Where to stay in Aix-en-Provence

See

Aix is famous for its fountains. The largest and the most popular one is on the Cours Mirabeau, the main avenue through town, as well as a moss-covered fountain which draws its water from a hot spring. Along with searching out the dozens of fountains sprawled around the city, Aix is known for its architecture. The varied and often intricate doors are a key feature, as well as the bell towers. The bell towers throughout Aix-en-Provence, and Provence more generally, are made of wrought iron. This allows the strong winds of the Mistral to flow straight through them, since solid stone would be destroyed by the force of the winds.

• Cours Mirabeau
• Fontaine de la Rotonde
• Passage Agard
• Hôtel de Ville
• Halle de Grains
• Palais de Justice
• Palais de l'Archevêché
• Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur
• Place d’Albertas
• Monument Joseph Sec
• Thermes Sextius
• Vasarely Foundation

Do

Aix is a fairly quiet town, but if you really want to, there can be many things to do.

• Sainte-Victoire Mountain

Eat

Aix has an incredible number of restaurants compared to its small size. Most of them are gathered in a small area in the old city, between Place des Cardeurs and the Rotonde (Cours Mirabeau). Restaurants and bars on the Cours Mirabeau tend to be more expensive though, while some might be considered tourist traps, others are among the best places to eat in the city. You can try Calissons, a specialty of the region consisting of a smooth, pale yellow, homogeneous paste of candied fruit (especially melons and oranges) and ground almonds topped with a thin layer of royal icing. Calissons have a texture not unlike that of marzipan, but with a fruitier, distinctly melon-like flavour.

Drink

Like restaurants there are plenty of bars, pubs, night-clubs in Aix. A nice and relatively cheap place to have a drink is the Bar de La Mairie on Place de la Mairie. For those who would like to meet with the local student population, the bar Le Brigand might be a good choice. The prices are reasonable, and the ambiance is convivial: most of the regular customers are either tourists, or students. But be sure not to arrive too late, for the place may quickly be overcrowded, and you may have to drink your pint outside, without any chair or table!

Stay safe

Aix is a safe city to visit, but crime does occur there. As with all French cities, tourists in Aix should be especially conscious of the risk of pickpockets and theft. Be aware of your surroundings. Do not leave valuables within view in parked cars. Exercise increased caution at night, and use the taxis that leave from the Rotonde fountain if you are returning to the outlying neighborhoods late in the evening. Avoid public parks after dark.