Aix en Provence - South of France

One day in Aix en Provence

We chose Aix as a base city during these six days to avoid changing out hotel all the time because it's very stressful. Moreover Aix is close to all the locations chosen for us. We prefered a hotel in an industrial pole for ease of access roads.

Fountain of Rotunda

Today is the day to know the history of our city center base: Aix en Provence. 

We parked the car in a private parking in downtown. A little expensive, but we didn't have to worry about the parking meter.

Two blocks away was the information center in front of the place du Général de Gaulle. The clerk asked us how many days we would know the city and drew a minimal script for a day, which was set by us. Being Monday we could not know any museum. The tourist office organizes guided tours. (Please see the schedule on www.aixenprovencetourism.com)

Fountain of Rotunda

Let's go to our script: in front of the tourist office is the source of the Rotunda, built in 1860 Actually the city has many fountains, at least in our path. The other side is the Cours Mirabeau. The avenue is wide with many old buildings, some shops, coffee shops, fountains and lots of people walking to and fro.

Cours Mirabeau.

This street was built in the 17th century with several mansions of the era and is a true green tunnel of sycamores. A classic tip that I saw in many blogs is coffee Les Deux Garçons, known to have been frequented by the likes of Edith Piaf, Pablo Picasso and Jean-Paul Sartre. The coffee shop opened in 1792, is at number 53 of the Cours Mirabeau.

Coffee shop Les Deux Garçons

Entering the street September 4 there is the building Thetre du Jeu Paume an Italian theater, of the 17th Century. Returning to Cours Mirabeau by the Rue Thiers to the Place de Verduri, where is located the Palace of Justice. Walked to Place des Prêcheurs, is the Eglise de Madeleine. This square also has a few restaurants. We stopped for a quick lunch.

Hôtel de Ville

We continue towards the Hôtel de Ville (city hall), a beautiful building with a famous "clock tower" The Place de Hôtel de Ville is a super nice square surrounded by coffee shops with tables outside and flower stalls Ahead has the Ancien Archeveche (Former Archdiocese), which now houses the Musée des Tapisseries (Tapestry Museum), and the Cathédrale Saint Saveur, with buildings from the 5th century to the 17th century.

Cathédrale Saint Saveur

From there we headed to the Pavilion de Vendome is a short walk but worth it. The place is a grace! It has beautiful gardens and a beautiful little palace To visit the interior of the palace snake up a ticket and can not take pictures

Pavilion de Vendome

We return strolling through the small alleyways toward Cours Mirabeau
I was willing to do "in the footsteps of Cézanne" Notice that there is a marking on the streets with C, in places that Cezanne spent

Footsteps of Cézanne

In the office of Aix tourism is possible to order this map, which shows the representative places in the life of Cézanne in Aix, as his studio, which is in paragraph 9 of the Avenue Paul Cézanne and is maintained like the time he died But it was the Monday.