Quote:
Originally Posted by multiweb
Unfortunately I haven't got any astro club contacts in France. Bourges is fairly central with darker skies towards Clermont-Ferrand. But as you mentioned you were heading SE towards Avignon if you get a chance go to the Durance Valley past Manosque and you'll get some real dark skies there. I'd give Marseille a miss TBH but worth having a quick browse I guess if you've never been there. Depends what you're after. The coast is very touristic (St Tropez, Nice, Cannes, Monaco). As an analogy, going there only would be like a trip to Oz then go to Bondi and Cronulla and miss all the other fantastic beaches 1 or 2h out of Sydney.
If you like to go outside the beaten track a bit I'd recommend Aix-en provence, Pertuis (Vaucluse), Avignon, Sisteron, Dignes-les-bains. I grew up in Provence, My brother was born in Dignes and my boy also was born around Aix (Pertuis) although he's an Aussie now and tells me I talk funny.  so if you need any more details just PM me. 
PS: June will be nice and hot. |
Hey Marc, great to hear from you, your local knowledge is much appreciated, and I will take you up on the offer of Pm-ing in the coming months.
I am hugely drawn to the Vaucluse area of Provence area, which is why I am planning to spend a large chunk of my holiday there. The main places on my list to visit in that area at the moment include Chateauneuf du Paps, Carpentras, Vaison la Romaine, Gordes (including the Abbaye de Senanque), Menerbes, and St Remy de Provence, as well as Avignon itself. I am also planning to visit Nimes and the Pont du Gard to the west of Avignon. I will keep in mind the Manosque area to the east that you mention, too, so thanks for that suggestion.
I am driving south from Bourges to Avignon through the Drome area, maybe staying around Tournon sur Rhone, I hope the skies will be quite dark on the night I stay in Tournon, I will have a pair of binos with me to look at some of the brighter Northern objects if the sky is clear.
What is it about Marseille that you think is not so good? A few people have said this to me. I am aware it has a lot of migrants from Africa, and is not the happiest place on earth (certainly not compared with Provence etc), but it is part of what is modern France, and it gives me a chance to get to the Mediterranean. Aix is only 25km to the North of Marseilles, so I can do a day trip there comfortably from Marseille, too.
I understand what you mean about the Cote d'Azur. I am not keen to go there on this trip, it sounds overpriced, overdeveloped, and overrun by tourists and faux glamour! Not to mention the crippling traffic!
If I was to abandon Marseilles, and spend three days at some other Mediterranean location, what would you recommend?
Thanks for your ideas and help.