DK Travel : Provence and Côte d'Azur : Places to stay

Avignon

Rather than the better-known and more touristy cities like Nice and Marseille, try staying in a smaller city like Avignon. It is truly beautiful with gorgeous architecture and parks, has its own museum, still has the big shops - and the hotels are roughly half the price of those in Nice! We found loads of gorgeous little outdoor restaurants where they do 2 courses for 8 euros in the Place de la Horloge, near the Palais de Papes. Try it - it's really worth it!
Hotel Eza Vista

Great "residence" hotel, clean and spacious. Good value for a family of five, and right next door to a great little bakery (and Fragonard Perfumery, if you are intereted). We have three children, so the kitchenette and the hotel's proximity to Nice, Monaco, etc. made our trip that much more enjoyable.
Hotel Ibis Marseille Centre Bourse

Less than 500 m from the old port, the Ibis Marseille Centre Bourse hotel is in the heart of Marseille, close to historic monuments and tourist sites. A short stroll from the Canebière, with a wide variety of choices for eating and drinking: restaurants, cafés, etc. The hotel has 51 air-conditioned rooms available for booking, including 2 for disabled guests, a bar open 24/24 and Wifi connection. The hotel is entirely non-smoking. Pets accepted.
la maison sur la sorgue

We have just returned from a delightful stay at La Maison sur la Sorgue. The house itself has been beautifully and luxury restored, without losing any of its original Provencal charm. with charming hosts, who guided us on things to do and see and even offered us an aperitif! The breakfasts are delicious and very elegantly presented. A great stay in a wonderful town.
Les Roulottes

In La Serve in southwest France, deep in the Arcadian beauty of the Beaujolais with its softly rolling hills, three historic roulottes, or gypsy wagons, stand in a luscious meadow among trees brimming with apples.

These wagons have retired from their life on the road and, with their wheels standing still, offer accommodation for guests at Les Roulottes. Great attention to detail has been paid to the restoration of the wagons – there are beautiful built-in Art Nouveau cupboards with fine curved doors, an original (though no longer functioning) wood-burning stove shining proudly in a corner,. Rich claret-coloured brocade, velour and velvet furnishings that shimmer alongside lacy curtains and yellowing photographs of the original inhabitants adorning the walls.

Staying here is a bit like camping. You meet other guests on the way to use the facilities in the main building and in the morning you shuffle through dew-drenched grass to breakfast, which is, by the way, delicious.

It is a happy, peaceful little place: horses graze in the meadow, sheep laze in the field next door, and even the numerous cats and dogs play together amicably.
Maeva Les Mazets de Camargue Residence

Ideal for a family, this "vacation village" allows you to feel like you are on vacation without breaking the bank. Afternoon activity programs for the children.