I decided to start another thread because I think the other left everyone very confused with all the extra info and changes.

• My husband and I have train tickets from Paris to Lyon on April 17th. We will have a couple of hours to meet up with my sister and have a snack I guess.
  
• All 3 of us will then board another train to Aix arriving about 6pm or so. The tickets are kinda mixed up because of changed plans and also to take advantage of reduced fares.
  (We investigated the option of going straight to Aix and meeting my sister there....but it only meant that she was going to have to wait around for us as we wouldn't have been getting into Aix sooner)
  
• We have a rental car for 3 days that we will pick up in Aix at the station and have a Michelin Map.
  
• We have our train tickets leaving from Aix through to Paris on the 20th (Sunday)
  
• So, really we only have Friday and Saturday.

We are still trying to decide on where we will stay. The hill-top villages sound interesting and yet we know for sure we want to day-trip to Cassis and the Calenques. We are still tossing around the option of a purely functional apt with little ambiance (at lower price) vs. a lovely B&B in an area we otherwise might not choose to drive to.
I've been going through the various trip reports and reviews...many are for weekly stay only or at a price point above ours. It gets very confusing hopping from thread to thread....often I've looked at the same rental more than once...

~~Any suggestions on your favorite spots is appreciated.
~~Also, any info on short boat trips from Cassis?

Beka,

This is a place I had bookmarked in Mirabeau, with the possibility of staying there on a business trip. I've never stayed there and don't know anyone who has, but it might work for you. There are apartments for a three night deal and also B&B options, and I think the prices are very reasonable. It is about 30 minutes from Aix (a bit farther from the TGV station), on the southeast side of the Luberon, and convenient to the autoroute. So you could get a taste of a small village and the countryside south of the Luberon but also be able to reach other places easily. You would be about one hour from Cassis.

You could see some more info about Mirabeau here.

As far as Cassis and the boats, it's pretty easy. There are several public lots in the town. Down at the little harbor, there is stand where you buy boat tickets. They sell three different length trips, (I think) from 45 minutes to 1-1/2 hours and depending on the length, you see more calanques. They do not offer every trip every hour, so you might just go on whichever one goes next. Enjoy lunch at one of the many restaurants around the harbor.

If you use the "search" function above and type in "Cassis," you'll find quite a few other threads where we've talked about Cassis. I think you'll find some photos too.

Kathy

P.S. If you end up staying at that place in Mirabeau, please please come back and write a review about it.

With only two days and a desire to do Cassis, I would stay near there and spend the two days exploring the coast.

The first thing I would suggest is that you limit your looking to hotels and B&Bs, since your chances of finding an apartment or house for a three-day stay at this late date are so slim it's not worth your time.

When I read your message, I immediately thought of a pretty country hotel with a fantastic restaurant where we had lunch several years ago. I haven't stayed at the hotel, but the restaurant was fantastic. It's less than 10 km from Aix, on the Route de Paul Cezanne near Mount Sainte Victoire, and in the general direction of Cassis, so it might be a good choice for a least one or two of your nights. You can see their website here: Le Relais Ste. Victoire.

We also have quite a long list of hotel & B&B reviews on the main site here. I would think you could find something wonderful based on those reviews. My personal favorite is Le Mas Perreal in St. Saturnin-Les-Apt, where we've stayed twice.

If you check the post I made last week, you'll find the web site for boat trips to the Calenques. There is also a scenic drive described along the Corniche des Cretes. I would do the Corniche/Cassis thing on Friday when the crowds might be smaller in Cassis.

We've dined at the Relais Ste Victoire twice & stayed there once. It's an excellent restaurant, but the hotel is only OK. I would only stay there if you are a big foodie. That region isn't my favorite either.

I would either stay at the place in Mirabeau kaydee mentioned (never visited the specific B&B) or Mas Perreal (have visited twice). Mirabeau is closer to Aix, but I think the Luberon where Mas Perreal is located is in a more scenic region.

On Saturday, if you are staying in Mirabeau, visit the excellent morning market in Aix, explore Aix, then have lunch on the Cours Mirabeau (in Aix) at Deux Garcons (reserve ahead). After lunch, take the drive through small villages in the southern Luberon that I described last week - going throug Lourmarin.

If you stay at Mas Perreal, start Saturday with a visit to the Apt market. After the market, do the northern Luberon village drive I described last week. Perhaps have lunch in Bonnieux at le Fournil - or wherever you end up at lunch time. Roussillon has lots of restaurants, but Gordes has some pretty mediocre ones.

Just one thing to mention about the boat rides to the Calenques: especially if that is your primary reason for going to Cassis, if you want to go on a day when the Mistral is kicking up, you should certainly call the Tourist Office BEFORE driving down to make sure the boats are going out. Could save you a drive and some precious vacation time.

By the way, I've been many times to Cassis (only once have I done the boat ride) and it's certainly worthwhile just to visit the village - and if the boats aren't going out, you can always take a hike at least into the first 1 or 2 calenques (though it's much prettier from the water)...

-Kevin

quote:

Originally posted by KevinWidrow:
Just one thing to mention about the boat rides to the Calenques: especially if that is your primary reason for going to Cassis, if you want to go on a day when the Mistral is kicking up, you should certainly call the Tourist Office BEFORE driving down to make sure the boats are going out. Could save you a drive and some precious vacation time.

By the way, I've been many times to Cassis (only once have I done the boat ride) and it's certainly worthwhile just to visit the village - and if the boats aren't going out, you can always take a hike at least into the first 1 or 2 calenques (though it's much prettier from the water)...

-Kevin

So ya'll...this is too funny but I just talked to Kevin!
Les Mas Perreal it is!
We decided to loosen our budget in favor of staying in such beautiful surroundings, and in an area we might not otherwise have chosen to visit.
Looks like we will have a very nice time there. We plan on touring Cassis/Calenques on Fri and the markets and village towns on Sat.
Pity we leave so early on Sunday.

quote:

Originally posted by Stu Dudley:
If you check the post I made last week, you'll find the web site for boat trips to the Calenques. There is also a scenic drive described along the Corniche des Cretes. I would do the Corniche/Cassis thing on Friday when the crowds might be smaller in Cassis.

We've dined at the Relais Ste Victoire twice & stayed there once. It's an excellent restaurant, but the hotel is only OK. I would only stay there if you are a big foodie. That region isn't my favorite either.

I would either stay at the place in Mirabeau kaydee mentioned (never visited the specific B&B) or Mas Perreal (have visited twice). Mirabeau is closer to Aix, but I think the Luberon where Mas Perreal is located is in a more scenic region.

On Saturday, if you are staying in Mirabeau, visit the excellent morning market in Aix, explore Aix, then have lunch on the Cours Mirabeau (in Aix) at Deux Garcons (reserve ahead). After lunch, take the drive through small villages in the southern Luberon that I described last week - going throug Lourmarin.

If you stay at Mas Perreal, start Saturday with a visit to the Apt market. After the market, do the northern Luberon village drive I described last week. Perhaps have lunch in Bonnieux at le Fournil - or wherever you end up at lunch time. Roussillon has lots of restaurants, but Gordes has some pretty mediocre ones.

Stu,
I'm sorry I went back and reread but I don't see the website (boats)?

So, as you can see we decided on Mas Perreal
We started to look at Mirabeau, but Mas Perreal was already settling in on the brain (the reviews are all so glowing), maybe another time.

Now I can start working on a list of all the restaurant market suggestions...

Beka, that is a great decision to expand your budget and travel a bit further. I think you will love Le Mas Perreal. All the praises are well deserved!

Kathy

quote:

Originally posted by ~Beka~:

quote:

Originally posted by KevinWidrow:
... you can always take a hike at least into the first 1 or 2 calenques (though it's much prettier from the water)...

Les Mas Perreal it is!

Beka, are you really going to stay with someone who in so many words told you to take a hike?

Actually you will be in the best hands of the Luberon.
Bon voyage.

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http://www.calanques-cassis.com/
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Yes, we're very happy with our decision thus far!
I'm sure we'll end up wishing we had more time to spend in Provence! But we'll just have to save it for another trip!

I was wondering if there any Roman ruins (or there's a certain Aqueduct I'm thinking of/forget the name) that are within an hour or two from Mas Perreal.

It might not make sense...but we keep seeing some pictures of the place and wonder if it could be part of our outing on Saturday afternoon?

Kevin?
Thanks all!

Pont du Gard?

quote:

Originally posted by JEH:
Pont du Gard?

Ah yes that sounds like the one!

So, what's the damage?
Too far?

quote:

Originally posted by ~Beka~:
I was wondering if there any Roman ruins (or there's a certain Aqueduct I'm thinking of/forget the name) that are within an hour or two from Mas Perreal.

Pont Julien.

Pont Julien is a small but lovely Roman bridge probably within 15 minutes of Mas Perreal. Pont du Gard is the huge Roman aqueduct, which is about an hour away, an easy drive.

The Barbegal Roman mills outside Arles.

I actually prefer it to the overrun Pont du Gard.
http://aquaduct.hobbysite.info/barbegal,marly,midi1.html

We hope to try for Pont du Gard on Saturday...the days are counting down now!

If only I wasn't so busy between now and when we leave.

we leave tomorrow....anyone heard what the weather is really like?

By the way, Beka, there is a quite nice little crepe cafe just outside the doors on the train station in Lyon. We had a quite nice snack there while waiting to catch our train to Aix last September.

Young, friendly staff.

Have a stupendous holiday

Ooh that would be perfect I think. We didn't want to go far while we wait for our next train. I wrote it down. But we will need something.

Is it the only such place, or does anyone else know the name?

Also, do you know if there are 'lockers' to lock up/hold your luggage at that train station (Lyon)?

So, I finally get around to an update of sorts.
Let me start by saying our stay at Mas Perreal was the best part of our trip really.

Our first flight and the day we arrived were overall interesting but grueling. The flight was to us due to time changes, an all day and all night flight. We were desperate for sleep and couldn't hardly get any despite earplugs and for one of us even an eye mask. Between loud, non-stop talkers I could hear from across the aisle and row, despite the music or movie coming through my personal earbuds.....and the screaming toddlers....you get the idea.

We could not check in early at our hotel. Somehow we thought by the time we got our bags and the bus to Paris central...it would be late morning. It was a lot earlier and we had extra junk (items we deemed valuable) to carry around because we weren't comfortable with the unlocked/public clos