Burgundy or Provence?

[artnbarb]

I'm still kicking around ideas for 2019, and thinking we might arrive via transatlantic cruise in Barcelona. We did this is 2016 then drove to the Dordogne region of France, which we loved - just as beautiful as Umbria PLUS castles!!! I was inspired to travel to the Dordogne by a travel show, and now I've seen a show featuring Burgundy - and I'm in love - again!

Before I start researching Burgundy, I wanted to get some input regrading Burgundy vs Provence. Is that like trying to compare Umbria and Tuscany? Are there more similarities than differences? I know @Kathy knows Provence, and I'm sure there are others who might be able to comment. Thanks in advance!

 

[Ann]

Any idea where in Provence, Barb? Or where in Burgundy? They are both very large regions, and you'll only be able to see a little of either.

 

[artnbarb]

Not, yet, I'm really just starting this on a whim after seeing a travel program, and as usual, am looking for some help in narrowing down my choices. Perhaps Burgundy vs Provence is just too broad!

Logistically Provence would require less driving, at least to get there from Barcelona, and that's somewhat appealing, but otherwise I have no reasons why I'd pick one over the other.

 

[Pauline]

Provence. The whole region is fabulous. I’ve been there several times. I’ve been to Burgandy once.

 

[artnbarb]

From what' I've found online, that seems to be the general consensus! OK, I'm adding Provence to the list, along with Morocco! Thanks!

 

[chachalaca]

Chiming in with Provence! We've been to Burgundy a couple times and Provence many. I haven't found "it" in Burgundy, but I know several others here have...but I'm going with Provence!

 

[artnbarb]

And to add a funny twist to this, over the weekend I was contacted by an old friend. She and her husband are leaving soon for a house-hunting trip in.....Burgundy! Obviously something about Burgundy spoke to them. For next year I'm sticking with Provence, but who knows, if they do buy a house in Burgundy I'll have an excuse to visit!

 

[Pauline]

Antibes is in Provence, so you have been to Provence! But the Cote d'Azur is very different from central and an northern Provence.

 

[artnbarb]

we've also been to Marseille, Nice and Villefranche - are those in Provence as well? Each one just as a stop on a cruise for a single day, but I liked what I saw. I'm looking forward to spending at least 10 days exploring as much as possible, so finding the perfect base to start my concentric circles will be top priority!

 

[Kathy]

The Cote d'Azur is definitely different than the rest of the "Region Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur" (new name for the area encompassing five French departments). I'm not sure the Cote d'Azur (or at least the most eastern area that's now the department of the Alpes-Maritimes) was part of the "historic" Provence. But anyway... the main point is that it's very different and if you have only 10 days, maybe a different vacation.

There are cities and large towns in Provence: Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Arles. That would be one kind of vacation. You wouldn't really need a car... in fact, a car could be a complexity. You can travel between them by public transportation and also reach some smaller places by bus or train or take a day tour.

But I think to most of us who love Provence, we're thinking about the beautiful countryside, the mountains, the vineyards and olive trees, fields of poppies or lavender (depending on the time you visit), the stone villages, the limestone cliffs. Provence is a big area, and there are several possibilities of where you could base with plenty to do to occupy your time within 30-40 minutes. You can daytrip to one or two of the larger places by car or to another area. Our base is the northern area of the Luberon, but we also enjoy day trips to other areas. But other people enjoy staying on the southern side of the Luberon mountain, the area north around Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles mountains or the area around St. Remy de Provence and a little mountain range called Les Alpilles. And then there are the even more remote areas of Provence, but I think not for a first visit. All these areas have their fans, and I'm sure you could have a great time in every one. If you were more interested in wine or hiking or Roman ruins, that might suggest one area vs. another.

If you have 10 days, you could potentially stay one week in one area and maybe three days elsewhere. Many rentals are for a full week, but you might also find shorter rentals. I think there's a real value to staying one week in one place vs. moving around too much. We do love living right in the village where we can walk to the boulangerie in the morning (we have two) and to and from dinner at night... no worries about driving after dark after sharing a bottle of wine.

I remember my first time trying to decide on where to base in Provence. I had no idea about the area and I looked at so many different options I started to overthink it. We chose a house we liked in a village that had a boulangerie and then we planned our week around that.

Hopefully others will jump into the discussion--

Kathy

 

[Roz]

On our first trip to Provence (which we love) we stayed in Bonnieux. We found it a perfect base. You might check out Kathy and Charley Wood's apartment there: Bonheur en Bonnieux.

Edited to add: I was writing this at the same time as Kathy's post just above. She has great advice of course, and I agree with all she said. I do think Bonnieux makes a great base, but there is so much to explore in Provence that you can hardly go wrong anywhere.

 

[artnbarb]

Thank you both! First of all, as many of you might guess, just as @Kathy said,

the beautiful countryside, the mountains, the vineyards and olive trees, fields of poppies or lavender (depending on the time you visit), the stone villages, the limestone cliffs.

are what interest us the most.

I have followed Charlie and Kathy's travels over the years, and know how much they love their house and their adopted town, but sometimes where you choose to live is not the same place you'd choose to spend a vacation, so thank you for letting me know that it's as well placed for a vacationer as it is for a resident.

Again, this is for 2019, so I still have much to research and learn, but I feel confident that Provence will be more than perfect! BTW, we will have a car, since we plan to arrive in Barcelona, and after Provence will continue on to Italy.

 

[Chris]

Bonnieux is a great base! Others I love are Goult and Lourmarin and Menerbes. Goult and Menerbes are near Bonnieux. Lourmarin is on the south side of the Luberon mountains, closer to Aix. http://www.theluberon.com/ is primarily a rental website with good rentals, but it also has LOTS of information about the various villages, things to do, etc. It's a very good resource for planning your trip.

 

[Anne]

On our first trip to Provence (which we love) we stayed in Bonnieux. We found it a perfect base.

Glad to hear it - we've booked Kathy's apartment in April and really looking forward to exploring the area! It's only our second visit to Provence. First trip we spent a week in Vaison-la-Romaine, followed by a week in Nice. Such different areas and we loved both. Not sure what time of year you're travelling, but I wouldn't want to visit the Riviera during high season. It was busy enough in late April! The countryside, on the other hand, was blissfully uncrowded.

 

[Fletch]

Twelve years ago a group of us stayed in Isle sur la Sorge but I was really drawn to Bonnieux, in fact I returned there 3 times in our 2 weeks.
In 2009 we returned and stayed in Goult which we loved.
This year we are returning to Goult with our family so you can see how much we love the area ( booked through theluberon.com)
I’ve had a week in Beaune too and enjoyed it as well but it hasn’t pulled me back like Provence.

 

[phirhon]

I have been following this with interest as we are ones who really enjoy Burgundy. If any of you have read my trip reports here (I now have four ), you may know this. We have spent eight weeks in Burgundy since 2006 and will return for another week this year. We also enjoy Provence and spent a week in Mazan (2008 ), La Brigue (Alpes Maritimes , 2010 ), two weeks in Pernes les Fontaines( 2014 ). We have a week booked in the Var in September. We enjoy both regions .
I see Provence as an easy place to visit. There is so much to see - so many lovely villages close together. It is easy to find out a lot about places to visit. And it has an appeal. If you ask people who know nothing about France to name somewhere other than Paris, I am sure the ' south of France ' would be the next pick more often than not. The whole Mediterranean , blue shuttered villages, lavender, olives , pleasant climate. It all adds up to irresitable .
Burgundy is harder work. I frequent other forums as well, and what I see is people visit Dijon and Beaune ( maybe Vezelay or Abbey de Fontenay as well ), do a wine tasting or tour and then tick Burgundy off the list. There is so much more. You just need to look below the surface. It is a softer , rural region with green rolling countryside, hidden chateaux, abbeys and superb Romanesque churches, lovely small towns and villages you may never have heard of but are rewarding to visit, wonderful food and wine . It is a place to wander and see what you see. Burgundy seems to have become the place we finish our trips to fix in our hearts why we love visiting France. Where will we spend our last week this year? Why Burgundy , of course.
I am just really grateful we can travel for the time we do that allows us to spend quality time in so many regions of France.

 

[CaWino]

When traveling in Provence or Burgundy, do you generally drive or take the train? Combination of both? Any recommended strategies?

 

[Chris]

I would suggest driving in both regions. The small towns and villages that are so special aren't served by trains for the most part and the driving is easy and, for me at least, a big part of the pleasure of seeing the countryside.

 

[Galgano]

When traveling in Provence or Burgundy, do you generally drive or take the train? Combination of both? Any recommended strategies?

We've always driven as it gives greater flexibility obviously. HOWEVER .... I'll never drive in southern France again. We stayed in Kathy's apartment for two weeks and it was brilliant. We were there in the lead up to Easter in 2013. Driving was fine until Easter. From Easter Friday it was horrendous.

The locals drive very fast, and close to your back bumper, even on narrow mountain roads. They overtake when there is 50 yards of straight road with a hair pin bend ahead. Thats OK when you are one of few tourists on the road. When you double the traffic with tourists after Easter ... all bets are off. I had my wing mirror taken off by a local driver just out of Bonneaux, going the opposite direction on the Easter Friday.

Burgundy however ... or the Dordogne, not a problem. Better still, Sancerre in the Cher region of Berry. We spent two weeks there and never an out of interesting places to visit in the region and the traffic was always light. It's borders Burgundy to the west.