Exploring the winding paths of southern France leads to unexpected delights for independent travelers.

By Dan Allen

There was a time when few but the wealthiest, most seasoned or adventurous of American travelers dared to explore the wonders of France beyond Paris on their own, sans the comfort and simplicity (but also the myopic -- and, let's face it, bourgeois -- shackles) of a package tour. Unfortunately, money, time, and ease are critical considerations for most holiday planners, so the idea of freewheeling it around France used to seem fraught with potential for disaster.

Fear to explore no more, frugal Francophile. Thanks especially to two major developments in the French tourism industry -- namely fast trains and discount airlines -- the idea of experiencing France's greater glory is now a highly feasible and virtually worry-free option. And, as luck would have it, nowhere does the economy and effortlessness of experiencing Gaul on one's own agenda better shine than in the glorious southern regions of Provence and Côte d'Azur. Naturally, given the timeless allure of Paris, it's hard (or even crazy) to fathom a trip to France without at least a few days in its magical capital -- but with a few extra days and dollars, soaking up the sun and sites of the south as a side jaunt from the City of Lights has never been more downright doable.

For about $125, a TGV train [www.tgv.com/EN] will kick off your foray into southern France, whisking you in under three hours from Paris to Avignon, your gateway to Provence and points beyond. Upon arrival at the Avignon TGV station, hop directly into your rental car, which is easily arranged pre-trip (weekly rates start at about $300, with no added fees for the eventual drop-off at Nice airport) through Auto Europe [tel. (888) 223-5555, www.autoeurope.com]. You're now free to move about the country.

Just a quick 11-mile drive south from Avignon lies the history-baked, yet thoroughly modern, town of St-Rémy-de-Provence, long cherished by hip, creative Parisians as the perfect place for a peaceful Provenal escape. Even Vincent Van Gogh rested here for a year (albeit not under the happiest of circumstances -- near the end of his life he was cared for by the nuns of Monastre St-Paul-de-Mausole on the bottom edge of town). Just next to the monastery lie the sprawling and fascinating ancient Roman ruins of Glanum, where traces of even earlier Celtic-Ligurian predecessors can still be seen today. St-Rémy is also the birthplace of Nostradamus, as denoted by a rather anticlimactic plaque on rue Hoche near the town center.

Sleep-wise in St-Rémy, seekers of solace (and the stray leisurely art class) will cherish Sous les Figuiers [3 avenue Taillandier, tel. (04) 32 50 15 40, www.hotel-charme-provence.com], a tranquil bed and breakfast run by a wonderfully groovy and amiable lesbian couple. Those after a more upscale vibe may prefer Hôtel Les Ateliers de l'Image [36 boulevard Victor Hugo, 5 avenue Pasteur, tel. (04) 90 92 51 50, www.hotelphoto.com], blending the best in Scandinavian and Provenal design, and gushing at every turn with both hipness and hospitality. For gastronomic sustenance, La Gousse d'Ail [6 boulevard Marceau, tel. (04) 90 92 16 87] is sure to delight with its delectable menu, its attentive and attractive staff, and its eclectic décor (think old-school fancy with just enough cobwebs to quash ostentation).

Fifteen minutes south of St-Rémy -- and straight up into an Alpilles mountain outcrop -- lies Les Baux, one of France's most popular tourist destinations. An elaborate mountaintop city/cháteau complex dating from early medieval times, Les Baux was abandoned for centuries before bauxite (which takes its name from the place) was discovered nearby in the early 19th century. The town's ancient and lovingly preserved structures now host a variety of museums, galleries, and shops. Mind the alpine winds, which can be fierce -- underdress and you'll be sorry.

Having tasted Provence's rugged inner beauty, it's time to dash down to the sea shore for a gander at her more outwardly lively loveliness. First stop: France's oldest city, Marseille. After an extended spell of borderline down-troddeness, this multicultural metropolis is now on the fast track toward reclaiming its rightful place on the global radar. First settled by Greeks in the sixth century BC, Marseille's strategic Vieux Port (around which city life still centers) has long made it a place of rampant (and sometimes raucous) culture-blending -- which also accounts for its unique-in-France vocabulary, borrowed over the centuries from many a foreign sailor and settler. Though not long ago few might have considered holidaying here, the TGV and the increased flow of visitor euros have fostered a virtual rebirth for the city. Its energetic and easily navigable gay scene adds extra appeal for out-of-town LGBT folk, French and foreign alike. The recently renovated Hôtel Mercure Beauvau Vieux Port [4 rue Beauvau, tel. (04) 91 54 91 00, www.mercure.com], a historic gem that has housed the likes of Chopin and George Sand, couldn't be more centrally located for exploring the city by both day and night (most of Marseille's gay bars are within a stone's throw).

Eastward along the French Mediterranean coast lie a bevy of beautiful seaside towns, best breezed through quickly (unless time is of no concern) lest one be lulled into never leaving. Two spots straddling the Provence/Côte d'Azur border are, however, mandatory stops: those white hot sisters of haute hedonism, St-Tropez and Cannes. The former, a long-cherished haven of Europe's sun-seeking jet set, is actually a lovely and picturesque hamlet during the off-season, with the added bonus of some very high-end shopping possibilities. But for those who crave true wallet-emptying, few places will more blithely oblige than Cannes, home not just to the renowned annual film festival, but a veritable pantheon of ultra-expensive shops as well. Cannes also boasts a year-round hip gay contingent, evident (along with the city's penchant for fine dining with a flair) at Le Barbarella [16 rue Saint Dizier, tel. (04) 92 99 17 33], where well-heeled homos are wont to mingle and munch.

After a day of spending and an evening of blending by the sea, head a few minutes inland for some quiet respite to the charming hilltop town of Mougins, once home to Picasso and several of his Surrealist pals. The delightfully eclectic four-star, 11-room Hôtel les Muscadins [18 boulevard Courteline, tel. (04) 92 28 43 43, www.lemascandille.com/lemuscadins.html], lying at the entrance of Mougins' old town area, was, in fact, Señor Picasso's first local residence. Slightly further afield -- but worth the trek -- is the upscale yet intimate (and very gay-friendly) B&B Les Rosées [238 Chemin de Font Neuve, tel. (04) 92 92 29 64, www.les-rosees.com], where the recent guest list includes Liza Minnelli. But Mougins' award for Most Star-Studded Address must go to Le Moulin de Mougins [Notre-Dame-de-Vie, tel. (04) 93 75 78 24, www.moulin-mougins.com], the restaurant/hotel where world-acclaimed chef Alain Llorca famously feeds the famous (especially during Cannes), and teaches wildly popular cooking classes year-round [info (04) 93 75 35 70]. For an extravagant sleep splurge, head a half hour west to Tourrettes and the new Four Seasons Resort Provence [Domaine de Terre Blanche, tel. (04) 94 39 90 00, www.fourseasons.com/provence], where you'll find the usual trappings of Four Seasons luxury and excellence set amidst breathtaking vistas of the surrounding Var region.

Now rejuvenated inland, you're ready to drive back coastward to the center point of the French Riviera, the positively throbbing city of Nice. A rich amalgam of socio-cultural influences have long woven the diverse fabric of Nice's enduring charms. Where else on earth could you find a site where very ancient man once dwelled some 400,000 years ago (Terra Amata, at the base of Mont Boron) so nearby the modern-day manse of a somewhat less ancient homosexual (Sir Elton John, whose sprawling estate lies at its summit)? And what the speed of the TGV did for Provence, EasyJet and its array of cut-rate airfares have lately done for Nice, rendering it the preferred quick Mediterranean getaway destination for a wide swath of northern European types.

For a crash course in niceties Niçoise, view Vieux Nice, the city's enchanting old town area, where from dawn till lunchtime every day (except Monday) the open-air flower and vegetable market along Cours Saleya offers a virtual sensory banquet of fresh-cut French flora. Queer life in Nice, which was nearly dormant not long ago, according to locals, is now fully awake -- today the city's many gay and friendly shops, restaurants, and clubs are loudly and proudly some of its trendiest locales. And for those for whom too much hipness is never enough, Nice is home to one of the world's most style-forward accommodational addresses, the Hi Hôtel [3 avenue des Fleurs, tel. (04) 97 07 26 26, www.hi-hotel.net], where creature comfort is trumped big-time by creative cool.

But who needs comfort tonight when you can sleep tomorrow on the plane -- and pinch pennies at the same time? Returning to Paris from Nice is a budget-lover's dream, with one-way fares on EasyJet [www.easyjet.com] starting from as low as 18 Euros (currently $22) and offering simple connections to your return flight home -- during which you can really sleep, full of memories and pride that you had the guts and gumption to go gay and guideless in Gaul.

For more information about the gay-friendly properties mentioned above as well as a host of others -- plus, yes, access to guided tours -- see the Web site of Gay Provence [www.gay-provence.org/gay_en.php], an affiliation of accredited queer companies in southeastern France and beyond.