Wanted: daytrips from Aix-en-Provence, France

August 9, 2013 11:44 AM

I'm cat-sitting for a few weeks in a small village 20 minutes south of Aix-en-Provence. Because of the cats, I am limited to daytrips, but I do have use of a car. I'm looking for interesting or quirky places to visit. These could be in a city, town or the countryside.

I've seen this question, but am hoping for expanded options. I'm probably limited to about a 150 km radius around Aix. I'm ok with short hikes but it is in the low to mid 30s (90 degrees) here most days. I have a decent handle on the major sights in Marseille, Aix, Arles, and Avignon, but lesser known destinations there would be welcome too. I'm by myself. I'd prefer to do trips like, drive an hour or two, see one or two interesting things in a couple of hours, and come back to the patio here for a glass of wine, vs. exhausting 12 hour extravaganzas.

The kinds of places I like to go are low-key churches, caves (I know about the major ones in the Ardeche), archaeological sites, especially if active, modern art, modern architecture, walks by rivers, industrial tours, factory tours, modern ruins, World War II sites. But I'm open to anything you might have really enjoyed, especially if it was less crowded than typical, and in some way unusual or offbeat.

posted by Rumple to Travel & Transportation around Viry-Châtillon, France (5 answers total)

Best answer: I really liked Rustrel's ocher pit; that's probably 90 minutes away. It's good for a little hike, but the colors are breathtaking. Photos don't really do it justice. Be careful of your clothes getting stained...
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:53 AM on August 9, 2013

Best answer: Nice? I LOVED NICE.

Grasse... great time of year... smell the lavender and visit the perfume museums.

Gorges du Verdon? It's France's Grand Canyon

Drive the Route Napoleon... one of the most scenic drives in the world.

Oh take me with you... I loved Aix-en-P.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 11:59 AM on August 9, 2013

Best answer: Digne-les-Bains has a wonderful geological museum and a massive wall of ammonites. Plus, stashed all around the area are cairns by Andy Goldsworthy. Even the town's rather odd museum (Gassendi Museum) has a wonderful wall that he made from local clay and hair from Scotland. (I realize that sounds strange, but really it's a great piece.) It's a charming little city on the Route Napoleon and will be filled with the scent lavender this time of year.
posted by montaigneisright at 3:05 PM on August 9, 2013

Best answer: Saint-Chamas is a tiny town with a big, preserved Roman bridge on the edge of it. Worth a 1/2 hour stop, you might have it all to yourself. Nearby is Miramas-le-Vieux, a pretty medieval hilltop town to walk through. Again, not a destination in itself, but nice enough if you're in the area.

Vaison-la-Romaine might be a "bigger" spot that you already know about, but it'd be a relatively easy drive for you.

One thing I wanted to do in the area, but missed: the Bernard Castelain chocolate shop/factory in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
posted by gimonca at 9:49 PM on August 9, 2013

Response by poster: Belated thanks -- each of you gave me at least one great idea! Admiral Haddock - that ocher pit looks amazing.

I have another two weeks as well, so if anyone finds this, add your ideas.
posted by Rumple at 7:53 AM on August 13, 2013