Aix en Provence. French city of Aix-en-Provence (Provence region). Cuisine and restaurants

Markets of Provence.

A city of many, and often the best, markets in Provence.

The most famous and main one, of course, on the square Place Richelme . It is located among ancient houses in the shade of plane trees, and is easily recognizable from photographs on the Internet. Although, even out of sight, it will attract you with its smells: ... To list what is sold here, you will need a complete encyclopedia of Provençal cuisine. And to list what can be prepared - a book. Despite its popularity, it has all the attributes and spirit of a regular market in Provence - in a good way. An interesting detail: prices here are written in chalk on signs, rather than with a marker on paper. And they look better this way. Almost the only one in Provence, it is open daily from 8-00 to 13-00.

Aix is a very bookish city (and this is what completely charmed me). In a widely known center of Citedulivre Meetings, presentations and literary festivals are constantly taking place. And the book market is located on Place de l'Hotel de Ville .

Bonus: in any markets, shops and cafes, do not pass by Callisons . These are branded "Eksovskie" small diamond-shaped delicacies made from almond crumbs and dried fruits. They are covered with chocolate (white or black) glaze on top. By the way, every first Sunday of September is the day of distribution of calissons - free throughout Aix.

Aix-en-Provence and Paul Cezanne.

I miss Ax. When I'm not there, everything is in vain... - Cezanne lived in Provence and lived in Provence. In the city walking route "in the footsteps of Cezanne" is marked by large nails driven into the asphalt with the letter "C".

Pablo Picasso, in adulthood, purchased the 14th-century Chateau de Vauvenargues near Aix. " I just bought myself Cezanne mountains", said Picasso. It's about grief Sainte-Victoire. She was a real inspiration for Paul Cézanne and is featured in many of his paintings. One of his favorite routes was Bibemu area. Carrières de Bibémus – about 13 km from the city center. From there you have a breathtaking view of the mountain. And no tourists around!

Aix-en-Provence mercilessly exploits the memory of Cézanne. “He was born here, he ate here, he smoked there. He walked through this place twice, and lay down on a bench over there”... With all respect and admiration, do not let yourself be completely immersed in the life and past of the great artist.

Sights of Aix. What is this?

We did not post a list of attractions for the hundredth time. Moreover, there is a very good website of the Aix-en-Provence Tourism Office, including in Russian.

The main attraction is its charm. To see Cezanne, you have to look at Sainte-Victoire. To see Aix-en-Provence, look around. Even if you just spend half a day in some cafe, at some small area, “under the plane tree by the fountain” - you will already see the main thing. And, of course, students. In a strange way, youth has taken over this antique city. Attractions include each of the nearly thousand fountains. This is Cours Mirabeau, "the most beautiful street in France." Squares in front of universities and lyceums.

Just streets.

Just Provence.

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Aix-en-Provence (Provence region)

If it weren’t for the huge Marseille nearby, just 25 kilometers away, the French city of Aix-en-Provence would dominate the entire Central Provence.

Historically, culturally and socially, the two cities are very different from each other, and usually those who love one hate the other. The city of Aix-en-Provence is smugly conservative and stunningly beautiful.

From the 12th century until the revolution, Aix-en-Provence was the capital of Provence. At a time when Provence was an independent county, its beloved ruler, the “good” King René of Anjou (1409-1480), maintained a brilliant court, famous for its popular festivals and patronage of the arts.

René was a typical Renaissance man, he spoke many languages (including Greek and Hebrew), was a scientist, poet and economist. It was he who began to grow Muscat grapes in Provence. Today in the city there is a stone statue of him, made in the style of illustrations from medieval books. Holding a bunch of grapes in his left hand, he looks along the majestic Boulevard Mirabeau, created in the 17th century.

Arrival, city information and accommodation in Aix-en-Provence

The main point of entry into the city is the Place General de Gaulle (place General-de-Gaulle), or La Rotonda, with several fountains, which ends in the west the main artery of Aix: the boulevard Mirabeau (cours Mirabeau), laid out on the site of the old fortifications on its southern side.

The train station is on Rue Gustavo-Desplace at the end of Avenue Vicyor-Hugo, leading south from Place General de Gaulle, and the bus station is on Avenue de l'Europe at the end of Avenue de l'Europe ). New station high speed trains(TGV) is located 10 kilometers southwest of Aix and is connected regular flights shuttle buses to the bus station (every 30 minutes: daily 4.45-22.30, 3.70 €).

Driving into Aix-en-Provence, it's easy to get lost. It is best to follow the gare signs to the station, and after passing the station, follow the avenue des Belges, which will lead to the tourist office in the city center (2 place General-de-Gaulle) between the avenues Belge and Victor Hugo, where there is a parking lot on the ring road surrounding the Old Town. From mid-June to the end of July (festival time) the chances of finding a free room in hotel very small if you don't booked him, at least two months before the actual arrival. At other times there are much more opportunities.

Aix-en-Provence Hotels

1). Hotel Des Arts– A very friendly, although a little noisy, hotel with the cheapest rooms you can find in the center. Advance booking no, so come early. Hotel address: 69 bd Carnot;

2). Hotel Le Caravella– More than expensive rooms facing the courtyard gardens. Hotel address: 29 bd Roi-Rene;

3). Hotel Cardinal– Clean, calm and welcoming hotel, but expensive. Hotel address: 22-24 rue Cardinale;

4). Hotel De France– In the very center and with very comfortable rooms. Hotel address: 63 rue Espriat;

5). Hotel Le Manoir– A very elegant and comfortable old building with a covered gallery from the 14th century. Hotel address: 8 rue d'Entrecasteaux;

6). Number One Hotel– Small family hotel about a kilometer from the city center. One of the most inexpensive hotels in all of Aix-en-Provence. Hotel address: 10 cours des Minimes;

7). Hotel Paul – Inexpensive for Aix and with a garden. The rooms have a shower and telephone. There are three and four-bed rooms. Hotel address: 10 avenue Pasteur;

8). Hotel Des Quatre-Dauphins– Old world charm in the Mazarin quarter. Hotel address: 54 rue Roux-Alpheran;

9). Hotel St-Christophe– A hotel with a high level of services close to both train stations and Boulevard Mirabeau. Hotel address: 2 avenue Victor-Hugo.

Hostels and campsites in Aix-en-Provence

1). Airotel Camping Chanteclere– Three kilometers from the center. Excellent amenities. Open: all year. Camping address: Rte de Nice, Val St-Andre, buses no. 3 or 10, same prices;

2). Camping Arc-en-Ciel– Also three kilometers from the city center to the southeast. Not a very cheap campsite, but has very good facilities. Closed: October-March. Camping address: Rte de Nice, Pont de Trois Sautets, bus number 3;

3). Crous– (Centre Regional des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires / Regional Center for Students and Schoolchildren’s Creativity). This student organization can sometimes find cheap rooms on campus during July and August. Bus number 5 direction “Belle-Ormeaux”, stop “Pierre-Puget”. Address wtynhf: Cite Universitaire des Gazellez, 38 avenue Jules-Ferry;

4). Hostel network Holiday Inn(Hi)– Located 2 kilometers west of the city center and has good bedrooms (nightly accommodation €17). There are no kitchens, but there is a TV lounge, a bar, a laundry room, a storage room and several double rooms. Closed: Christmas-February. Hostel address: 3 avenue Marcel-Pagnol. Bus number 4 direction "Ozhas-de-Buffan", stop "Vasarely".

Sights of Aix-en-Provence

The whole of old Aix (old city Aix), clearly delineated by a ring of boulevards, including the majestic Boulevard Mirabeau, is one large monument, much more significant than any separate building or a museum in it. There are so many lively streets, tempting restaurants, cafes and shops and the best markets in Provence, that you can wander around it for many days, without having either a specific route or a specific goal. As a preliminary acquaintance with the life of Aix, it is absolutely necessary to take a walk along the Boulevard Mirabeau with stops at cafes.

Old Ex

To explore the tangle of small streets and narrow roads that make up the heart of Aix, head north from the tree-lined Boulevard Mirabeau anywhere within the ring of wide streets called avenue, cours or boulevard (although "boulevard" may not be a boulevard). . The layout of Old Aix makes it difficult to navigate, but this does not matter when every 50 meters there are squares with fountains where you can relax, and all around there is a continuous architectural feast of the 16th-17th centuries.

On Saturdays and, to a lesser extent, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the center is filled with markets: fruits and vegetables on Place Richelme, fish on the street Marseille, flowers on the Hôtel de Ville square, clothes on the streets of Peyrecs, Rifle-Rafle, Bouteilles, Chaudronniers and Monclar, swap meet on Place de Verun and provisions on Place des Precheurs and Place de la Madelein.

The Church of the Madeleine features paintings by Rubens and Vanloo (who was born in Aix in 1684) and a medieval triptych of the Annunciation. In Place Richelme, above the architrave of the former grain exchange, which today houses the post office, hangs the graceful, albeit rather massive, foot of the goddess Cybele, flirting with Rhone (Rhône is masculine in French). Just to the north rises the town hall of classical proportions with wrought iron lace above the entrance.

From Place de Hotel-de-Ville, rue Gaston-de-Saporta will lead you to the cathedral Cathedral of the Holy Savior(Cathedrale Saint-Sauveur), a conglomerate of buildings from the 15th and 16th centuries, full of treasures of medieval art. The best of them is the triptych “The Burning Bush,” which was commissioned by King Rene in 1475. The sacristan regularly opens its side panels, revealing the Virgin Mary and Child in a burning bush to the view of the audience.

Next to the cathedral on the Place de la Resistance stands the former episcopal palace (Ancien Archeveche), which today houses Tapestry Museum(Musee des Tapisseries) - an excellent collection, including a modern section in which the concept of "tapestry" is expanded to also include products made from rope, raffia or feathers. The Old Aix Museum (Musee du Vieil Aix; 17 rue Gaston-de-Saporta), which displays sets of iconic puppets and a large collection of santons (santons - Provençal Christmas figurines), is also worth visiting.

Mazarin Quarter

Aix's other important museums are located in the quartier Mazarin, south of the boulevard Mirabeau. The most interesting of them, Granet Museum(Musee Granet; place St-Jean-de-Malte), located on Place Saint-Jean-de-Malte (St. John of Malta). It displays works of art and archaeological finds, in particular from Oppidum d'Entremont, a Celtic-Ligurian settlement 3 kilometers north of Aix.

It flourished for about 100 years, until in 124 BC it was defeated by the Romans, who founded the city of Aquae Sextae, the future Aix-en-Provence. The collection of paintings in the museum is quite varied - works by Italians, Dutch, French, mainly from the 17th to 19th centuries, not very well hung and poorly lit.

A number of French paintings from the 18th and early 19th centuries, including Ingres' repulsive Jupiter and Thetis, are mostly terrible, although Ingres's portrait of Granet is worthy of attention. Finally, here you can see the works of Aix's most famous artist, Paul Cézanne, who studied on the ground floor of this building, which was then an art school. The museum has two of his student works and a number of small paintings, including Bathsheba and Portrait of a Lady.

Outside the center

Cézanne worked in many studios in and around Aix, but finally in 1902 he acquired a house built specifically as a studio and overlooking Aix to the north. Today it is Atelier Cezanne (9 avenue Paul-Cesanne). It was here that he wrote some of his best work. Everything here remains the same as it was in 1906, when he died: a coat, a hat, a glass and an easel, objects that he loved to depict, his pipe and several letters and drawings... The atmosphere in which he worked has been preserved here.

Center for public cultural life The city is the City of Books (Cite du livre; 8-10 rue des Allumettes), which occupies the building of a former match factory (not far from the tourist office), the entrance to which is decorated in the form of rows of giant books, as if standing on a shelf. It houses libraries, a cinema hall, a theater hall, a video library of lyrical arts (where almost all French opera performances are presented) and various exhibitions. Away from the sometimes tiresome grandeur of Aix in the 17th century, you can get a completely different visual and abstract experience by visiting the Vasarely Foundation (Fondation asarely; avenue Marcel-Pagnol, Jas-de-Bouffan, 4 kilometers west of the city).

Here, in countless display cases, images relating to all the themes of the work of the architect and artist Vasarely are presented, including his designs for residential buildings. However, you will get the most direct impression of the work of this extraordinary man in the seven hexagonal rooms on the ground floor, each of which presents six large projects. Finally, 3 kilometers north of the city is the Oppidum d'Entremont - excavations of a Gallic settlement that preceded the founding of the city and arose more than 200 years before the Roman conquest. There are remains of impressively located fortifications, as well as residential and shopping districts cities.

Where to eat and drink, things to do in Aix-en-Provence

Ex is literally “stuffed” restaurants all price ranges and ethnicities. Place des Cardeurs, northwest of Place de Hotel de Ville, is lined with tables from restaurants, brasserie and cafe, and Rue Verrerie, south of Place Hôtel de Ville and Place Ramus, is home to many Indian, Chinese and North African restaurants. For people on a modest budget, Tanneurs Street is good. The café-brasserie on Boulevard Mirabeau is worth a visit, including inexpensive eateries. There you can also find sellers of very tasty fresh fruit juices.

Cafes and restaurants in Aix-en-Provence

1). Restaurant L'Amphitryon– Eclectic cuisine based on fresh market ingredients. Meals are served on the flower-lined terrace in the Old Town. A wonderful and not very expensive restaurant. Set of dishes from 26 €. Closed: Sundays and Mondays, and the second half of August. Restaurant address: 2-4 rue Paul Doumer;

2). Restaurant De l`Archeveche– During the day, good pasta dishes and salads are served for less than 10 €. Restaurant address: Place des Martyrs-de-la-Resistance;

3). Restaurant Le Basilic Gourmand– Classic Provençal food. A3 la carte from 14 €. Live music. Closed: Sundays and Mondays. Restaurant address: 6 rue du Griffon;

4). Restaurant Le Bistrot Latin– The best dishes are profiteroles with snails in olive and honey sauce and rabbit in garlic sauce. Lunch menu 15.00 €, evening set of dishes from 21 €. Closed: Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and for lunch out of season. Restaurant address: 18 rue Couronne;

5). Cay Tam Restaurant– The best East Asian cuisine in Aix. The menu is based on Vietnamese dishes. Set of dishes from 15.50 €. Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays, and for lunch on Wednesdays and Fridays. Restaurant address: 29 rue Verrerie;

6). Restaurant Le Chimere– A new twist on French standards and possibly the only place in town that serves kangaroo. Set of dishes about 26.50 €. Closed: Sundays. Restaurant address: 15 rue Brueys;

7). Restaurant Le Clos de la Violette– The most famous restaurant in Aix, the names of its dishes may sound a little scary, for example stuffed lamb hooves, but in fact these dishes are true gastronomic masterpieces. Desserts are more openly appealing: clafoutis (plum pie), pistachios with peach sauce and tartines with melted chocolate. Lunch menu 54 €, other sets of dishes from 107 €, a la carte from 75 €. Closed: Mondays and Wednesdays for lunch, and for two weeks in mid-August. Restaurant address: 10 avenue de la Violette;

8). Cafe Les Deux Garcons– Once a favorite place of Albert Camus, decorated in the style of decadence of the 1900s and still attracting a colorful society of intellectuals. Good brasserie type food, but not cheap (from 27.80 €). Open: daily until midnight. Cafe address: 53 cours Mirabeau;

9). Cafe L'Hacienda– Outdoor seating and inexpensive lunch menu (9 €), including wine. Closed: Sundays. Cafe address: Corner of rue Merindol and place Cardeur;

10). Cafe Le Jasmin– Delicious and distinctive Persian dishes for about 16.50 €. As for desserts, you should try the traditional Iranian choleh zard - a rice dish with saffron, spices and nuts. Closed: Sundays. Cafe address: 6 rue de la Fonderie;

11). Cafe Kheops – Egyptian cuisine, including falafel, stuffed pigeon and lush dairy desserts. Set of dishes 10 €. Closed: Wednesdays for lunch. Cafe address: 28 rue de la Verrerie;

12). Pizza Chez Jo/Bar des Augustins– Thanks to pizza and traditional daily specials, it’s usually crowded. From 12 €. Closed: Sundays. Restaurant address: Place des Augustins;

13). Le Platanos establishment– A very cheap and popular Greek place with a lunch menu for 10 €. Closed: Sundays and Mondays. Address of the establishment: 13 rue Rifle-Rafle.

Nightlife and festivals in Aix-en-Provence

The best jazz clubs are Hot Brass (chemin de la Plaine-des-Verguetiers, rte d'eguilles-Celony) and Le Scat (11 rue de la Verrerie) with jazz, rock and funk music. Disco mainstream - in Le Richelme (24 rue de la Verrerie). Pubs with live music – Le Manoir (25 rue de la Verrerie), Pago (38 rue de la Verrerie), Pub Solferino (place d’Armenie) and Le Festival (67 bis rue Espariat).

During the annual festivals "Aix en Music" (rock, jazz, experimental and classical music; June) and the International Festival of Lyric Arts (Festival International d'Art Lyrique; opera and concerts) classical music; last two weeks of July) alternative scenes - street theatres, rock concerts and impromptu gatherings - turn the whole of Old Ax into one continuous party.

Ticket prices for festival events range from 12 to 185 euros. You can purchase tickets and programs from the Official Festival Committee (Comite Officiel des Fetes; Espace Forbin, 3 place John-Rewald) near Boulevard Gambetta. There you can also find out details about International festival dance (two weeks in mid-July).

Beaches of the Cote d'Azur, ski resorts, many attractions, aromatic wine and excellent cuisine. This is just a small list of what awaits a tourist who gets off the plane landing at a French airport.

Introductory information about France

France is made up of many regions, each of which has its own unique history, set of attractions and unique dishes. local cuisine. You can relax here both in winter and summer. In the hot season, the Cote d'Azur awaits tourists, and in frosty weather resorts invite French Alps. Conventionally, France can be divided into two zones – excursion and resort:

The first includes almost the entire Ile-de-France region, the well-known Loire Valley, as well as many cities, among which Paris, Strasbourg, Le Havre, Orleans, Rouen and dozens of others stand out.
Leadership among beach resorts takes Cote d'Azur, followed by the island of Corsica and atlantic coast. In winter they mainly go to the Three Valleys and Portes du Soleil.

Aix en Provence

If you look at climate map cities of France, you can see that the climate is mostly temperate-marine. In the eastern regions it gives way to continental, and on the coast Mediterranean Sea– subtropical. Therefore, the weather varies in the regions - it is better to go to Paris in May or October, and June or September is suitable for visiting the French Riviera.

You can vacation in Corsica from May to October, but in August it will be quite hot. People ski in Alpine resorts starting in November, but the most snow here is in February.

Note! The ideal time for a sightseeing tour of the cities of France is high season when all the tourists go to the Cote d'Azur. Yes, on coastal resorts there’s not a lot of crowds, but provincial hotels are almost empty, so getting a room will be very easy

By the way, about prices in French cities - the algorithm for their formation defies any logic. And this applies to both real estate and products. Having bought a loaf of bread in one store and going to another one across the street, you can see a completely different price. There is no use in bargaining; this is only possible in the market. But this article will examine the nuances of recreation not throughout the country, but only in one city called Aix-en-Provence (France).

Region Ile-de-France

A few words about hotels in Provence

This city is also simply called Aix (France). Provence is a popular region among tourists, so there are quite a lot of hotels here, but only a few are particularly popular:

The true spirit of Provence can be felt at Villa Gallici. There is a real homely feeling here, the service is... top level, and the dishes prepared by the chef are beyond praise. Despite the fact that the hotel is located in the city center, there is no noise or bustle of the city. The cheapest room as of September 2018 costs 300 euros* per night.
The best advertisement for Le Pigonnet is its guests. IN different time P. Picasso, L. Kravitz, K. Eastwood and Catherine Deneuve stayed here. There is everything for have a great holiday, and the highlight is the huge park. The minimum room price is 150 euros.
The art hotel Aparthotel Adagio Aix-en-Provence Center is not as luxurious as the five-star hotels presented above, but it fully deserves its 4 stars. The room here is a fully equipped apartment with a bathroom and a kitchen where you can prepare meals. In the morning, the guest will be offered breakfast. The cost of the apartment is 100 euros.

Note! Another popular art hotel in Aix-en-Provence is the Appart’hotel Odalys Atrium. The cost for one night is 80 euros.

Other worthy hotels in Provence include the five-star Renaissance Aix-en-Provence and four-star Les Lodges Sainte-Victoire and Hôtel de Gantès.

Five-star Renaissance Aix-en-Provence

Tourist route around the city of Aix-en-Provence

Tourists visiting Aix-en-Provence (France) will be offered several route options for an introductory tour.

A number of historical routes.
A route related to the life and work of Paul Cézanne and his family.
Visit to the mansion, workshop and places where Cezanne painted.
Tour of the suburbs of Aix-en-Provence.

Note! The first three routes of the city of Aix-en-Provence can be either on foot or by transport. The latter is carried out only by car.

Aix-en-Provence attractions worth visiting

You should start your walk around Provence from the so-called Old Town, located north of the main square, and Mirabeau Boulevard. Here stands the Church of Saint Madeleine, which was painted by Van Lo and Rubens, as well as the preserved façade of the medieval town hall and Cathedral The Holy Savior, which was painted by Nicolas Froment himself in the 15th century.

Continuing your journey, you should look into the archbishop's palace of Ancier-Archeves, where the Museum of Tapestries created in Beauviers and the Museum of the Old Town are located.

Note! Saint-Jean-de-Malte is the first church in Provence, built in gothic style. Previously it belonged to the Order of the Hospitallers.

After seeing the sights of the Old Town, you can return to Mirabeau Boulevard, where there is also a lot of interesting things. For example, the creations of the sculptor Pierre-Jean David D’Angers, who lived in the 19th century. Its statue of King René the Good is a real decoration of the square. No less interesting creation is the Rotunda fountain.

To the south of the boulevard is the Mazaran quarter, where four centuries ago there were elite houses of aristocrats. Going to Place Saint-Jean-de-Malte, you can get to the Granet Museum, where among the many exhibits you can find objects from the city of Entremont - the capital of the Ligurians and paintings by Marius Granet, after whom the museum is named.

Cultural center La Cité du livre

In Cézanne's former workshop there is an Atelier where you can see the tools the master used, as well as unfinished canvases. But the most impressive thing is the atmosphere in the room: it seems that the artist himself will come in now and continue working on his next masterpiece.

Upon completion of the inspection of the workshop, you should look at la Place d’Albertas, after which you can safely go to the unique architectural museum complex, Vasarely Foundation. The exhibition, assembled by Victor Vasarely, included his own works, thanks to which a new architectural and graphic style was developed.

All lovers of contemporary art should visit Cultural Center La Cité du livre of Provence is a media complex located in an abandoned but reconstructed match factory. Fans of modern cinema and literature from all over France flock here to discuss new works. In addition, various exhibitions, performances, film screenings, and lectures are held here. In mid-autumn, the traditional festival la Fête du livre is held. But this is not the end of a walk through the sights and interesting places of Aix-en-Provence, because the outskirts of the city remained unexplored, which will be discussed below.

Other places in Aix-en-Provence worth mentioning

There are no less attractions in the vicinity of Aix-en-Provence (France). Among the main ones, the following should be mentioned:

Mount Saint-Victoire, which Cézanne called his muse.
14th century castle in Vauvenargues, where Pablo Picasso's grave is located.
The 12th century Torone Monastery is located near the city of Kars.
Entrecasteaux is a village that seems to have come out of the Middle Ages. The whole of it is a monument to the historical and architectural landscape of the 11th century.

Those wishing to try black truffles should visit the town of Ops, and the Var department welcomes fans of eco-tourism. In a word, Provence has entertainment for every taste, so traveling through its lands is guaranteed to bring a lot of pleasure and unforgettable impressions.

*Prices are current as of October 2018.

Aix-en-Provence has long been famous for its stunning beauty and healing climate. The city is considered conservative, quiet and cozy.

For example, there is much more sun in Marseille than in Aix-en-Provence - the weather is not subject to sharp fluctuations, you can have a good rest here at any time of the year. At the very beginning of May average temperature reaches 28-30°C.

The climate is moderately warm and healing. The weather forecast for the week is always necessary for tourists flying to France on holiday.

The city has many irreplaceable places for a walk, where you can take a photo as a souvenir. Boulevard Mirabeau is named after the famous political figure who took part in the French Revolution. During the excursion, tourists get acquainted with the Rotunda fountain and the statue of King René the Good, made by the sculpture David d'Angers.

Workshop of Paul Cézanne

The Church of the Madeleine is of greatest interest. At the end of the boulevard there is a well-preserved cathedral Cathedral of the Holy Savior. Returning to Old city, tourists pay attention to another attraction - Paul Cézanne's workshop. France is proud of the works of a prominent representative of post-impressionism. The works exhibited in the hall testify to the greatness of the artist.

To get to the workshop in Aix-Provence, you need to take city bus number 5.

The gallery hosts group and individual excursions. The Tapestry Museum is located in Bishop's Palace. It is designed in Romanesque and Gothic styles and has an amazing courtyard design. The paintings are in perfect harmony with the overall style and color of the room.

I mentally return to my November trip to the south of France to select the most Christmas moments.....
I lived in the city of Arles, and this is a special city. The hype around Christmas is not about him! But I’ll definitely tell you about Arles, and today I want something about Christmas markets, souvenirs, noisy streets and roasted chestnuts, right?......
That's why today is Aix-en-Provence. A small and very lively town with several universities and colleges.
In age and character, Aix is younger than Arles and more playful. Christmas and the premonition of a fairy tale are in the air of this city.

The colors of the city are warm golden ocher, dusty purple and berry red - the colors of the setting sun, yellow facades, bright awnings of street cafes... And also a dark color, giving the city a little bit of winter graphics, neither green nor blue .. The color of endless autumn foliage and the facade of the PAUL bakery...

And here is Place des Cardeurs Cardeurs), known for the site airbnb.

Most of the apartments that I looked at in Aix were rented in this area.
Now it seems very empty and quiet. I don’t know, maybe there’s a different picture here in the first half?..
And now there is not a soul and all the restaurants are closed.

And on the streets there was no sun at all. But the windows of shops and pastry shops began to glow brighter. And the smell from them seemed to become stronger!) Near this store there was a smell of candy.... In general, Aixan Provence is a very fragrant city.
The smell of trees, roasted chestnuts, sweets, lavender, and the sweet perfume of the townspeople, in which all these ingredients are discernible...

The sun has almost set and it’s time for me to return to Arles.
TO bus stop I'm going through Mirabeau again. I am pleased to note that the celebration is still going on here.

At the market, my attention was attracted by the goods of a certain company “Les bla bla”. Undoubtedly, the name is very relevant at all times)

I couldn't pass by!

Now to Arles!
What could be more romantic than a night bus?....

I returned to Arles and quickly walked through the empty streets to the hotel.... At this time, brrr, how cold it is and the Mistral persistently snatches the bag from my hands! It is worth noting that the residents of Arles, of course, are also preparing their city for Christmas. Streets and squares were decorated in my presence. Large illuminated snowflakes were hung on the facades of houses, because you can’t expect real snow!) And I’m already so used to the streets blessed with garlands that I can’t even imagine Arles without them...
But I’ll continue about Arles in the next posts......

More about the trip to Provence.

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