It's warm and sunny there. Everything blooms and smells. Overall beauty! Additional bonuses - short flights, familiar culture, European service, no need to think about vaccinations and a first aid kit. You can forget about everything and just relax!!!

So, after listening to Yolka’s song “Provence”, I really wanted to go there. I also remembered that I always wanted to admire the endless lavender fields. And also, what delicious cuisine there is. And as luck would have it, Belotserkovskaya’s latest book was on the shelf, I leafed through it, and I just couldn’t resist! Enough good reasons to go to the south of France :)

Buying flights

Opened Wikipedia. It became clear that we had to fly to Nice or Marseille.

To determine the best time to travel and fulfill another dream of mine, I asked when the fragrant lilac plant blooms. From mid-June to late July. This is the period I started asking all flight search engines. Almost no one flies directly from Helsinki to Marseille, but it was necessary to go there - to the capital of Provence. And since we decided to travel as a family, with a five-year-old child, I chose Lufthansa flights. A little more expensive, but convenient connections and proven service.

Although at first I thought about a trip of 5-6 days, the trip ended up being 8 days. The difference in ticket price would be too significant, almost twice as much, if we returned in five days. In this case, it seemed to me more reasonable to choose a cheaper flight and spend more time on vacation.

Collecting information about the country

In this case, this point is smoothly spread across all the others. I read about Provence even before buying tickets and am still reading now, having already booked my accommodation. What am I looking for? Flowering schedule of lavender fields - turns out to be in different regions The Provence plant blooms at different times.

I look for interesting places, such as the Pond du Garde or the Coliseum in Arles.

Downloading the Michelin restaurant guide to Provence. Practice shows that in Italy and France, star restaurants are often located in villages and small towns. The food in such places is no less delicious, and the price tag pleasantly surprises even for dinner with good wine!

Some information comes by itself; you should not ignore such clues from the Universe. I accidentally came across a photograph of a herd of white horses running on water. It became interesting where you can see such a miracle, it turned out to be in Provence :) So I opened the Camargue park with horses and flamingos.

The more information you have about the region when going on a trip, the more chances you will have to make your trip a pleasant pleasure.

Route planning

From my previous travels, and I had already been to Provence several times, I remembered that all the distances there are quite short. And the density of architectural monuments and other remarkable places is due to centuries-old history and ancient heritage. Everywhere is interesting, every town is ancient and special in its own way.

But since the purpose of the trip was primarily relaxation, and not acquaintance with historical monuments, I only added lavender fields and the Camargue Park to the must-have list. And this is for a whole 8 days!!! The rest of the time we will drink rosé, snack on goat cheese and do nothing! And with this option, there is always the opportunity to arrange a pleasant unplanned surprise for yourself, going “wherever your eyes look.”

Budget calculation

Having already had some travel experience, I can roughly estimate how much the trip will cost. So I calculated how much the flight, hotel, car rental and approximately everyday expenses would cost. I added a couple hundred for souvenirs and shopping. Voila - the budget is ready.

But as a rule, I never fit into the calculated budget, because I always want more. From the very beginning, without flying anywhere yet. If you choose a place to live, then, of course, next to the chateau and definitely with a swimming pool. If you buy wine, it is the best in the region. But if you know how to restrain yourself and limit yourself, the budget will be as you calculate :)

I took almost all the money with me in cash; in France, in small towns and villages there are problems with ATMs and card terminals. It is always more convenient to pay in cash in local shops and markets.

Search and book housing and cars

This turned out to be the most difficult point on this journey.

Firstly, I was not looking for a hotel room, but housing with two rooms and a kitchen. It turned out that accommodation in a separate house is a very popular practice in France. A variety of, usually authentic, houses, which have everything for life and are intended for rent, are called “gite”. For 1000-1500 euros, for example, you can get a whole chateau for ten people for a week!!! But I was looking for something smaller.

Secondly, summer is the high season; all the housing suitable for me was already occupied by the end of August. The second point was that accommodation is usually rented out for a week and only from Saturday to Saturday. We flew to Provence on Tuesday and flew out on Wednesday. In this case, it would be useful to find out before purchasing flights...

And finally, thirdly, all booking sites live on French. Moreover, even if you write a request to the owner or agent in English, you will still receive an answer in French! It’s good that we live in the 21st century and there is a wonderful Google Translit. Thanks to him, I even managed to answer in French. True, I’m not sure that I was understood correctly;) In my opinion, of the many booking sites, Live is the most understandable and convenient

After much searching and negotiations in French, I chose two lives, each lasting four days. The first is not far from Lambesc on the territory of the chateau with the beautiful name De Libran, and the second is a little higher and closer to lavender fields near the picturesque town of Baume de Venice. In fact, I asked the owner of another house, but it was busy, and she kindly offered me a huge house with four bedrooms and a swimming pool, but available for the dates I needed, for half the price. And of course I agreed :)

I didn't want to rent a car, France has pretty good connections public transport, and we didn’t plan to move around much. But after thinking about it, I decided that with a child it would be easier and more mobile to be on wheels at any time. Even if we only use the car for a few days out of 8. Therefore, I was looking for the simplest car without any complaints, the most profitable thing was on the website, they work with Hertz, so the service is quite decent.

The trip is ready! Let's go!!!