A Golden City in the South: Aix-en-Provence
About 20 miles north of Marseille lies the golden city of Aix-en-Provence. (Aix is pronounced X.) No visit to Provence would be complete without coming here at least for a couple of days.
That said, there’s enough to do for a week or more, and many picturesque side trips close by as well (see below). Aix-en-Provence bustles with people strolling under shady plane trees and boasts 1,000 fountains, surrounded by gold-colored stone buildings. The first and largest one you’ll see is Fontaine de la Rotunde, an icon for Aix.
Aix-en-Provence is the former capital of Provence, inhabited since the first century B. C. Today, 145,000 residents call it home, including many university students. Visitors increase that number throughout the year.
The main avenue is Cours Mirabeau, where wide sidewalks offer cafés, restaurants, shops, and…more fountains, of course. This road follows along the old city wall. The Old Town lies to the north of this area, whereas a newer section is to the south.
The Old Town
You won’t want to miss strolling through the Old Town, where 17th and 18th-century mansions still grace the narrow streets. At times, you’ll feel you’ve been tossed back to the
Middle Ages as you follow the alleys to the larger squares filled with café tables under umbrellas. You’ll see frequent references to post-impressionist painter, Paul Cézanne, born and raised in Aix, though you’ll only find some of his artwork there. You can visit his workshop, though, the Atelier Cézanne, and see some of his tools and where he spent his time. The atelier hasn’t been changed since he worked there. There is a self-guided tour to follow “in his footsteps” and markers on the streets.
Head to Place Richelme, Place des Prêcheurs, or Place de la Madeleine on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday to enjoy the famous Aix market, (smaller markets on other days) which has conducted business for 1300 years. These markets are collectively called Le Grand Marché. If you miss those days, there are plenty of other markets around. For example, the flower market at Place de l’Hôtel de Ville and a flea market at Place de Verdun.
You may want to stick around in Place Richelme to visit shops and enjoy lunch in a bistro. In the Place de Quatre Dauphins, you’ll see a lovely fountain of four dolphins, modeled after the Bernini fountain in Rome.
During your visit, don’t forget to pop into a patisserie and try a madeleine, an oval cake that Aix is known for. Buttery and sweet, you’ll probably love it!
More to do in Aix-en-Provence
Musée Granet: This museum houses works of Rembrandt, Cezanne, and Picasso…12,000 in all.
Paroisse Cathédrale Saint Sauveur Aix-en-Provence, located at the Place des Martyrs de la Resistance, features Baroque, Romanesque, and Gothic architecture. It was built in the 12th century on the site of the 1st century Roman forum (the Romans occupied a long time before.)
Hôtel de Caumont for art exhibitions housed in a beautiful 18th-century mansion with groomed grounds around it
Atelier Cézanne, described above.
Really, the best thing to do in Aix-en-Provence is stroll the wide avenues and enjoy the atmosphere, including the markets, the fountains, and the Provence vibe. You can’t go wrong with that!
Suggested side trips:
Marseille: 30 minutes by car
Cassis: 50 minute drive
the villages of the Luberon, such as Roussillon and Gordes: about an hour
Avignon: about an hour
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