Photo: Corbis
Fountain of art
You can’t say Aix is off the beaten track! This bustling market town 31km north of Marseille with 140,000 inhabitants, of which 40,000 are students, makes for a lively, colourful place.
It is very picturesque with its cobbled streets, market squares, historical buildings and, of course, the ubiquitous cafes and restaurants. The 23 fountains, some of them dating back to the 16th century, which gave the town the name Ville d’Eau (city of water) add a romantic feel, especially at night when everything is beautifully lit.
The food at the daily markets look so appetising you just have to taste some of the local specialities, particularly tapenade, aioli, bouillabaisse and a local sweet called Calissons.
There are 11 museums and art galleries, including the famous atelier of Paul Cezanne in its romantic garden set on a hill just on the outskirts of Aix. In July the fantastic opera festival takes place in the Palais d’Archevêché, which is the event to see and to be seen, but there is a huge variety of music, theatre and dance all year round.
Whether you are into hiking or cycling the surrounding countryside, Aix has a lot of attractions. The Mountain Sainte Victoire (painted by Cezanne many times) is a forest area 18km long and 5km wide, ideal for walking, climbing, bird watching or just enjoying the amazing views.
It is very picturesque with its cobbled streets, market squares, historical buildings and, of course, the ubiquitous cafes and restaurants. The 23 fountains, some of them dating back to the 16th century, which gave the town the name Ville d’Eau (city of water) add a romantic feel, especially at night when everything is beautifully lit.
The food at the daily markets look so appetising you just have to taste some of the local specialities, particularly tapenade, aioli, bouillabaisse and a local sweet called Calissons.
There are 11 museums and art galleries, including the famous atelier of Paul Cezanne in its romantic garden set on a hill just on the outskirts of Aix. In July the fantastic opera festival takes place in the Palais d’Archevêché, which is the event to see and to be seen, but there is a huge variety of music, theatre and dance all year round.
Whether you are into hiking or cycling the surrounding countryside, Aix has a lot of attractions. The Mountain Sainte Victoire (painted by Cezanne many times) is a forest area 18km long and 5km wide, ideal for walking, climbing, bird watching or just enjoying the amazing views.
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