Central Avignon is just a small town not unlike many others, particularly if you (and you should) stay within the old city walls. There is a bus from Avignon to St Rémy but, at that time of year, I don´t think that there are many buses from St Rémy to anywhere but Avignon making St Rémy a poor choice as a base, unless you have a car.

This website has all the relevant information about Avignon: hotels, restaurants, and tours:

http://www.ot-avignon.fr/

Avignon would be an OK base. Public transportation in Provence is not set up for touristic travel, rather for French citizens to get back and forth to work and school. In Provence "quiet" usually means small...small means hard to get to (and from) unless you have a car.

As Sarastro has mentioned, the old town is small; I imagine if you're staying for just a few days/nights that you'll be staying in hotel. To be extra sure of having peace and quiet, ask for a room away from the street, either over-looking a garden or a courtyard. Many hotels in Avignon have staff who speak English if needed, so you could phone or email to ask for such accommodation. The TO staff also have a good level of English, and any queries are dealt with quickly.

Thanks for all your helpful replies. Your advice has confirmed that it would be best to stay in Avignon after all. Best wishes.

Hotel Le Colbert in Avignon has rooms around a small patio that are very quiet.

Of course you can get from Avignon to St Remy but Avignon Arles is the easiest.

I will suggest that you book a B&B in Avignon then most of the time the hostess will give you excellent advices. I found really a bargain since you will have all trick to do as a Provencal does

I preer to be out off the town since is more authentic. Jardin de Bacchus in Tavel is quite a nice B&Bn English like their mother tongs and they are nice people. Bus to and from Avignon at least 12 times a day for only 1,5€.

Randy...please try and find a way to use "spellcheck", so your post can be understood...

Thanks...

Here's the link for buses between St Remy and Avignon (line 57) and St Remy and Arles (line 54).

The frequency of these buses does not change according to the season. What you have to keep an eye on is school and public holidays, which do make a difference. I've stayed in St Remy many times, relying on public transport and have been able to get to most places I wanted to see, with careful planning.

The only bus from St Remy that is seasonal is the one that goes to Arles via Les Baux and which runs during the summer.

would help if I remembered to put the link in wouldn't it!

www.lepilote.com/horaires_ligne/…