I'm from Provence and there's two pieces of advice that I woud like to give to foreign tourists : 1 Don't come in July and August preferably, because it's the high season and a lot of French people are taking their vacations there. Everything is crowded and much more expensive. 2 When you're buying souvenirs on the markets in Provence, don't be fooled by some "local stuff" like Marseille's soap : it's fake, and because people are buying it there is only 3 factories left in France using the traditional technique. When you are buying local products (like for example organic olive oil, which is very popular where I come from), try to inform yourself first. Even if the real thing is more expensive, it's worth it, believe me.
How disappointed, angry, reviled and upset I was to see how much "grafitti" there was in Aix. It absolutely ruins the place. What's wrong with you people? Can't you do something about this blight? You have the most beautiful town on Earth. How can you let this happen????
I've been to Paris, Nice, Eze, St. Paul, and other small towns in the French Riviera but there is so much to see in France! I really need to get back there to see it all. Thanks, Mark :)
Kids, don't forget that if you are traveling solo, or do not want to drive (if you do you will encounter a number of tolls) do not overlook guided tours. That and be prepared for lots and lots of steps as a lot of places are on the tops of hill and then have lots of steps to get to the top of the structure.
I'm from provence and I love my place but in summer the weather is really hot. I heard a lot of tourist saying it is difficult to support. I think the best season is between April and june and in September or October. The wind is quite horrible to. But except that it is really beautiful. Try the reel food not the tourist food! Enjoy :)
Provence is my favorite part of France and one of my favorites in all of Europe. Don't miss Arles! My hotel was right next to the amphitheater. Awesome at night!
We have been to Provence on a bike tour. I agree with nearly all. But, one can get to the Pont du Gard from Avignon without a car. We took the local bus. Inexpensive and a lot of fun as we were the only non-locals on board, in July 2015.
In France you have to take the bus! The public transport network is very dense from all the airports you will find a bus stop that will take you to the nearest city center from where you will have access to all the other bus lines for all the surrounding destinations. Usually there is a minimum of one or two buses per hour and it doesn't cost much. I strongly recommend it to you, it is really an excellent way to get around at low cost in France. Please excuse me for my English I lack practice.
I remember when I was at that Aquaduct... i was a kid at that time and those paths at the other side from where you came in, were like a gigantic labyrinth, which meant heaven for me. Amazing place, Provence
Merci Estell, for the great advices. Wel me and my husband visiting the provence for many many years now .Once you've been there you are totally in love with this country .The nature,the smell of lavender and rosmarin, the light,the mistral,the small city's ,it's Magic . There's so much to see and enjoy and holidays are always to short .My advice is to visit Arles and the Provence during September.There are so many special Festivals and Events ,and it's more relaxed in Streets and Restaurants .Don't miss "Feria du Riz"in Arles...a must see,running Bulls through the Streets and Traditional Cloth .
Had our very first vacation in Provence in late August of this year....totally LOVED Provence.....can't wait to return! Hoping to do as you suggest and rent a place in Arles for a week.
The Pont du Gard is actually not in Provence but in the newly named region of Occitanie (Languedoc-Roussillon). It lies west of the Rhône river in the Gard département. Very close to Provence (30 min by car from Avignon) but it is a different region (at least administratively)
Can you please let me know is there any public transport facilities available from Marseille to Gordes and From Gordes to Valensole (Lavender fields). I don’t know to drive but I want to visit these places badly. Please share.
The fastest train from Paris to Avignon is 3hs. From Avignon to a lavender field you would then need to take a bus that can be about an hour. Preferably during the week as during weekends there are less buses and the latest return to Avignon is typically around 6pm on weekends (which is illogical considering many of the famous small village markets are on weekends). The direct buses and more frequent schedules only run starting in July. If its May or June getting to those small famous towns is much more difficult. Impossible for famous one like Baux de Provence. No bus there until July. You can try going to the neighbor town and try to get a taxi from there. Some of the famous lavender fields that you can visit are in the middle of nowhere. Without a car, provence is not the easiest, a contrast to the rest of france where you can get everywhere on trains and buses. I was just there and was surprised how difficult it was despite being so touristy. Makes no sense 🤷♀️
Love your vids, Mark! One thing: the word "Aix" (Aix en Provence) is pronounced exactly like Americans pronounce the letter "X". X-Y-Z and Aix-Y-Z should sound the same.
Hi Mark, love the videos. Just one small thing. We were in Provence last summer and you can get a bus directly to the Pont du Gard from Nimes. Keep up the great work.
+MrDariuus that is true, i was going for more just the convenience of having the car to really get out there and stop anywhere you can, it was just so gorgeous. love it down there. thank you for the support and commenting and all the best on your future travels!
Provence really does have some hidden gems. I went twice to Rasteau this year to sing in a concert series one of my teacher organizes (kudos to him for getting a packed church there every month!), and I never thought I'd have such a great time spending a week in a village of 800 inhabitants. A week of making great music, enjoying fantastic food and wine (no wonder that's how people know that name), and the gorgeous landscape... not to mention the amazingly friendly people! My teacher told me beforehand that I'd understand why he commutes back there from Basel every week... and I totally do!
The 4th hate is so true. People will be shocked at the number of TGV stations in the middle of nowhere like Lyon. At least they have good connections at the station though.
+EmpireStateExpress01 Sometimes the distance comes from hostility between local power and national power, the latter wanting to punish the firts for being in a different political camp. But more often it can be explained by the impossibility to put the station in the center, beacuse of the other buildings and roads etc.
Florent Placide Thanks for the explanation there. I never knew politics had something to do with placing TGV stations in France. I remember reading a while ago in Northern France that a town was furious that their TGV was placed in the middle of nowhere along the Eurostar and Thalys route from Gare du Nord. I forgot the station's name but there are a lot of railfanning videos from the station.
osez111 Those two stations are the literal definitions of middle of nowhere. I know the main Lyon station is the middle of town, but I'm talking about the other TGV station there.
We saw Les Beaux without having a car. There are buses from some of the cities that take you to many of these places if there are no train stations there.
Thanks Mark for another helpful video. We stayed in Remoulins in May 2015 and used that as a base to visit Arles, Nimes, Uzes and Avignon. It gave us the chance to kayak under the Pont Du Gard, and the light show there in summer is great. Had never kayaked before but it was great fun. Also would recommend Gigondas, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Banon (cheese festival), all wonderful places just a short drive from the places in this video. France is truly beautiful. Going back next year to explore Bordeaux region. I will have to look and see if you have a video on Bordeaux. I can't imagine trying all that without a car. It's a must. Gorges du Verdon is breathtaking. My first time driving on the right ("wrong") side of the road. I survived and so did our rental car..phew !!
Wolters World - The kayaking is excellent - BUT you need to be really aware of local children in summer as they'd often jump into the water to swim in the same area you're kayaking through in fast water !!!! One tourist actually struck a kid that jumped in ahead of them and we felt awful just looking at it ! The child was fine but it really shook us up ! You do need some degree of competence if you're kayaking in fast flowing river water, even though they'll rent you the kayak without asking if you've ever even tried before....
Can you please let me know is there any public transport facilities available from Marseille to Gordes and From Gordes to Valensole (Lavender fields). I don’t know to drive but I want to visit these places badly. Please share.
@woltersworld What if someone knows self defense & various martial arts styles well? Do you think fighting back/defending yourself will work against beggars, pickpocketers or whatever? I don't know why people in my family telling me it's not worth fighting back against pickpocketers or whoever. One of my uncles told me that I should have done it (use karate or self defense) It should be OK to do a sneak attack on them pickpocketers, beggars right? Thanks Mark.
I am french and yeah its better to defend against pickpocketers(and scream the fact that he is robing you so peoples will support you if the police come). But a beggars just beg, he doesn't rob you, so just scream at him, scare him and he will go away(they are just poor peoples).
the five facts you hate are the same in London, Capetown, Los Angeles, New York city, Tokyo, Moscow, Fidji, Australia etc..... In the whole world in fact !
Is that the Roman arena in Arles behind you ? l went there in 2015 and it was closed !! l was really annoyed !! See it here though it doesn't look like l missed much !!
Arles is the place in Provence where two people tried to scam/steal from me. I was walking from Arles down to the river and two people posing as police (plainclothes) wanted/insisted they wanted to see in my shoulder bag. Since I were it as a cross body bag, and had nothing in there but snacks and water, they left in a hurry. I am sure that if I had anything of value in there (cell phone, passport, cash, credit cards, tablet, etc) those items or the bag would have been snatched
The Pont du Gard (and Nimes) are in Occitanie, not Provence. Six years ago I stayed in Uzes, near the Pont. And Avignon. It was like heaven, it’s a wonderful area.
Amazing part of the world I especially love the south of France but all of France has a lot going for it if even the food and I'm definitely not a foodie type even
Funny to hear the hate & love things from a french point of view but you are right ! Could you add the name of the town or place you are showing to us please ? Some of the place you show us made me curious.
+Jérôme Dab Avignon, arles, nimes (not provence), shoot... off the top of my head i can't think of the stone town... we were just driving around and enjoying it all :)
Take local tours like ProVan and get to see all the sights. You can’t look around while driving and it’s more environmentally friendly than everyone driving themselves!
I miss provence every day. And I am not your average tourist... I love Marseille. The mobster city haha. If you like hashish and possibly having to fist fight your way out of a mugging then it is the city for you. For real though, the culture is amazing.. I love Marseille. The rest of provence is so gorgeous as well
« Provence is a country to which I am always returning, next week, next year, any day now, as soon as I can get on a train. » Elisabeth David - French Provincial Cooking, 1959 And now, I live in Provence.
Totaly agree with you about the scandalous brand new railway stations in the middle of nowhere between Lyon and Marseille, juste built here for no clear reasons (corruption, maybe).
+Jerrad Williams No, in Provence we have Provençal but it isn't really common, only old people speaks that language. Though we have some random words that come down directly from Provençal ^^
I went to PROVENCE this summer. I agree with most of the video. Enjoy the Food and WINE of France! If you can afford it..... avoid JULY AND AUGUST.... those are the WORST months of the year. I invite you to take a look at the Sisteron citadelle (it's amazing). And enjoy the PINK wine of Provence.... they are the very best wines in the world.... at an amazing price!
The ancient Roman stadium in Arles is still used for bull fights. And if you want to get off the beaten path a bit, go the the Museum of the French Foreign Legion in Aubagne - it is an easy 1 mile (1.6 km) walk from the train station - but be warned it is all in French, the Legionnaires manning the museum may only speak French, but if you are a history buff it is great. Warning, the Google Map direction may lead you to the front gate of the 3rd Regiment of the Legion, which is next door to the museum - so if you want to join......... Toulon was also interesting especially the view from Mt. Faron.
Being from the UK is great - you can take your own car over by ferry ⛴ which we always do ! However, if you're not a confident driver then you might want to rethink it .....
I was there for two weeks...nothing to do but drink coffee in outdoor places....or pay excessive prices for clothes....few speciality places to eat for Pizza etc....few people other than some college students speak English...Tourist Center had one who spoke basic english......big waste of time.....the cab driver could not find the studio bldg I rented and so I missed my flight back to the US and had to buy a $700 ticket to get home as I had to go the next day...he did not speak English and all the drivers the day before, that you find around the traffic circle refused to take a reservation to pick me up the next day.....
@Chloe Logically, if you run a place mostly for tourists, they U do everything to accomodate them...its good business....One of the weeks I did was at an Equestrian Center....it was horrible...one week of riding trails made by the Romans...filled with big rocks and overgrown with tree branches....US businesses make Menu's with pictures so if U do not read English or Spanish you can still order....I will never go back.
What would you say is the best provencal city to stay in as family for one week? Arles, Aix, peutetre marseille? S'il y a des français qui peuvent me conseiller! quelle est la meilleure ville provençale à séjourner pendant une semaine en famille. On voudrait également faire des excursions d'un jour pour découvrir plus à la campagne, quelle ville offrirait le plus, merci !
Marseille c'est bien parce que il y a de choses à faire dans la ville mais aussi autour et c'est juste à 20min de Aix-en-Provence en bus. Et à partir de la gare vous pouvez visiter d'autres villes en 1 journée. Avignon par exemple est juste a 30min en train.
+woltersworld I went to Bretagne last summer, it was fantastic, unlike anything I had expected! Sunny weather, go to Crozon, it just looks like being in Les Calanques. It feels so mystical and Celtic there, from the south to the north in Saint Malo, Dinan and Ploumanach, you will love it! I can't wait to go back! The food is great too, you will probably have way too many crêpes and cider, and you will need to rent a car there too... Btw, I love all your videos, they are great and very useful!
Very nice video but I think you are talking about Avignon and Arles too much. Provence is a really wide region with a lot of different places because we have plains, sea and mountains in less than 150km apart. Next time you come in Provence, write me, as a local, I could make you see somes nice places tourist don't know about ^^
Il me fait marrer l'américain, "c'est chiant il faut louer une voiture ici, y a pas de transport en commun dans les vignes". si y a bien un pays impraticable sans bagnole c'est bien chez lui ! et puis y a pas de TGV en centre ville ! bas ouai on est un peu con ici, Ils ont pas pensé au 12 -ème siècle à laisser de la place pour pour la gare de TGV en centre ville entre le château fort, le colisée et la cathédrale ! faudrait pas trop laisser les gens marcher, des fois il faut être un peu réfléchir avant de faire des "5 things" débiles !
I went to Provence in July. I loved it (the roman stuff is great) but it was sort of disappointing. The towns are great but quite frankly, I like Tuscany better for sightseeing and food. And for an area with such a famous landscape, you'd think they'd have better public transportation outside of the bigger towns.
My cab driver could not find my studio apt I rented and spoke no English when he called on cell.......,. It cost me $800 to get back to the US as I missed my flight and had to buy a new ticket......if you don't speak fluent french you have no business going to France.....and the taxi company REFUSED...to take a reservation for the trip to the airport the day before......there is nothing to do in Aix other than eat at an outdoor cafe or drink coffee....that you can do in San Francisco for a lot less money.
Not much to "hate". The French have kept tgv stations out of historic towns for a reason - they require Walmart size parking lots and are generally well designed/functional. Car? Sure. Why is this so bad? Can you visit the US on foot? Any guide will say you need a car to really enjoy Provence. Roads are good. Tourists? Sure. Pick June or September if you are really averse but they keep these towns functioning and at least the city does not allow McDonald's in town! The French value their heritage. Petty crime is minor so don't ask for problems. I go to Provence every year and it is just paradise. There are plenty of big supermarkets deliberately kept out of town, you can generally eat a healthy meal for 13€. Or you're in the wrong place. Attempt French and you will find things easier, locals are pleasant and generally warm.
oh the Western schism when the papacy was exiled to Avignon. I didn't know that but I imagine a lot of people don't and I do appreciate these little historical asides that you have in some of these videos. after all what good is going to a country if you don't know its history?
I have been in Nice, Montpellier, Beziers, Agde, Vias in Provence 2011. Hate: Crowded, expensive. Love: Great historical cities with a roman past, nice weather, beautiful nature, sunny beaches and lots of sights.
I must add that Nice has a very densely built inner city, the centre has no green areas or parks, there was not even a bench to sit on and relax, the beach promenade is nice but crowded, the dressing rooms had signs in russian.
But it is true that very less people are speaking english in France. Of course are they speaking english in the tourist regions but for example not really in the Alsace
I visited Strasbourg last December, maybe the locals didn't speak English (I don't know), but everyone seemed able to speak German (all shopkeepers at least). I was sleeping on the German side of the border. None in the hotel could spoke English or French... I tried Google translate, no Internet in the hotel. ^^
Ph4r4m0nd My subjective impression in the rural regions of the Alsace was that about 10% of the Adults speak german and about 10% of the Adults speak english, of course more people speak german near to the border and younger people speak of course more often english
+Ph4r4m0nd Yes, in the north east, english speakers are rares. And it's the same in Germany . But if you go to Belgium, netherlands or Luxembourg... then almost everyone (mainly young people) speak english.
I don't think there are more thieves than in the USA, nor that it is complicated to travel by train (do you have a lot of them in the USA? Since when) we eat there for cheap unless we throws into tourist traps and that we persist in managing and drinking like in the USA instead of eating locally. Finally, unless a recent landslide escaped me, the Pont du Gard is in the Occitanie region, not in Provence.
No pic of the Avignon's bridge? Ooooh... :-/ I'm really disappointed too by the pics you have chosen to illustrate your video. They just don't honor the region, or have only a small interest. Anyway, I agree with all your points, and I will add that Provence has always been a "love at first sight" region.
Nîmes IS part of Provence. Its not because the Administrative map says "Languedoc Rousillon" that WE, the real frenchies, accept it like on a paper map.
Don't be an idiot , don't come stomping on lavender fields for your instagram photo, it's a rising problem with tourists who damage what farmers live off
You make an assessment not very reassuring for the tourists who come to visit our beautiful Provence .. Fortunately we live there for many years and do not encounter all the problems you speak. Marseille or Aix are not worse than other big cities of France or Europe, it is enough not to go in some streets badly frequented, fortunately still places where you can walk quietly
+provencetv i give the good and the bad about visiting different locations. Too many travel guides and videos only give people the good or best parts. We give the good with the bad so people are better prepared for when they travel to these places and they can enjoy the location more.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm from Provence and there's two pieces of advice that I woud like to give to foreign tourists : 1 Don't come in July and August preferably, because it's the high season and a lot of French people are taking their vacations there. Everything is crowded and much more expensive.
2 When you're buying souvenirs on the markets in Provence, don't be fooled by some "local stuff" like Marseille's soap : it's fake, and because people are buying it there is only 3 factories left in France using the traditional technique. When you are buying local products (like for example organic olive oil, which is very popular where I come from), try to inform yourself first. Even if the real thing is more expensive, it's worth it, believe me.
+Estelle B merci for the good tips
+Estelle B nice tip , thanks
+Estelle B I agree!!! Jee suis d'accord!!!!
Merci
How disappointed, angry, reviled and upset I was to see how much "grafitti" there was in Aix. It absolutely ruins the place. What's wrong with you people? Can't you do something about this blight? You have the most beautiful town on Earth. How can you let this happen????
I've never seen your videos before. This was, in a word, delightful......approachable, yet informed. Thank you.
I've been to Paris, Nice, Eze, St. Paul, and other small towns in the French Riviera but there is so much to see in France! I really need to get back there to see it all. Thanks, Mark :)
+OnTheGoWithCarson I agree 100% carson :) we all need to get back to France ASAP :)
Fantastic country
Kids, don't forget that if you are traveling solo, or do not want to drive (if you do you will encounter a number of tolls) do not overlook guided tours. That and be prepared for lots and lots of steps as a lot of places are on the tops of hill and then have lots of steps to get to the top of the structure.
I'm from provence and I love my place but in summer the weather is really hot. I heard a lot of tourist saying it is difficult to support. I think the best season is between April and june and in September or October. The wind is quite horrible to. But except that it is really beautiful. Try the reel food not the tourist food! Enjoy :)
J'adore le mistral tout l'année, moi.
Provence is my favorite part of France and one of my favorites in all of Europe. Don't miss Arles! My hotel was right next to the amphitheater. Awesome at night!
Would really help if you could tell the hotel name
My hotel one year was right across the square from the Papal Palace in Avignon. Provence is one of my favorite areas in Europe! Gorgeous!
It reminds me of my childhood when my great mother was living there... This amazing feeling of Provence miss me so much :(
It is an amazing place.
We have been to Provence on a bike tour. I agree with nearly all. But, one can get to the Pont du Gard from Avignon without a car. We took the local bus. Inexpensive and a lot of fun as we were the only non-locals on board, in July 2015.
In France you have to take the bus! The public transport network is very dense from all the airports you will find a bus stop that will take you to the nearest city center from where you will have access to all the other bus lines for all the surrounding destinations. Usually there is a minimum of one or two buses per hour and it doesn't cost much. I strongly recommend it to you, it is really an excellent way to get around at low cost in France. Please excuse me for my English I lack practice.
I remember when I was at that Aquaduct... i was a kid at that time and those paths at the other side from where you came in, were like a gigantic labyrinth, which meant heaven for me. Amazing place, Provence
Great video my friend. Very helpful series. Going in europe in a few weeks for a month and this is very helpful!
I'm going to live there from this autumn! I can't wait! 😲
What part?
Merci Estell, for the great advices. Wel me and my husband visiting the provence for many many years now .Once you've been there you are totally in love with this country .The nature,the smell of lavender and rosmarin, the light,the mistral,the small city's ,it's Magic . There's so much to see and enjoy and holidays are always to short .My advice is to visit Arles and the Provence during September.There are so many special Festivals and Events ,and it's more relaxed in Streets and Restaurants .Don't miss "Feria du Riz"in Arles...a must see,running Bulls through the Streets and Traditional Cloth .
Thanks for another great and informative video!
Had our very first vacation in Provence in late August of this year....totally LOVED Provence.....can't wait to return! Hoping to do as you suggest and rent a place in Arles for a week.
The Pont du Gard is actually not in Provence but in the newly named region of Occitanie (Languedoc-Roussillon). It lies west of the Rhône river in the Gard département. Very close to Provence (30 min by car from Avignon) but it is a different region (at least administratively)
Thanks loved it. Takes me back. Happy and safe travels, Mark!
I've lived in Provence for 30 years & am still discovering hidden gems....Oh by the way your DSLR sensor needs a clean8
Can you please let me know is there any public transport facilities available from Marseille to Gordes and From Gordes to Valensole (Lavender fields). I don’t know to drive but I want to visit these places badly. Please share.
Been here several times - Provence is my favorite part of France and one of my favorites in all of Europe.
California has everything and more: Beaches, Mountains, Cities, etc and English is spoken as well as Spanish.....and no overseas expensive air fare,
@@phillipweissburg7871 lmao
Ahah your french accent is awesome x) . I loved that "BONJOUR" !
+abraham lincoln thanks honest Abe :)
Love love LOVE Provence!!!
I will be visiting Provence in late August , is it still possible to see some lavender blooms
Can we do a day trip to Provence to see lavender field from Paris. Any advices and recommendations thanks
You'll need to stay much longer than just spending a day there. Because otherwise you ain't gonna see anything.
No it's about 450 miles from Paris
The fastest train from Paris to Avignon is 3hs. From Avignon to a lavender field you would then need to take a bus that can be about an hour. Preferably during the week as during weekends there are less buses and the latest return to Avignon is typically around 6pm on weekends (which is illogical considering many of the famous small village markets are on weekends). The direct buses and more frequent schedules only run starting in July. If its May or June getting to those small famous towns is much more difficult. Impossible for famous one like Baux de Provence. No bus there until July. You can try going to the neighbor town and try to get a taxi from there. Some of the famous lavender fields that you can visit are in the middle of nowhere. Without a car, provence is not the easiest, a contrast to the rest of france where you can get everywhere on trains and buses. I was just there and was surprised how difficult it was despite being so touristy. Makes no sense 🤷♀️
I couldn't find your video about Arles on your website. Can you provide a link?
It's older so it doesn't always pop up. Search "Wolters World Arles france" in youtube and it should pop up
I love your videos.
Amazing.
Provence is definitely on our list the next time we are in France.
Love your vids, Mark! One thing: the word "Aix" (Aix en Provence) is pronounced exactly like Americans pronounce the letter "X". X-Y-Z and Aix-Y-Z should sound the same.
Nice town
Hi Mark, love the videos. Just one small thing. We were in Provence last summer and you can get a bus directly to the Pont du Gard from Nimes. Keep up the great work.
+MrDariuus that is true, i was going for more just the convenience of having the car to really get out there and stop anywhere you can, it was just so gorgeous. love it down there. thank you for the support and commenting and all the best on your future travels!
Provence really does have some hidden gems. I went twice to Rasteau this year to sing in a concert series one of my teacher organizes (kudos to him for getting a packed church there every month!), and I never thought I'd have such a great time spending a week in a village of 800 inhabitants. A week of making great music, enjoying fantastic food and wine (no wonder that's how people know that name), and the gorgeous landscape... not to mention the amazingly friendly people! My teacher told me beforehand that I'd understand why he commutes back there from Basel every week... and I totally do!
Aix is my favorite place in the world
cars aren't necessary, best way to experience Provence is by bicycle, the roads are gorgeous, the area is very bike friendly, as are the locals
Kevin Fox well Americans need a car to go to the bathroom, so what do you expect?
You can‘t go from city to city with a bicycle.
@@romeonijsse2359 you can, simply not as fast. Then you are able to visit fewer things than by car. It depends on what type of tourism you want.
@@pierrevr67 😅
@@kevinfox5594 not when you are traveling with a toddler
Adding this to my bucket list! Great video
The 4th hate is so true. People will be shocked at the number of TGV stations in the middle of nowhere like Lyon. At least they have good connections at the station though.
+EmpireStateExpress01 Sometimes the distance comes from hostility between local power and national power, the latter wanting to punish the firts for being in a different political camp. But more often it can be explained by the impossibility to put the station in the center, beacuse of the other buildings and roads etc.
Florent Placide Thanks for the explanation there. I never knew politics had something to do with placing TGV stations in France. I remember reading a while ago in Northern France that a town was furious that their TGV was placed in the middle of nowhere along the Eurostar and Thalys route from Gare du Nord. I forgot the station's name but there are a lot of railfanning videos from the station.
+EmpireStateExpress01 Lyon's statiosns are not in the middle of nowhere comparing to Valence or Avignon
+EmpireStateExpress01 probably TGV picardie/arras
osez111 Those two stations are the literal definitions of middle of nowhere. I know the main Lyon station is the middle of town, but I'm talking about the other TGV station there.
How about bike rentals for shorter trips around the region ? Preferrably in the towns with the bigger rail links. Is it a viable option ?
We saw Les Beaux without having a car. There are buses from some of the cities that take you to many of these places if there are no train stations there.
Thanks Mark for another helpful video. We stayed in Remoulins in May 2015 and used that as a base to visit Arles, Nimes, Uzes and Avignon. It gave us the chance to kayak under the Pont Du Gard, and the light show there in summer is great. Had never kayaked before but it was great fun. Also would recommend Gigondas, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Banon (cheese festival), all wonderful places just a short drive from the places in this video. France is truly beautiful. Going back next year to explore Bordeaux region. I will have to look and see if you have a video on Bordeaux. I can't imagine trying all that without a car. It's a must. Gorges du Verdon is breathtaking. My first time driving on the right ("wrong") side of the road. I survived and so did our rental car..phew !!
+Mike Harris awesome. The kayaking must have been incredible
Wolters World - The kayaking is excellent - BUT you need to be really aware of local children in summer as they'd often jump into the water to swim in the same area you're kayaking through in fast water !!!! One tourist actually struck a kid that jumped in ahead of them and we felt awful just looking at it ! The child was fine but it really shook us up ! You do need some degree of competence if you're kayaking in fast flowing river water, even though they'll rent you the kayak without asking if you've ever even tried before....
Can you please let me know is there any public transport facilities available from Marseille to Gordes and From Gordes to Valensole (Lavender fields). I don’t know to drive but I want to visit these places badly. Please share.
Love your comments ; very helpful .
@woltersworld What if someone knows self defense & various martial arts styles well? Do you think fighting back/defending yourself will work against beggars, pickpocketers or whatever? I don't know why people in my family telling me it's not worth fighting back against pickpocketers or whoever. One of my uncles told me that I should have done it (use karate or self defense) It should be OK to do a sneak attack on them pickpocketers, beggars right? Thanks Mark.
I am french and yeah its better to defend against pickpocketers(and scream the fact that he is robing you so peoples will support you if the police come). But a beggars just beg, he doesn't rob you, so just scream at him, scare him and he will go away(they are just poor peoples).
the five facts you hate are the same in London, Capetown, Los Angeles, New York city, Tokyo, Moscow, Fidji, Australia etc..... In the whole world in fact !
thanks for your videos Mark
Is that the Roman arena in Arles behind you ? l went there in 2015 and it was closed !! l was really annoyed !! See it here though it doesn't look like l missed much !!
it's Roman Theatre of Arles
Nice video. Thanks for sharing.
May i know what’s the name of the lavender field is?
Sorry to correct but no TGV in center of Aix-en-Provence, otherwise great video and YES it is fantastic! cheers
and the below comment from @DameFreya are valuable as well... as an expat from Aix as well i can confirm: better May-June or September
Informative video
very nice video
Nice video. Just a tip: Aix is pronounced Ex not Ahx
Would you recommend visiting the south of France in winter?
Arles is the place in Provence where two people tried to scam/steal from me. I was walking from Arles down to the river and two people posing as police (plainclothes) wanted/insisted they wanted to see in my shoulder bag. Since I were it as a cross body bag, and had nothing in there but snacks and water, they left in a hurry. I am sure that if I had anything of value in there (cell phone, passport, cash, credit cards, tablet, etc) those items or the bag would have been snatched
I was robbed in the train station in Marseille.....took passport, drivers license, credit card......
You can bus to the Pont-du-Gard, according to Google Maps, nowadays.
Please vist New Zealand you did not mention it at all
I will add it to my list
The Pont du Gard (and Nimes) are in Occitanie, not Provence. Six years ago I stayed in Uzes, near the Pont. And Avignon. It was like heaven, it’s a wonderful area.
Thing you will love: No parisian !!! :)
+Valdoy2866™ say that again in july lol
CastelDawn yeah right ^^
Would it not be correct with an article: The Provence?
Or is it really just "Provence"?
La lavanda ya no esta en la provenza esta' en mi pueblo brihuega. Guadalajara. España.
Amazing part of the world I especially love the south of France but all of France has a lot going for it if even the food and I'm definitely not a foodie type even
GREAT VIDEOS.
Funny to hear the hate & love things from a french point of view but you are right !
Could you add the name of the town or place you are showing to us please ? Some of the place you show us made me curious.
+Jérôme Dab Avignon, arles, nimes (not provence), shoot... off the top of my head i can't think of the stone town... we were just driving around and enjoying it all :)
Take local tours like ProVan and get to see all the sights. You can’t look around while driving and it’s more environmentally friendly than everyone driving themselves!
I really want to go here someday :-----(
I miss provence every day. And I am not your average tourist... I love Marseille. The mobster city haha. If you like hashish and possibly having to fist fight your way out of a mugging then it is the city for you. For real though, the culture is amazing.. I love Marseille. The rest of provence is so gorgeous as well
« Provence is a country to which I am always returning, next week, next year, any day now, as soon as I can get on a train. » Elisabeth David - French Provincial Cooking, 1959
And now, I live in Provence.
please upload sweden sir
+dasari harinadh we will get them up... don't worry :)
Totaly agree with you about the scandalous brand new railway stations in the middle of nowhere between Lyon and Marseille, juste built here for no clear reasons (corruption, maybe).
No, it's just to reach Paris in 3h
+Jerrad Williams No, in Provence we have Provençal but it isn't really common, only old people speaks that language. Though we have some random words that come down directly from Provençal ^^
+〈F&v) Nico thanks Nico!
+Nico Provençal is an occitan language !
I went to PROVENCE this summer. I agree with most of the video. Enjoy the Food and WINE of France! If you can afford it..... avoid JULY AND AUGUST.... those are the WORST months of the year. I invite you to take a look at the Sisteron citadelle (it's amazing). And enjoy the PINK wine of Provence.... they are the very best wines in the world.... at an amazing price!
The ancient Roman stadium in Arles is still used for bull fights. And if you want to get off the beaten path a bit, go the the Museum of the French Foreign Legion in Aubagne - it is an easy 1 mile (1.6 km) walk from the train station - but be warned it is all in French, the Legionnaires manning the museum may only speak French, but if you are a history buff it is great. Warning, the Google Map direction may lead you to the front gate of the 3rd Regiment of the Legion, which is next door to the museum - so if you want to join......... Toulon was also interesting especially the view from Mt. Faron.
Being from the UK is great - you can take your own car over by ferry ⛴ which we always do ! However, if you're not a confident driver then you might want to rethink it .....
he is talking about lavender field and showing us some dirty pumpkins
Maria Osym 😂😂😂
I was there for two weeks...nothing to do but drink coffee in outdoor places....or pay excessive prices for clothes....few speciality places to eat for Pizza etc....few people other than some college students speak English...Tourist Center had one who spoke basic english......big waste of time.....the cab driver could not find the studio bldg I rented and so I missed my flight back to the US and had to buy a $700 ticket to get home as I had to go the next day...he did not speak English and all the drivers the day before, that you find around the traffic circle refused to take a reservation to pick me up the next day.....
@@mjlexus24 Gee Matt....did you know your bathwater is wet?
@Chloe Logically, if you run a place mostly for tourists, they U do everything to accomodate them...its good business....One of the weeks I did was at an Equestrian Center....it was horrible...one week of riding trails made by the Romans...filled with big rocks and overgrown with tree branches....US businesses make Menu's with pictures so if U do not read English or Spanish you can still order....I will never go back.
Phillip Weissburg do people speak a foreign language in your country ??
What would you say is the best provencal city to stay in as family for one week? Arles, Aix, peutetre marseille?
S'il y a des français qui peuvent me conseiller! quelle est la meilleure ville provençale à séjourner pendant une semaine en famille. On voudrait également faire des excursions d'un jour pour découvrir plus à la campagne, quelle ville offrirait le plus, merci !
Marseille c'est bien parce que il y a de choses à faire dans la ville mais aussi autour et c'est juste à 20min de Aix-en-Provence en bus. Et à partir de la gare vous pouvez visiter d'autres villes en 1 journée. Avignon par exemple est juste a 30min en train.
so true! it's a amazing aera!! Btw, you have a very good french accent :)
Have you covered Bretagne? You should cover Bretagne ^^
Hopefully will he there in the spring
+woltersworld make sure to taste authentic kouign amann then ^^
+woltersworld I went to Bretagne last summer, it was fantastic, unlike anything I had expected! Sunny weather, go to Crozon, it just looks like being in Les Calanques. It feels so mystical and Celtic there, from the south to the north in Saint Malo, Dinan and Ploumanach, you will love it! I can't wait to go back! The food is great too, you will probably have way too many crêpes and cider, and you will need to rent a car there too...
Btw, I love all your videos, they are great and very useful!
Very nice video but I think you are talking about Avignon and Arles too much. Provence is a really wide region with a lot of different places because we have plains, sea and mountains in less than 150km apart.
Next time you come in Provence, write me, as a local, I could make you see somes nice places tourist don't know about ^^
+〈F&v) Nico I tried to show more parts of Provence in the pictures from driving around. It is a beautiful place
Yeah I saw that and it's nice, Provence is really a nice place ^^
The fruit vendors select the fruit for you, this way they can mix in rotten ones. He got mad when I selected the fruit myself.
You do not need a car. We did trains and rented ebikes and saw everything he mentioned.
Geil , Danke dir Bruder ..
Il me fait marrer l'américain, "c'est chiant il faut louer une voiture ici, y a pas de transport en commun dans les vignes". si y a bien un pays impraticable sans bagnole c'est bien chez lui !
et puis y a pas de TGV en centre ville ! bas ouai on est un peu con ici, Ils ont pas pensé au 12 -ème siècle à laisser de la place pour pour la gare de TGV en centre ville entre le château fort, le colisée et la cathédrale ! faudrait pas trop laisser les gens marcher, des fois il faut être un peu réfléchir avant de faire des "5 things" débiles !
I went to Provence in July. I loved it (the roman stuff is great) but it was sort of disappointing. The towns are great but quite frankly, I like Tuscany better for sightseeing and food. And for an area with such a famous landscape, you'd think they'd have better public transportation outside of the bigger towns.
My cab driver could not find my studio apt I rented and spoke no English when he called on cell.......,. It cost me $800 to get back to the US as I missed my flight and had to buy a new ticket......if you don't speak fluent french you have no business going to France.....and the taxi company REFUSED...to take a reservation for the trip to the airport the day before......there is nothing to do in Aix other than eat at an outdoor cafe or drink coffee....that you can do in San Francisco for a lot less money.
Not much to "hate". The French have kept tgv stations out of historic towns for a reason - they require Walmart size parking lots and are generally well designed/functional.
Car? Sure. Why is this so bad? Can you visit the US on foot? Any guide will say you need a car to really enjoy Provence. Roads are good.
Tourists? Sure. Pick June or September if you are really averse but they keep these towns functioning and at least the city does not allow McDonald's in town! The French value their heritage.
Petty crime is minor so don't ask for problems. I go to Provence every year and it is just paradise.
There are plenty of big supermarkets deliberately kept out of town, you can generally eat a healthy meal for 13€. Or you're in the wrong place.
Attempt French and you will find things easier, locals are pleasant and generally warm.
thank you for kind comment....
Just come and taste our cuisine in Provence at Les Amis....
oh the Western schism when the papacy was exiled to Avignon. I didn't know that but I imagine a lot of people don't and I do appreciate these little historical asides that you have in some of these videos. after all what good is going to a country if you don't know its history?
I have been in Nice, Montpellier, Beziers, Agde, Vias in Provence 2011.
Hate: Crowded, expensive.
Love: Great historical cities with a roman past, nice weather, beautiful nature, sunny beaches and lots of sights.
+NordikFilm yep :) right there with you my friend
I must add that Nice has a very densely built inner city, the centre has no green areas or parks, there was not even a bench to sit on and relax, the beach promenade is nice but crowded, the dressing rooms had signs in russian.
But it is true that very less people are speaking english in France. Of course are they speaking english in the tourist regions but for example not really in the Alsace
I visited Strasbourg last December, maybe the locals didn't speak English (I don't know), but everyone seemed able to speak German (all shopkeepers at least). I was sleeping on the German side of the border. None in the hotel could spoke English or French... I tried Google translate, no Internet in the hotel. ^^
Ph4r4m0nd My subjective impression in the rural regions of the Alsace was that about 10% of the Adults speak german and about 10% of the Adults speak english, of course more people speak german near to the border and younger people speak of course more often english
+Ph4r4m0nd Yes, in the north east, english speakers are rares. And it's the same in Germany . But if you go to Belgium, netherlands or Luxembourg... then almost everyone (mainly young people) speak english.
yes in the east of Germany most adults don't speak any other language than German
Unilingual and ethnocentrist English speaking should understand the majority of humanity does not speak English
Vive la provence !
find it very funny when a tourist says : there is too many tourist x) you are one of them x)
🤣🤣
Peut-il être dangereux de voyager seul, avec une voiture immatriculée à l'étranger?
I don't think there are more thieves than in the USA, nor that it is complicated to travel by train (do you have a lot of them in the USA? Since when) we eat there for cheap unless we throws into tourist traps and that we persist in managing and drinking like in the USA instead of eating locally. Finally, unless a recent landslide escaped me, the Pont du Gard is in the Occitanie region, not in Provence.
No pic of the Avignon's bridge? Ooooh... :-/
I'm really disappointed too by the pics you have chosen to illustrate your video. They just don't honor the region, or have only a small interest.
Anyway, I agree with all your points, and I will add that Provence has always been a "love at first sight" region.
Sire Triste at 3:35 they are ON the bridge
Pont du Gard is not in Provence my dear....
Like Avignon !
Parfait
We are travelling in Provence by bike, you don’t need a car.
Nîmes IS part of Provence. Its not because the Administrative map says "Languedoc Rousillon" that WE, the real frenchies, accept it like on a paper map.
Io ce so stato nel dumilaundici
forza roma
Don't be an idiot , don't come stomping on lavender fields for your instagram photo, it's a rising problem with tourists who damage what farmers live off
Just love not hate
You're such a nice person :)
You make an assessment not very reassuring for the tourists who come to visit our beautiful Provence .. Fortunately we live there for many years and do not encounter all the problems you speak. Marseille or Aix are not worse than other big cities of France or Europe, it is enough not to go in some streets badly frequented, fortunately still places where you can walk quietly
+provencetv i give the good and the bad about visiting different locations. Too many travel guides and videos only give people the good or best parts. We give the good with the bad so people are better prepared for when they travel to these places and they can enjoy the location more.
quel dommage
I didn't have a car. I had a bicycle.
Aix is pronounced “ehks” not “ahks”