we want to stay for a week in provence. Need to keep wife and 17yo dau busy at night.will have car and do day trips in provence. Like Avignon so far ,advise on arles and aix. Want small town atmoshere with some late night activity. Thanks
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We spent a week in Avignon in 2007 and really liked it as a base for exploring Provence. As a university town, there is stuff going on for younger people.
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Based on your last sentence, I vote for Avignon. Aix would probably be okay, but it, to me, does not offer the small town atmosphere. Avignon is filled with young people at night and during the day. There is a fairly good sized university there and I see bunches of young people on the streets when I go there. My teenage daughter loves going there with her friends.
I like Arles, but it is not one of my favorite places. Still, you%26#39;d probably be okay there too.
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Hi,
My hometown is close to these places.
Avignon and Aix are both very nice cities for staying one week.
Personnally, maybe I would prefer Aix. Both cities have late night activity with small town atmosphere in the downtown. Both cities have good position in Provence area.
I don%26#39;t know Arles at night but I suppose it%26#39;s more quiet. Anyway, it%26#39;s further from the best places to visit in Provence.
For accomodation: choose downtown place. It%26#39;s more convenient.
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I just spent three weeks based in Aix and truly loved this town. It also is a university town, and there were always lots of young poeple around town. There are tons of restaurants and lots of shopping your 17-year-old would like. I also spent time in both Arles and Avignon and loved both of these towns, too. Arles and Avignon are more historical and seemed to me to be more quiet (but I was there in January, so everywhere was more quiet!). The center ville of Aix is very walkable. Since you have a car, you won%26#39;t be limited at all, but if you decide to use public transportation, you can get around very easily as well.
Pam
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I%26#39;m not a fan of Avignon tbh, it has a big city feel to me. i would choose Aix to keep your wife and daughter happy if they want night life, as there is a big student population and loads of bars open in the evening.
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Okay my dear Chic, I am going to take you to Avignon on your next visit and let you see the Avignon I know ... :-) :-) :-) Just pullin%26#39; your leg - unless you really do want to head to Avignon.
No, really, each of us has our own likes and dislikes, but it is hard for me to think of Avignon as a big city/town.
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%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;I%26#39;m not a fan of Avignon tbh, it has a big city feel to me%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;
I think you do those, who do not know these locations well, a great disservice by negatively characterizing worthy destinations of cultural significance and historical importance.
One could just as easily label Paris as overpopulated, full of thieves and roaming bands of disenfranchised, angry youths smashing windows and burning cars. Or as Sarkozy said himself several years ago %26quot;troublemakers, hoodlums, who do whatever they want%26quot;.
However Parisian tourists generally do not make excursions out to Aulnay sous Bois and there have been few recent riots in the Latin Quarter. There are areas of Avignon into which the average tourist should not venture at night but these are not the areas of tourism. The old walled city of Avignon is perfectly safe and sufficiently small so as to be fully explored on foot in a day, even less. If one avails himself of the 850 parking spaces below the courtyard in front of Le Palais des Papes, he can drive to within a short walk of many hotels and exit the city just as quickly.
Avignon is a cultural gem and arguably the central location for exploring most of the principal touristic destinations of Provence. To characterize it otherwise cheats those who would naturally be drawn to its concert halls, restaurants, museums, monuments, and festivals.
Everyone is entitled to draw his own opinions. However, outline a destinations strengths and weaknesses and allow the traveling public make their own conclusions.
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Aix %26amp; Avignon are both university towns , so are full of young people and thing to do at night,but neither are small places, in France small villages do not have much night life for youngsters, restaurants yes,
Take your choice, I think Aix is a little more chic!
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What sort of accommodation are you thinking of as this might be a major factor in your final choice of base.
Personally I would pick Avignon or Arles. We love both towns and would be hard pushed to choose between either for a weeks break but on balance I would opt for Arles. It does have the small town atmosphere, there are some easily accessable areas to visit on its door step (OK so has Avignon) and it has a great Saturday market.
Have a nice trip
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Aix has a fun and meandering outdoor market too -- on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. We enjoyed seeing all the foods and wares -- from used furs to a huge pan of paella to 20 different kinds of mushrooms to piles of freshly-made soap to old books and antiques, plus all the assorted junk scattered throughout.
Pam
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