Provence in late September

[Tam]

I will be traveling to Provence this fall. We will fly to Nice, pick up a Renault and drive to Aix-en-Provence.

I've done some research and have a small list of interests that I hope will be manageable but it is not a photo-specific list as my friend and traveling companion is not a photographer.

I plan to spend a day of our seven in the Camargue, one driving through the Luberon, one day heading for Cezanne's Mount Victoire. Roman ruins in Orange ...

Is there anything specifically that I must not miss?

Following our week in Provence we will take the train to Paris from Avignon. (Non, je ne veux pas danser sur le pont.)

Any suggestions for the most romantic city on the planet, photographically?

[stever]

thanks to the green guide we went to the Vasarely foundation just outside of Aix several years ago - knowing nothing of Vasarely at the time, it was a stunning experience.

please visit Chateauneuf and drink a toast to the Pope in Avignon and the greatest achievement of the Catholic Church - with advance notice you may still be able to visit Vieux Telegraph, when i was there they explained that with every price increase they sold more wine - unfortunately this policy continues to be successful

[SeanBK]

We loved Loire valley. A bit been there done that but for first timers+ I thought it is terrific. Check out the walk in front of old Classic Hotel Negresco in Nice. Nothing like nostalgic memories of grandeur of bygone era. If you can stay there do so.
  Bon Voyage

[NikoJorj]

From Nice to Aix, if you don't mind curvy roads I'd recommend driving by the hinterland :
- follow the Route Napoléon to Castellane, with many possibilities to sidetrack in some remote and even quite wild places after St Vallier (the first pass),
- then veer left in Castellane and drive down the Gorges du Verdon (in La Palud, taking the Route des Gorges (D23) certainly won't make the trip shorter, but it can be nice if it's not too crowded),
- then follow through Moustiers (Lac de Ste Croix), Valensole (lavender fields), Manosque,
- then cross the Luberon driving through Apt (many scenic places ; the old "carrières d'Ocre" in Rustrel are nicknamed "le Colorado Provençal" with the characteristic sense of understatement of the people of southern France ; avoid Gordes if you don't particularly like crowds, I prefer Murs eg).

Around Aix and Avignon, the Ste Victoire is a pictorial must, but don't miss the Alpilles (St Rémy, Eygalière, Mouriès, Les Baux - preferred vineyard Mas Ste Berthe near Les Baux), the Dentelles de Montmirail (north of Carpentras, many vineyards too in Gigondas and Vacqueyras), around the Ventoux (Montbrun, Gorges de la Nesque...) and there are still many other nice places.

If you got some time, a day walking in the Calanques near Marseille can be very rewarding too. I'd recommend going to Sugiton and the Devenson from the Luminy university but there are many other possibilities - if you don't want to walk, you can also drive through Marseille to Les Goudes at the west end of the Calanques.

[Tam]

Thank you all for these grand suggestions. I will be sure to design an itinerary that that takes in as much of this as possible.

I wonder if you might recommend some particular part of the Camargue for flamingo and other birds?

[Rob C]

Time, time and time!

I hope you are not taking on too much; you might be better off spending a longer period in a single place. The 'if this is Thursday it must be Rome' syndrome is too true to be funny.

No resident in France, unfortunately, I have driven from the top of Spain across France to Britain (and vice versa) on many occassions and found that the collective weeks were not enough to get to know even a single region well. I suppose we spent most time in the Dordoge area around the route of the N20 and there is just so much to discover and it all takes so much time...

On the other hand, if you plan return trips, then a quick trawl lets you know what you might like for a Take 2!

Whatever you do, enjoy it.... those autumn colours on plane tree avenues...

Safe trip

Rob C

[perreault]

Do not miss the "Pont du Gard", an impressive roman structure crossing a river. Be there at the end of the afternoon, the light is great. Bring a bottle of wine, some break and cheese and you can relax on thé river bank.

[Rob C]

Do not miss the "Pont du Gard", an impressive roman structure crossing a river. Be there at the end of the afternoon, the light is great. Bring a bottle of wine, some break and cheese and you can relax on thé river bank.

Have you been reading Omar Khayyám recently?

;-)

Rob C

[wolfnowl]

Thank you all for these grand suggestions. I will be sure to design an itinerary that that takes in as much of this as possible.

I wonder if you might recommend some particular part of the Camargue for flamingo and other birds?

If you're going to the Camargue region there is a huge wild bird sanctuary but there are also the (semi-) wild horses of the region - born black, and turn white as they mature.

Mike.

[Rob C]

This is a shot of Rocamadour, France, not a long drive east off the main N20 road.

It's earylish [pour moi ;-)] morning, not the best time to be awake, and the original was shot on Velvia on a Pentax 67. This was copied on a D700 yesterday.

The point being, there is often so much to be found within a tight little area of France that moving around too much just results in you missing what's there on the doorstep.

Unless you love driving, that is.

Rob C


Edit: Obviously enough, not Provence, but the message holds even more strongly for Provence.

[Tam]

Rob, I had thought that, given the driving distances to which I am accustomed here in N America, that it would be fairly easy to access the Camargue for a day trip from Aix. We have booked a hotel in the central district of Aix and plan to do day jaunts from there. Our last day will be a trip to Avignon before we ditch the car and head for Paris on the train.

I don't mean to dash from here to there with no time to look around, but perhaps I need to rethink a few things. I would, of course, prefer to set myself up in a hilltop village in the Luberon and take in the area for three months or more ... I can smell the rosemary now. These luxuries are not given to me. I am thankful for the opportunity to to go France at all.

[Rob C]

Rob, I had thought that, given the driving distances to which I am accustomed here in N America, that it would be fairly easy to access the Camargue for a day trip from Aix. We have booked a hotel in the central district of Aix and plan to do day jaunts from there. Our last day will be a trip to Avignon before we ditch the car and head for Paris on the train.

I don't mean to dash from here to there with no time to look around, but perhaps I need to rethink a few things. I would, of course, prefer to set myself up in a hilltop village in the Luberon and take in the area for three months or more ... I can smell the rosemary now. These luxuries are not given to me. I am thankful for the opportunity to to go France at all.

And be grateful that you're not there now: they are drowning in their homes in parts of Var! There have been several disasters  through the ages - all those beautiful rivers come with a price and a history of violence, both man's and nature's.
Whatever you do - I hope you enjoy and get to make the most of it!

Ciao -

Rob C

[Tam]

Thank you Rob, vous êtes très gentil.
Merci, tout la monde.

And be grateful that you're not there now: they are drowning in their homes in parts of Var! There have been several disasters  through the ages - all those beautiful rivers come with a price and a history of violence, both man's and nature's.
Whatever you do - I hope you enjoy and get to make the most of it!

Ciao -

Rob C

[DaveCurtis]

Hi Tam,

I am off to Provence late Sept/ early Oct.

Nice, Tourette, Moustiers, Verdon, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Menerbes, Apt, Gordes and Avignon and few few other small hilltop villages. Going to Italy first. Venice and the Cinque Terre.

Im taking Canon 1DS MrkIII, 24-105mm 70-200mm and two Zeiss primes. 21mm and the 50MP. I would would also like to purchase the zeiss 35mm but haven't decided on that yet.

What gear are you taking??

Dave

[Rob C]

And if you are very careful you'll be able to take most of it home with you at the end!

A trick I discovered: if you can find one of those video machine security cassettes, those things you could slip into the machine and lock it, that made a helluva screech if anything moved, also work very nicely if you sit one on top of the box in which sits your equipment, along with a little note in the right language advising that movement sets off the security ballad. Makes a hotel room feel safer - feel safer... at least you can go and eat in the restaurant without needing extra space for the junk and, maybe, without giving yourself nervous indigestion. Mas que nada.

Rob C

[Tam]

Perrault - thank you for the suggestion of Pont du Gard. I will do my best to be there at the right time. It sounds lovely. I am not traveling with my thou, and he will be home singing (in the wilderness) which is his métier.

I am traveling light, gear-wise - a Canon 50D, 300 f/4 + 1.4xII, 85mm 1.8, 17-40 L, and perhaps the 10-22, which is little, light and very very sharp. The entire deal will go into my carry on (Tenba Laptop/Courier) and I am not sure whether I will take the laptop. Not sure what to do about storage. I plan to drag the entire kit around with me everywhere, leaving the laptop at the hotel and now you have made me nervous Rob. We are only staying in two hotels - the Hotel California on rue des Ecoles in Paris, and the something reputable not sure in Aix. I suppose they will be fine for security.

I am really looking forward to this trip. Have always wanted to go and will perhaps return for a longer stay in the future.

You are all very kind to take the time to reply. I do appreciate it.

[DaveCurtis]

I'm taking a mini netbook and an external usb hard drive for storage/backup.  very small and light. I will leave the mini back at the hotel during the day and carry the shirt pocket size hard drive around with me during the day.