Aix en Provence, a hidden gem in the Cote d’Azur region of France. It is known as the city of a thousand fountains for good reason, with thousands of cafes, restaurants and bars nestled around countless picturesque fountains. It’s the perfect spot to have a delicious meal, a glass of wine and take in the beauty of this gorgeous city. For those of you who love a good Instagram shot, this place will be a field day for you.
A popular University City buzzing with student life. There is always the most amazing energy here. With countless bars and cafes and its incredible history and architecture, it makes for the perfect day out. Only 30 minutes from both Marseille and Cassis and 45 minutes to the picturesque Lavender fields, it can be a day trip from one of its surrounding cities. Saying this, I would highly recommend staying a couple of nights so that you can enjoy the city in its full capacity.
We stayed in Appart’hotel Odalys City Les Floridianes, a perfect quaint little hotel 500m from Fontaine de la Rotonde, a good central point of Aix en Provence. We loved this hotel so much. With a large pool to cool down after a day of walking, and eating and perfectly clean rooms with a lovely terrace for a coffee in the morning, I would highly recommend.
We started our day with a lovely Petit Déjeuner (breakfast, but it sounds so much fancier) at ‘Le Festival’ Restaurant overlooking the Fontaine de la Rotonde and its vibey streets. Croissants, Baguettes, Confitures, Orange Juice and Coffee, the perfect French start to the day.
From here we took a 5-minute walk to our first stop on our list, ‘Place d’Albertas’. An incredibly beautiful piece of architecture. One of the many historical monuments of Aix and its history. An elegant Parisian fashioned square with a picturesque fountain in the middle, surrounded by an incredible C shaped building. Take note of all the beautiful face sculptures on the facades of each building. It seems to be a theme in the city. They are magnificent. It’s a definite a must see and the perfect photo spot.
Across the road is the lies a secret gem, a courtyard with a gorgeous café and a small Library. Sit and have an espresso and bask in the sunshine here. It is truly something special. I felt like I was in a scene of the Great Gatsby. Afterwards, get lost in the old cobbled streets and do some shopping at your will. There are countless picturesque alleys to stroll down and take in the beauty of the city.
Head towards Hotel de Ville, another incredible piece of architecture that the city holds. There is another fountain in a square here (shock I know). Enjoy a gelato or a freshly baked Madeline sitting on the fountain wall, watching the locals eat their lunch and go about their daily lives. There is something so beautiful about watching how simply and happily they live. Lunch is such an important part of their day, surrounded by friends and laughter. It’s the simple things that really make life so beautiful. If you are lucky enough to be here on market day, you are in for a culinary treat.
From here, take a 2 minute stroll and find yourself at the next masterpiece, the ‘Paroisse Cathedrale Saint Saveur’. I was in absolute awe when I saw this. I couldn’t believe the detail and artisanal skill that had gone into it. An incredible piece of art nestled in small street hidden in the centre of town. Surrounded by a couple of restaurants and creperies, find yourself a table, and enjoy a delicious meal and glass of wine overlooking this beauty.
Just a word of warning, Aix gets very warm in the summer months as the buildings hold in a lot of the heat. At this point we were so hot and ready for a swim, we decided to head back to our hotel and spend the rest of the afternoon at the pool. If you are here just for the day, I recommend a lovely boozy lunch in the shade overlooking the crowds.
In the evening we headed out to a highly recommended street of bars and pubs. Look out for Fontaine des Augustins and walk around to try find yourself a table at one of the bars. This area has such a wonderful vibe. Buzzing with people and music, it is the perfect spot to start off the evening vibe (or end, although we were here when the curfew was 9pm so everything closed pretty early). After this we headed to another street nestled with restaurants and found ourselves at ´My Little Warung’. Anyone who knows me, knows that I will find every way to eat Asian wherever I go, and I am quite fussy having backpacked there for 6 months learning about food. This little restaurant had the perfect amount of variety and the food was absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend. If Asian isn’t your vibe, take a stroll down this street and you will find a huge array of restaurants to suit you and your taste buds.
We loved every moment of being in this city. A day is enough to see it all but to get the full experience I think 2 or 3 days would be best. It is a good central point to be based to travel to the surrounding areas. Other day trips around the area include the various Calanques. Cassis and its port are a beautiful day trip too. La Ciotat has the most wonderful market on a Sunday and you could enjoy some of the various calanques beaches in the area afterwards. If you are near Aix at the end of June until September, make a trip out to the famous surrounding Lavender Fields. I would recommend hiring a car for this. There aren’t any trains to the smaller areas and taxis can become quite pricey. Most of the areas fall under a National Park so public transport isn’t easily available either. Be prepared for lots of walking. Always have a pair of comfy shoes, a hat, sun cream and lots of water.
The Nautical Mermaid
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