30 days in South of France Itinerary

Well-known for the beautiful views of its famous Promenade des Anglais waterfront, Nice is an ethnically-diverse coastal port city on the French Riviera and the fifth most populated city in France.

Change things up with these side-trips from Nice: Lérins Islands (in Cannes) and Azur Wine Tours (in Vence). Spend the 6th (Mon) exploring the fascinating underwater world at Marineland. The adventure continues: wander the streets of Old Town, steep yourself in history at Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild, make a trip to Place Massena, and take in nature's colorful creations at Le Jardin Exotique d'Eze.

To find other places to visit, ratings, traveler tips, and other tourist information, use the Nice attractions planning website.

Boston, USA to Nice is an approximately 12.5-hour flight. The time zone difference when traveling from Boston to Nice is 6 hours. Traveling from Boston in June, plan for a bit warmer nights in Nice, with lows around 66°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 6th (Mon) early enough to catch the flight to Porto.

Kick off your visit on the 7th (Tue): don't miss a visit to Les Calanche Cliffs, identify plant and animal life at Nature Reserve of Scandola, and then head outdoors with D81. Keep things going the next day: explore the striking landscape at Calanques de Piana and then get interesting insight from Tours.

To find traveler tips, photos, ratings, and more tourist information, read our Porto trip tool.

Getting from Nice to Porto by flight takes about 2.5 hours. Other options: do a combination of ferry and car; or do a combination of ferry, train, and car. Traveling from Nice in June, expect a bit cooler with lows of 60°F in Porto. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 8th (Wed) to allow time to fly to Avignon.

An ancient town center surrounded by medieval ramparts, Avignon is a major city of Provence and a Mediterranean city in the Vaucluse department on the left bank of the Rhône River.

Explore Avignon's surroundings by going to Arles (Eglise St-Trophime & Amphitheatre (les Arenes)), Carrieres des Lumieres (in Les Baux de Provence) and Abbaye Notre-Dame de Senanque (in Gordes). And it doesn't end there: explore the historical opulence of Palais des Papes, take in the views from Pont d'Avignon, look for all kinds of wild species at Le Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau, and explore the ancient world of La Maison Carree.

To find traveler tips, reviews, photos, and other tourist information, refer to the Avignon trip itinerary planning tool.

Traveling by flight from Porto to Avignon takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of car and ferry; or do a combination of car, train, ferry, and bus. In June, daytime highs in Avignon are 83°F, while nighttime lows are 60°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 11th (Sat) early enough to drive to Carcassonne.

Best known as a fortified town, Carcassonne is a walled city that provided the inspiration for the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" and the location for many scenes in Kevin Costner's movie "Robin Hood." For a daily dose of excitement, medieval jousting tournaments are held twice per day between the two walls--while this may sound like a typical touristy show, it's actually an entertaining display of combative competition and horsemanship.

Carcassonne is known for historic sites, nature, and museums. Your trip includes some of its best attractions: wander the streets of Cité de Carcassonne, contemplate the waterfront views at Lac de Cavayere, take your sightseeing to a higher altitude at Mount Perdu, and pause for some serene contemplation at Eglise Saint-Vincent de Carcassonne.

To find where to stay, reviews, maps, and more tourist information, use the Carcassonne itinerary planner.

Drive from Avignon to Carcassonne in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train; or take a bus. June in Carcassonne sees daily highs of 79°F and lows of 59°F at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 14th (Tue) early enough to drive to Sarlat-la-Caneda.

Sarlat-la-Caneda is the capital of the former Périgord Noir, now referred to as the Aquitaine region that is home to a historical area consisting of impeccably preserved 14th-century buildings and sites.

Get out of town with these interesting Sarlat-la-Caneda side-trips: Bergerac Wine Tours (in Eymet), Gouffre de Padirac (in Padirac) and Chateau Feely (in Saussignac). There's still lots to do: explore the historical opulence of Chateau des Milandes, admire the natural beauty at Les Jardins d'Eau, contemplate the long history of Chateau de Castelnaud, and don't miss a visit to Chateau de Beynac.

For maps, traveler tips, and more tourist information, read Sarlat-la-Caneda road trip website.

Traveling by car from Carcassonne to Sarlat-la-Caneda takes 3 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train; or do a combination of train and bus. In June, plan for daily highs up to 80°F, and evening lows to 55°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 18th (Sat) early enough to catch the flight to Saint-Raphael.

Saint-Raphael vacations have so much more to offer than an indulgent splurge on a beach.

Explore Saint-Raphael's surroundings by going to Route des Cretes La Palud (in La Palud sur Verdon), Forcerie Vial (in Tanneron) and Eco Gliss (in Les Issambres). There's lots more to do: make a trip to Massif de l'Esterel, learn about winemaking at Domaine Val d'Iris, admire the natural beauty at Kuentz le Monde des Cactus, and experience rural life at La Ferme des Cairns.

To see maps, traveler tips, other places to visit, and more tourist information, read our Saint-Raphael tour itinerary website.

Fly from Sarlat-la-Caneda to Saint-Raphael in 5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of train and flight; or drive. June in Saint-Raphael sees daily highs of 85°F and lows of 59°F at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 22nd (Wed) to allow enough time to drive to Hyeres.

Hyères, Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm, or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.The old town lies 4km from the sea clustered around the Castle of Saint Bernard, which is set on a hill. Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Hyeres: Domaine Sainte Marie (in Bormes-Les-Mimosas), La Croix-Valmer (Plage de Gigaro & Le Cap Lardier) and Port Grimaud (in Grimaud). Next up on the itinerary: walk around Parc St Bernard, explore the striking landscape at Sentier Jean Francois Jube, see majestic marine mammals with Decouverte du Vivant, and awaken your taste buds at Wine Tours Provence & Riviera.

To find reviews, ratings, other places to visit, and tourist information, go to the Hyeres day trip planning website.

Traveling by car from Saint-Raphael to Hyeres takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus; or do a combination of bus and train. When traveling from Saint-Raphael in June, plan for slightly colder days in Hyeres, with highs around 79°F, while nights are about the same with lows around 60°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 26th (Sun) to allow enough time to drive to Marseille.

The 2013 European "Capital of Culture," Marseille is the largest port city on the breezy Mediterranean coast and the second largest city in France.

You'll find plenty of places to visit near Marseille: Route des Cretes (in La Ciotat), Saint Michel Church (in Cassis) and Aix-en-Provence (Paul Cezanne’s Studio, Paroisse Cathédrale Saint Sauveur Aix-en-Provence, &more). Spend the 28th (Tue) exploring nature at Parc National des Calanques. Next up on the itinerary: contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, wander the streets of The Panier, make a trip to Randonnees theatrales Marcel Pagnol Cie Dans la cour des Grands, and take in the waterfront at Le Vieux Port.

For ratings, where to stay, other places to visit, and more tourist information, refer to the Marseille online tour itinerary planner.

Traveling by car from Hyeres to Marseille takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train; or take a bus. In June, daytime highs in Marseille are 83°F, while nighttime lows are 63°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 30th (Thu) so you can catch the flight back home.