Aix en Provence (cont'd)
From Carnot Parking (A) cross the ring road and walk into the Old Town, along Rue d'Italie two blocks and turn left into Rue Cardinale, entering the Quartier Mazarin, the most elegant part of Aix. It was named after the 7th century archbishop who began to develop this part of town. This is the "noble" Provence of the 17th and 18th century: handsome houses of the upper class, private gardens and ancient fountains. Visit the 13th century St.Jean-de-Malte Church (B) and the adjacent former Priory of the Kings of Malta, now housing the Musée Granet. During recent renovations an additional wing was added. The museum houses one of the richest provincial archaeological and fine collections including works of Flemish, Dutch and Italian painters as well as Cézanne.
Continuing on Rue Cardinale you will reach the lovely Quatre-Dauphins Fountain (C). Turn right into Rue 4 de Septembre and view some of the elegant "hôtels" (town mansions); notable are No.19 (Hôtel d'Arbaud-Jouques), No.11 (Hôtel de Boisgelin), No.9 (Hôtel de Villeneuve d'Ansouis) and finally No.2a where the Musée Paul Arbaud (D) with its interesting Provençal earthenware collection, paintings and manuscripts is located. The museum is named after its donor, renowned Provençal scholar, collector and bibliophile.
Continue a few steps north until you reach the Cours Mirabeau, the tree lined grand boulevard of Aix with many luxury stores, posh real estate offices, banks and cafés as well as a weekly street market. The Cours Mirabeau was built in 1652 and divides the old town from the newer Quartier Mazarin. Join locals and tourists on the sidewalk tables of the many bistros and cafés. Les Deux Garcons Café (E) is the most famous one. It was established in 1792 by two waiters (garcons). It has a magnificent 18th century interior in the style of a true Parisian bistro - a place to see and to be seen, albeit nowadays mostly your fellow travelers. Service can be a bit challenging at times and it is pricey. You might want to choose one of the other bistros nearby. Have a light lunch or simply enjoy a coffee watching the comings and goings on the Cours Mirabeau.
From the magnificent La Rotonde Fountain (F) on Place Général de Gaulle (unfortunately lots of traffic here) walk up Rue Espariat and you will find Eglise du St.Esprit (G) (in dire need of restoration) on your left and the Clocher des Augustins on your right. Many nice shops in this part of town. Turn left into Rue Bédarrides and walk past Rue Verrerie on your left (many small restaurants here and in Rue Marseillais), continue on Rue Fauchier and you will hit Place Richelme (H) with its wonderful daily green market. A couple of steps North is the Place d'Hotel de Ville (I) where a flower market is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The Baroque style Hôtel de Ville (city hall), built in 1656, has an elegant inner courtyard and grand staircase. Note the exquisite wrought ironwork gateway. Adjacent is the Tour d'Horloge clock tower (constructed in 1510) with four wooden statues representing the four seasons under an astronomical clock. On the Southside of the Place d'Hôtel de Ville is the Halle aux Grains, the former Corn Exchange (now a post office) with its elaborate façade. An old man (the Rhône) rests on an urn from which water flows, a lady (Cybel, goddess of fertility) holds a horn (with grain) in her left hand and one of her legs swings outside the façade.
Let's walk three blocks north on Rue Gaston de Sapora to the Place de l'Université and you will see Cathédrale St.Sauveur (J) with the former archbishop's residence, now the Musée des Tapisseries (tapestry museum) on the right and the university halls on the left. Cathédrale St.Sauveur was constructed from the 5th to 17th century and shows as many styles. Like many other churches in France it was damaged during the French Revolution. The really outstanding features of the church are the Gothic façade, the clock tower and the 5th century octagonal baptistry mentioned earlier. This used to be a stand alone building without a church, one of the oldest baptistries in France. Adults were baptized by submerging in the round baptistry in the middle of the room. Clothes could be changed behind curtains hanging from rods, you can still see the holes in the columns. After the ceremony they had to walk back to another part of the old town, where the church was located at that time. St.Sauveur has a lovely cloister which can be visited by guided tour, inquire within.
Finish the tour by walking Southeast - take one of the narrow streets - past the Palais de Justice and the Cour d'Appel (Appellate Court) until you reach Place des Precheurs (K) (Preachers' Place) and the St.Marie-Madeleine church, built 1691-1703 in Renaissance style with a neo-antique façade added later. Every Saturday morning a colorful antique market is held on Place des Precheurs - worthwhile a visit.
Recommendation
Aix en Provence is a "must see" type attraction of the Provence, especially outside the summer holiday season, when it's less hot and not overflowing with visitors. Don't forget to visit the surrounding countryside, the Pays d'Aix and Mt. Sainte Victoire of Cézanne fame.
Restaurants: Wide selection within Aix en Provence, less so in the immediate surroundings, the Pays d'Aix.
Accommodation: We recommend to stay in one of the B&B's in the villages of the Pays d'Aix and les Alpilles, Central & Haut Var or the Luberon - all less than a 30-45 minutes drive. There are also many self-catering holiday rentals in these areas. Stay away from the area between Aix and Marseille, a suburban nightmare with lots of traffic.
