Hi Doug,
The ones close to Istres, are Carry le Rouet, Aix en Provence, Cassis, La Ciotat, Bandol.
But from there to Nice/Monaco is just a few hours by car. So if you go that way, Hyères, Cavelaire, St Raphaël, Cannes, Mandelieu, Juan les Pins, Antibes, Grasse, Cagnes sur Mer, Nice, Beaulieu sur Mer, Monte Carlo, Menton.
I am leaving for Nice tomorow, but can stop by in Istres if you are there, as I have to be in Nice only saturday afternoon to meet up with Rich Figarotta and his wife. We go to Monaco for a few days and of to Spain on monday for a week.
Kind regards,
Belgium Bob R-4479