Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence is pure southern French elegance. The Cours Mirabeau, lined with centuries-old plane trees and dotted with mossy fountains fed by natural thermal springs, is one of the most beautiful avenues in France — its northern side flanked by elegant cafes (Les Deux Garcons has served everyone from Cezanne to Camus) and its southern side by 17th- and 18th-century hotels particuliers whose carved doorways hint at the aristocratic grandeur within. Cezanne painted Mont Sainte-Victoire from these very hills, and the mountain's distinctive profile is visible from throughout the city — a visit to his studio at Les Lauves, preserved exactly as he left it with his smock hanging on the wall and his paints on the table, is a moving pilgrimage for art lovers. The city's markets are legendary: the daily flower market on Place de l'Hotel de Ville, the food market on Place Richelme (every morning, year-round), and the vast Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday markets that transform the old town into a Provencal feast of olives, goat cheese, lavender honey, and tapenade. The Musee Granet, in a former priory of the Knights of Malta, houses an impressive collection that includes Cezanne's works alongside Rembrandt, Rubens, and a significant donation of modern and contemporary art. Aix is also a university city — the Universite Aix-Marseille is one of France's largest — and the student population gives the old town a youthful energy that complements its classical elegance. For dining, Le Saint-Esteve at Les Lodges Sainte-Victoire offers Michelin-starred cuisine with a panoramic view of Cezanne's mountain, while La Fromagerie du Passage on the Place des Precheurs serves one of the most extraordinary cheese-focused meals in France. The calisson, Aix's signature almond-paste candy, has been produced here since the 15th century — visit the Roi Rene confectionery for the finest examples. The Festival d'Aix, an international opera festival held each July, brings world-class performances to extraordinary outdoor venues throughout the city. As a base for exploring Provence, Aix is ideally situated: Marseille is thirty minutes south, the Luberon villages forty-five minutes east, and the Calanques an hour's drive away.

Highlights