Avignon or Aix-en-Provence?

We%26#39;re spending 3 nights in Provence (this is our first time here), and want a place that is a good location for us to drive and see area sites and visit Cotes du%26#39;Rhone vineyards during the day, but has a charming town to walk around with dining options for the evening. We%26#39;ll be coming from Paris, and then heading to the Cote d%26#39;Azure after our Provence stay, likely by train (though we%26#39;ll most definitely have a car in Provence).

Which would be the best place - Avignon or Aix-en-Provence? We%26#39;ve also read a lot about Gordes and Chataneuf-du-Pape...perhaps on of those would be best?

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You may want to make a forum search about %26quot;bases in Provence%26quot; as this question is asked a great deal.

I like Avignon. I believe it to be more centrally located to the largest number of common tourist destinations. Arles is another popular choice. Unless the city officials have recently cleaned up the graffiti problem in Aix-en-Provence, I find this problem too distasteful to make it a base. Otherwise Aix is an excellent choice also.

http://www.aixenprovencetourism.com/

http://www.tourisme.ville-arles.fr/

http://www.ot-avignon.fr/

If this is your first time in Provence, I recommend staying with one of these 3 main cities. For return trips many may suggest St. Remy or other locations. Gordes is a unique location. It is perhaps the only city/town in France which does not have a tourist office. Why? Because it does not need one. It becomes completely overrun by tourists, like ants swarming over moist bread. I do not recommend it as a good base for first time visitors.

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Since you have a car I would suggest St Remy, Arles or Aix. Avignon is useful if you are relying on public transport, but it has a city feel to it. St Remy is probably best for food, Aix for watching the neighbourhood go by, Arles has a bit of both. Gordes is very small, and prettier from the outside than it is once you get there IMO.

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