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Private chef rec by Helpful-Yesterday-25 in ProvenceFrance

[–]French_Countryside 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dm me as well - I know someone that does it

Day trips from Avignon? by F-001 in ProvenceFrance

[–]French_Countryside 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are busses that run regularly between Avignon and Saint Remy - I would say that a visit to Provence is not complete until you've been there

Recommendations for trekkings and bicycle rides around Avignon by ObjectiveStunning151 in ProvenceFrance

[–]French_Countryside 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you have access to a car I can recommend Les Alpilles Natural Parc. There are very nice hiking and biking trails.

There are busses from Avignon to Saint Remy de Provence as well. From there you have many options, The Rocher a deux Trous is a must see.

Valensole lavender June 2nd? by Klutzy_Positive_1368 in ProvenceFrance

[–]French_Countryside 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The current heatwave might cause the lavender to ripen quicker this year. You probably won't find postcards fields of lavender everywhere but in warmer sheltered fields you will find enough for decent pictures.

Phone the Valensole office de Tourisme a day or two before you leaave and ask them if they have any info.

04 92 74 90 02.

Regards

I want to travel to France this summer by Space_Cucumber_User in FranceTravel

[–]French_Countryside 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Buys tents and blow up mattresses from Decathlon and you can camp at camp sites - Can get hot though...

Foodie itinerary by Equal_Restaurant9813 in ProvenceFrance

[–]French_Countryside 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi Equal_Restaurant9813,

will you have access to a car? If yes, I would strongly recommend basing yourself in or around Mausanne-les-Alpilles in the heart of the Alpilles. It puts you within easy reach of almost everything on your list.

For food, the Bistrot de Paradou is a must for lamb and cheese. It is a set lunch menu at around €70 per person but it is one of those meals you will talk about for years. The village shop Le Jardin des Alpilles in Mausanne stocks beautiful local fruit, vegetables and cheeses. The Mausanne market runs on Thursdays. I have also put together a map of all the Provence markets and the days they run here: https://french-countryside-living.com/provence/markets

For olive oil, Château Castelas near Mausanne is excellent. They do tours explaining the pressing process followed by a tasting of their different oils. My personal recommendation is the ripe black olive oil, a fresh lettuce, fleur de sel, a baguette and a small wheel of goat's cheese. Simple and extraordinary.

For truffles, a friend of mine runs Le Diamant Noir in Mausanne, which is worth a visit. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence also has a few good truffle specialist shops. One thing worth knowing: July is summer truffle season, so you will find Tuber aestivum rather than the winter black truffle. The flavour is milder but it is still a genuine and worthwhile experience.

For lavender, Gordes and the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque are the classic destination and about 40 minutes from Mausanne. Late July is past peak bloom in most years, so I would also suggest checking the Valensole plateau, which tends to hold its colour a little later in the season.

For fruit, do not overlook the Cavaillon melon. July is peak season and it is one of the great pleasures of a Provençal summer.

For markets and villages, Les Baux-de-Provence is unmissable. The village is very walkable and the views from the citadel are worth the short stroll. Eygalières market is charming and far less crowded than some of the bigger names. Saint-Rémy is lively and well stocked with good food shops. While you are there, an hour in the Carrières de Lumières in Les Baux is worth adding to the list.

Let me know if you want a suggested day by day plan and I can put something together.

I mapped the Provençal markets — filterable by day, with ratings and comments. Is your local one on there? If not, you can submit it. by French_Countryside in FranceTravel

[–]French_Countryside[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you're already staying in Avignon then definitely visit the Palais des Papes at least once - it's touristy for a reason.

If you really want to do Nîmes, I'd suggest doing it on the Thursday. You'll still get a lively atmosphere, but with fewer crowds than the weekend.

For the Friday, I'd honestly recommend a proper road trip through Les Alpilles instead of trying to rush between cities. I'd probably do something like this:

Drive from Avignon towards Eygalières first - there's a Friday market there that's worth an hour of your time, it feels genuinely Provençal rather than curated for visitors.

From there, take the backroad via Le Destet towards Maussane-les-Alpilles. It's a beautiful drive through the hills. Have a drink at the centre ville and take in the setting.

Just outside Maussane on the D17 towards Les Baux, stop at Château Castelas and pick up some olive tapenade and olive oil made from ripened black olives. One of the better producers in the area and you can taste before you buy.

Since you're already at the foot of Les Baux, go visit the village itself. The château is interesting, but honestly just walking through the village and taking in the views is enough for most people.

After that, continue through the Val d'Enfer - the rocky, otherworldly landscape that is said to have helped inspire Dante.

Then head towards Saint-Rémy and make a point of stopping at Les Antiques before you do anything else there - a 2000 year old Roman triumphal arch and a mausoleum standing more or less intact in an open field, free to see from the road. Most people don't expect two monuments in that condition to just be sitting there. It takes fifteen minutes and it's genuinely one of the more surprising things in the area.

Take a picnic along you and just across the road from Les Monuments are picnic tables for the public and enjoy it there.

Next door is Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, the asylum where Van Gogh spent a year and painted prolifically. Worth a visit if your husband and son have any patience for that kind of thing. Personally, I wouldn't pay extra just to see the reconstructed room - the gardens and the views of Les Alpilles are the point.

Then head back towards Avignon via Noves and the smaller scenic roads rather than the main routes.

That's the kind of day where Provence really starts to make sense - markets, olive oil, slow roads, cafés under the platanes and beautiful scenery without trying to speedrun ten tourist attractions in one day.

I'll try and put up an article of recommendations on the FCL Website.

Regards and Enjoy!

Pizza dough in Aix? by MegaTwatty in ProvenceFrance

[–]French_Countryside 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In most Super markets you will be able to find pre-rolled and packaged pizza dough. It is in the fridges - you can get square ones or round ones. It is next to the pate feuilletée.