In part 1 of our Self-driving France series, we covered everything from car-hire, speed limits and petrol as well as highlighting the gorgeous Alsace region. The series continued with part 2 offering helpful tips on tolls and parking whilst exploring several beautiful regions of southern France.
In this third and final instalment of self-driving France, we explore the beautiful Provence region, and we weigh up the pros and cons of driving in Paris.
Uzes, Provence
Our next destination was Uzes, in Provence. Leaving the Gorge country, we initially went to Avignon to collect Aidan, who had left us for a period at the end of the Iberian trip, so he could visit the ICC world Cricket Test Championship in London. The drive out of the Gorge country was remarkable.
Driving in Provence
About half an hour after leaving Meyrueis, we drove through a small village, turning onto what appeared to be a small laneway but was, in fact, the beginning of the Corniches de Cevennes. Turning onto some of these roads can be a nervous proposition. On this drive part of me was nervous, canvassing areas to fall back in case something approached from the other direction. The road was narrow, and it was a steep ascent with a massive drop to the right. However, nothing came the other way except a couple of motorbikes and so, one is left with the overwhelming feeling of “this is simply awesome”. It truly was!
We rang one of our sons in Australia that day, on his Birthday: driving this road and having a chat back to Australia – not exactly pink elephants floating down a street but, surreal is most definitely what this was.
Did Someone Say Wine?
We collected our son from Avignon train station and visited a few villages and towns including the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a region of vineyards that are famously covered with millions of small red rocks around the vines so as to capture the heat. The wines are principally a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (or what we call here in Oz, a GSM, though 10 other grape varieties can also be used). The wines are seriously good, though not cheap.
Summer in Provence
A fundamental objective of our holiday was to reach this part of France to see the Lavender in bloom during the Provencal summer. For all the wonderful drives and visits we had over the coming days and the exceptional accommodation in Uzes, seeing the lavender in the fields was a bucket list moment for us; Narelle in particular.
June in Provence is hot. Mid 30s when we were there, so a drive is a great way to stay cool and see things. But we also had bludge days next to the swimming pool, lunching under the fig tree in the garden, and wandering into Uzes in the cooler evening for dinner.
Self-driving Day Trips in Provence
Day trips took us to the magnificent Gourdes. If you’ve seen the fantastic film “A Good Year” you will recognise this as the town where Russell Crowe’s character waits tables while trying to woo Marion Cotillard. If you haven’t seen the film, please do. You’ll be booking a flight to France the next day!
We also visited L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Lourmarin – both simply wonderful. Another day we went to the Camargue. This is flamingo country and in the fields near the marshes are the stunning vibrant white Carmague horses. You can ride them along the beach – Promenade a Cheval.
Big black bulls also feature in the countryside and yes, having a Spanish cultural crossover, there is a bull fighting ring, though we didn’t visit this when we went through Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
We walked the town of Aigues-Mortes which boasts around 1.6km of preserved fortress walls encircling the old city and where to this day, about 300,000 tonnes of salt is harvested every year – all by hand.
Our host in Uzes advised us of a route over the Luberon that we could take to see extraordinary vistas of lavender fields – and – then make our way through a beautiful Parc Natural as we headed towards the Alps and our next stay in Annecy. He was spot on, we saw field after field of purple, all different, some in full bloom and some partially, with others yet to show their glory. It was all magnificent. And, as our host had advised, there was no one around.
It is one of the remarkable things when travelling by car in France (and Europe in general) how often one finds oneself in places where there is not a soul around. No cars, no people. As we know in Australia, you can fit France inside Qld, and it has over 20 times the population of the Sunshine state – yet so often we were on drives where we had the beauty and the space, all to ourselves. Every day of this trip had “pinch me” moments but often, the whole day is one long moment that transcends belief!
Annecy
Annecy is a town where tourist DO go. It is well set up for the bus loads that arrive – yet absolutely worth the visit. At 450m asl the town and its’ lake of the same name, is surrounded by the Alps. Often called the Venice of the Alps as the ancient and beautiful town is intertwined with canals running off the river Thiou, that comes from the lake.
We walked through the old town then I swam in the Alpine lake on a day in the mid 30s, admiring the snow on the mountains! Pinch me. We should have got E bikes, they are easily available in Annecy, and the university town is well set up for them, especially around the lake.
Where to Stay in Annecy
We had booked a special hotel in Annecy, not cheap, but awesome views over the lake from our balcony. Sunrise was a highlight, as was the dinner in the hotel’s Michelin star restaurant. There are plenty of Michelin star restaurants around the lake. Ours was a great experience but cost a fortune! Annecy is a favourite holiday place for Europe’s wealthy and a stay there whilst extraordinary, can be expensive. Deep research on accommodation options and deals will make it much more accessible.
After our wonderful stay in Annecy, we set off for Paris, approaching the end of our trip.
Paris
In 2017 I drove into Paris to our accommodation at a hotel near the Luxembourg Gardens (an absolute favourite spot in the great city). It was mid to late morning on a Monday and so I’d hoped the traffic would be as forgiving as it ever would be. I was wrong; it was a nightmare.
Traffic in Paris
All the driving on that 2017 trip (into Amsterdam and out of Paris – with most time in southern France) had been in rural areas and smaller towns – a few larger places too such as Bordeaux – but Paris was another animal all together. I was not prepared for the street set up and the traffic and the intensity. I swore (geez I swore) I’d never drive in Paris or any other capital city in Europe ever again.
In 2023, due to a medical situation with one of our sons, I had to again, drive into Paris. The original plan was to return the car (on the outskirts near the airport) and then get the train into Paris. This is actually the sensible thing to do anyway, you do not need a car in Paris; you can walk or cab or metro to everything. But in 2023, I did!
It was a Friday afternoon in peak hour and there’d been rain. Well stuff me, I nailed it! I dropped the family at the hotel and then my eldest son and I drove through the centre of town to the airport and dropped the car off – I had become completely comfortable in the setting. The message is, it takes time but even the most difficult circumstances become habit after a time in Europe.
This most recent trip, I “chose” to drive into Paris, we dropped our luggage at the hotel before returning the vehicle and getting the train back to the Luxembourg Gardens. No problem.
Slow Travel in Paris
On this most recent trip, we didn’t visit the Louvre, or the Eiffel Tower, or The Arc de Triumph, or Notre Dame. Of course we went to these places on first visits, you have to; they are a must, but, it is lovely to not feel that need, to avoid the crowd, to instead visit an old undercover market, or a special lane way with famous and ridiculously cheap and extraordinary food. To go to a concert by The The or Nick Cave. The point is, when time is of the essence and the opportunity only allows so much experience, then it is of course going to be the way things are done. However, when you have the time, a whole other level of experience opens up and is there for the taking.
Driving in France, if you get the chance to experience it, is a gift that will stay with you forever. You’ll reach levels of understanding of a culture and lifestyle of a very special place on Earth, that most never get to see. Someone comes back from three weeks in Europe having spent a night or two in numerous cities including 2 nights in Paris and tells me “It’s dirty”…that is water off a ducks back to me. Firstly, it’s only as dirty as any other city, it depends where you go, or where they take you, and secondly, is that going to be the limit of what you see of France? So many places, so much to see, but in my view, if you have a month, or two, and can’t decide which country to visit, then France is at the top of our list.
We’ll visit other countries in the future – and they are wonderful – in 2029 we plan to spend a couple of months in Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, but first, in 2027 it’s a deep dive into France and Spain, and we’ll start that with 4 weeks in Beaulieu sur Dordogne – booked and deposit paid! Happy driving.
Please note: all advice, observations etc are made in good faith and were our experience as best recalled. All prospective travellers should do due diligence on all matters relating to travel (and the subjects covered in this journal) and take responsibility for their own decisions.
John is a husband and is father to three adult sons. He spent 35 years in the wine industry and travelling to wine regions is a passion of his. A drive through vineyards in the great regions of the world is paradise for John. If asked, he says that a day’s drive through the Alto Douro in Portugal was his greatest vineyard experience – but it’s a tough choice!
