FTOttawa

Just for fun, I searched the GdF site for a rental for four people within 50 km of St Gilles (Gard), central for Nîmes, Pont du Gard, the Camargue, Arles, Aigues-Mortes. For Saturday to Saturday July 6-13, 41 rentals were available. For Saturday to Friday, that went down to 25 rentals. Be sure to search the French side of the site, as GdF only puts up English listings when the owner has provided English text.

Saint Rémy/the Alpilles would also a good location for western Provence and a bit of the Gard, so search around there too for rentals.

Your second location could be Sault, for lavender, Mont Ventoux, the Luberon, even Vaison la Romaine.

Parc des Écrins would have to be a third base. Only you know how you would want to allocate your time between the three areas, as one of them at least would have to be shorter than a week.

Bookends? if Toulouse, spend a couple of nights there and take in the Cité de l’Espace or whatever else you like, then stop half a day in Carcassonne if you must, using your remaining nights of July 4 and 5 before reaching the Gard to tour the Cathar castles or Narbonne or Guilhem-le-Désert.

Start or end : Marseille itself for a few nights, with the Chateau d’If, a boat tour of the Calanques, MUCEM. Aix-en-Provence is an easy reach to the airport, with pretty markets and art museums.

Scotlandmac

We’ve spent quite a number of holidays in Provence and also the Cote D’Azur with one road trip also taking us through Carcassonne into Spain.
Carcassonne is over run during the day in summer but we stayed overnight and, despite the crowds it is a magnificent place.The views from a little outside the town too, if it’s crenellated walls and outline are just superb.Very pretty, if super busy within the walls.I thought it was a wow.

Some of the Cathar castles (albeit a VERY winding drive away ) such as Peyrepertuse, are spectacular too.But a lot will depend on how well the young people travel.

Les Baux au Provence is easier to reach and really spectacular as castles go too.

The Luberon villages are picture postcard…Bonnieux, Menerbes, Lourmarin, Oppede le Vieux….beautiful.I wasn’t wowed by the countryside but the villages are the thing.Plenty of lovely rural accommodation, possibly with a swimming pool.

I’ve never taken to Aix but loved Arles, smaller, with the amphitheatre, the Van Gogh connection of course…beautiful place and very interesting overall.Overall, I prefer the smaller towns and villages.

Cassis is very pleasant, heaving in summer though. A Calanque boat trip would be worthwhile.

Have driven the Gorges du Verdon twice and thought it was wonderful…some wow views from the high level drive itself.Good fun for the family to rent a boat /pedalo and make your way down the turquoise waters of the river with the great rock walls all around.Busy but enjoyable and plenty great photo ops.The gem in the area is Moustiers St Marie, a gorgeous small village backed by rock walls.Yes, a bit of a tourist honeypot, but no wonder.We stayed overnight when things quietened down, climbed the stunning track up to the mountain church….then did the spectacular drive next day above the gorge.Also did some easyish short hikes down to the river.Loved the tiny village of Rougon, fab views of the gorge and some nice eating places.

Very difficult to choose between so many wonderful sights!

TomAvella

If you stay in Arles, which is beatigul, gives you the chance to visit many places around, like Carcassone, the salt marshes of aigues mortes with lots of flamingos, go horseback riding as they are a lot of ranches around...

gallagher86

We were there last year and Pont du Gard and Avignon were my highlights! Also really enjoyed Nimes. Wasn't a huge fan of Marseille if I'm honest, bit rough around the edges.

Underhill

For an Adventure, consider stopping at the Aven d'Orgnac, a huge underground cave.

shelemm

There are lots and lots of gite that are run like b&b per night. If you go onto the website in English, they are listed as Guest Lodges.Some offer "guest table" (under the services filer) as well, meaning they will make dinner with advance notice. On the French version of the website, this is called "Table d'hote."

Underhill

If you go to Les Baux de Provence hoping to find a castle, you will be disappointed--there are only ruins. But it's a spectacular site.

TravellingTofu

I second StuDudley's point about Toulouse. It's a beautiful city where you can easily spend two full days just seeing the sights and wandering the charming centre.
Maybe you could try to visit for a day upon arrival. Could be a good place to wear off the jetlag if you live far, or just have a relaxing start otherwise.