Updates
Itinerary
The plan so far — ✦ marks the birthday night
Travel Board
A nice spot for everyone's travel info to live in one place
Photo Album
A shared album — everyone can add their snaps
Explore Provence
None of us have been — here's the lay of the land
☀️ October weather
Early autumn in Provence is mild, golden and far quieter than summer — but pack a layer for the evenings and a light rain jacket just in case.
Expect warm, pleasant afternoons and cool nights. October sees roughly 9 rainy days across the month, so showers are possible but rarely all day. Bring: layers, a sweater or light jacket for evenings, comfortable shoes for the cobbled villages, sunglasses, and a packable rain layer.
Where to wander
Drive times from the villa in Eyragues
Eyragues
Our home base — a quiet Alpilles village with cafés, a church square and a lovely Friday morning market right on the doorstep.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Postcard old town of shaded squares and fountains. Home to one of Provence's finest markets (Wednesdays), the Roman ruins of Glanum, and the monastery where Van Gogh painted.
Eygalières
A serene hilltop village ringed by olive groves and vineyards, with weathered chapels and sweeping Alpilles views. Wine-tasting country.
Les Baux-de-Provence
A dramatic clifftop village voted one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France." Don't miss Carrières des Lumières — a quarry turned immersive art show projected across the rock walls.
Avignon
The walled papal city — the vast Gothic Palais des Papes, the famous half-bridge (Pont d'Avignon), and elegant streets for shopping and long lunches. Also our TGV gateway.
Pont du Gard
A breathtaking, perfectly preserved Roman aqueduct spanning the river — a UNESCO World Heritage site and an easy, jaw-dropping half-day trip.
Details
🏡 The Villa
An 18th-century bastide and its old mill in the heart of Eyragues, with a pool and a spacious garden. 10 min from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, 20 min from Avignon TGV.
✈️ Getting there
By air: the best airport is Marseille Provence (MRS) — roughly 45–50 min drive to the villa.
From Paris: Paris → Avignon, ~3-hr direct train, then ~30 min drive to the villa.
MRS · 45–50 minAvignon TGV · ~30 min🚄 Direct trains from Paris
If you're in Paris first, take a direct TGV INOUI from Paris Gare de Lyon to Avignon TGV — about 2h40 (fastest ~2h36). Roughly 18 direct trains run daily.
⚠️ Book only the “Direct” ones. Each train is labelled Direct or Connection — choose Direct to avoid changing trains (usually at Lyon). And make sure it's Avignon TGV (the high-speed station, ~30 min from the villa), not Avignon Centre.
Where to book: SNCF Connect (the official French rail site & app) or Trainline / Omio in English.
💡 Fares start around €25 and climb closer to the date — book a couple of months ahead for the cheapest seats. October tickets usually go on sale ~4 months prior.
Gare de Lyon → Avignon TGV~2h40 · Directfrom ~€25🗓️ Dates
Arrive Thursday, 8 October · Depart Monday, 12 October.
Four nights in Provence for Matty's big one. 🥂
Ask Matt
The questions everyone's asking