Aix en Provence, France

Aix en Provence is a city-commune in southern France, some 30 km (19 mi) north of Marseille. It is a small, classically Provençal town, famous for being home to Cezanne. Aix boasts a wonderful location overlooking the Arc River with the Montagne Sainte-Victoire mountain range to the east, and the Mediterranean breezes continually blowing inland from the sea. It is known for its enviable climate, thermal springs, multitude of fountains, incredible architecture, and a whole host of other cultural and historic attractions.

Aix is a quiet, clean and comfortable city. The city center is mostly pedestrian and, though it is quite small (you can cross the center in 15 minutes by foot), offers long hours of nice walks. As in all Provençal towns, the city center consists of narrow streets, lined with interesting buildings from 17th century hotels to paved plazas. The Cours Mirabeau is one of the top Aix en Provence attractions. It is a wide, tree-lined street that features gorgeous mansions, ornate fountains, and charming cafes and boutiques.

Things to see and do

* Fountains - Cours Mirabeau is the most famous
* Saturday market at Place de l'Hotel de Ville
* Cycle around the town
* Manor of Jas de Bouffan – view works of Cezanne
* Architecture

General Information

Cruise Season – March - Dec
Currency – Euro (EUR)
Language – French
Land Area – 186.08 km²
Population – 143,000 approx
Electricity – 2 round pins European style.
Time – UTC plus five hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 44

Travel Links - Fly into Marseille or Nice. Marseille is nearer (just south), but budget airlines such as EasyJet prefer Nice. There is a navette (shuttle bus) that can take you from the airport to the bus station near the center of town.

Aix has both a TGV and a regular station and is well connected both to the Paris - Marseille line and (via Marseille) to the Genoa - Nice - Barcelona line. The same shuttle that runs from the airport to Aix also services the Aix TGV station.