Aix-en-Provence - one of the most beautiful cities in France, located halfway between the mountains Luberon and Marseille . Stone-stoned ancient streets, the palaces of the Provencal nobility of the 17-18th centuries in the Italian Baroque style, elegant facades of ancient mansions with openwork wrought-iron balconies, the town hall with the Gothic clock tower and, of course, the many fountains that once saved the city from the plague - all this creates a unique charm of the city, by which the wind - the eternal Provencal Mistral-minstrel - carries dry leaves Platonov .
Despite its magnificent historical and cultural heritage, the city is full of life and young creative energy - mainly thanks to the local university, the famous European Music Academy and the many art festivals that fill the historical capital of Provence with the atmosphere of a living creative laboratory.
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How to get there
The nearest international airport is situated in Marseilles. From there, and from the railway station, auto-expresses go to the city. You can also get from the airports of Toulon, Nimes and Nice. Paris-Aix-en-Provence message: 2 hours 50 minutes by TGV high-speed train.
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City history
In the 4th century to n. e. Lower Provence was occupied by the Celtic-Ligurian tribes. Their capital, Antremont, was just north of the location of modern Aix-en-Provence. In 123 BC. e. The Roman consul Sextius defeated the Ligurians and, in the place of their settlement, erected a colony for veteran veterans Aqua Sextiae (Latin Aqua Sextiae). In the 4th century the city received the status of the capital of the Roman province of Narbonne, and for the next eight centuries turned into a tasty morsel for visas, franks, pawnshops and Saracens.
The city flourishes only in the 12th century - when the counts of Provence (houses of Angevin and Barcelona ), who made Ex their residence and fashioned a magnificent court culture with concerts, carnivals, festivities and luxurious meals . In the 15th century, the Duke of Anjou, the nominal king of Sicily, King René turned Aix into an important cultural, commercial (import muscat and almonds) and the university center .He arranged folk festivals and processions that lasted several days and attracted hundreds of troubadours from all around the world. .
In 1486, after the annexation of Provence to France, Aix-en-Provence becomes the capital of the region and the seat of the royal governor . In 1501, Louis XII brings here the institutions of the Supreme Court and establishes a regional parliament in the city that was so unpopular that it served the reason for the saying: "Parliament, Mistral and Durance (the river) are the three main disasters of Provence" . But it was in this era that residences and Italian baroque-style mansions with an abundance of sculptural elements and compositions are being built in Eccles .Several times Louis XIV . visited Exa. It was here that the peace was signed with Prince Conde . Hence the famous deputy from the third estate Honore de Mirabeau .
In Aix-en-Provence he was born and lived most of his life an outstanding painter Paul Cezanne (1839-1906). Student years at the Bourbon College brought him to Emile Zola. At the University of Aix, young Cezanne studied law, but without completing the course, began to study at the School of Fine Arts of Aix-en-Provence. The father did not approve of the choice of his son, but supported him, having allocated a significant annual rent. After the "Parisian" wanderings and creative searches of the 1870s and 1880s, the artist will finally return to Aix-en-Provence, where he will find his best "model" - Mount Saint-Victoire.
How to navigate
Majestic Boulevard Mirabeau divides the city into two, so unlike each other parts . On the one hand - these are the streets of the Old City, overgrown with fashionable and designer boutiques, respectable restaurants, cozy coffee houses, artistically atelier and collecting people on local colorful markets with lavender oil, pastis, Marseille soap and Provencal sweets . The legendary place of this quarter is the cafe des Deux Garcons, whose visitors at different times were Zola, Girardeau and Cocteau . On the other hand - pampered Mazaran Quarter is pacified with wide, sparsely populated streets, classic and baroque facades and high forged fences hiding behind the lush garden vegetation magnificent mansions of the local aristocracy and numerous state institutions of the 17th and 18th centuries .
Book popular Aix-en-Provence hotels at the best prices
| Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel from 9 994 rubles Aix-en-Provence 320 Avenue Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Villa Gallici from 16 196 rubles Aix-en-Provence Av. de la Violette | Le Pigonnet from 9,442 rubles Aix-en-Provence 5, avenue du Pigonnet |
| Hôtel Cézanne Boutique-Hôtel from 6,548 rubles Aix- en-Provence 40 Avenue Victor Hugo | Aquabella from 6,203 rubles Aix-en-Provence 2, Rue des Etuves | Grand Hôtel Roi René Aix en Provence Center - Mgallery collection from 6,203 rubles Aix-en-Provence 24 Boulevard du Roi René |
| Hôtel de France from 5 514 rubles Aix-en-Provence 63 Rue Espariat | Hôtel Artea from 5 514 rubles Aix-en-Provence 4 boulevard de la République | Grand Hotel Negre Coste from 9 649 rubles Aix-en-Provence 33, Cours Mirabeau |
| La Caravelle from 3 446 rubles Aix-en-Provence 29, boulevard du Roi René | Le Concorde from 3 791 rubles Aix-en-Provence 66-68 Boulevard Du Roi René | Hôtel Le Mozart from 5 583 rubles Aix-en-Provence 49 Cours Gambetta |
Cuisine and restaurants
In the restaurants and cafes of Aix-en-Provence, you should try freshly prepared fish, the famous soup with basil, stewed meat in Provencal (with herbs) and che Aioli dessert sauce, served with seafood, fish soup and croutons. As a gastronomic souvenir, local almond cookies with candied fruits and icing - kallissons and aniseed pastis liqueur, which includes more than 50 extracts of plants and spices. It is used as an aperitif and traditionally diluted with water at a ratio of 1/5.
By its appearance, this popular drink among local residents is obliged to ban the production and sale of absinthe. In the early 20th century, when the ban on the "green witch" came into force in most European countries, one of the main absinthe producers, Pernod, changed the formulation of the drink, replacing the wormwood with anisome and significantly lowering the degree from 70% to 30%. So in 1915 the pastis appeared. In 1922, the degree of liquor rose to 40%, and to 45% in 1938.
Entertainment, Excursions and Attractions of Aix-en-Provence
Start your walk from the quarters of the Old Town, turning north from the picturesque square and plane of the Mirabeau boulevard, laid in the 18th century on the site of the fortress wall . Here among the small squares and narrow streets you can find, decorated with paintings by Rubens and Van Lo, church Sv . Madeleine, the medieval massive facade of the town hall, the old grain market (where the post office is now located), the Gothic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence Saint-Sauveur (or the Cathedral of the Holy Savior, 15-16 cc .) with a cozy inner cl. atrium and triptych Nicolas Frohman's "Burning Bush" (15th century) in the interior .
The Archiepiscopal Palace of Ansier-Arsèves has housed the Musée des Tapisseries, which exhibits tapestries created in Beauvais in the 17th and 18th centuries (open daily, except Thursday, 10 . 00 to 12 . 30 and from 13 . 30 to 18 . 45, entrance - 2, 5 euros), and the Museum of the Old City (Musee du Vieil Aix, opened on Thursday on Sunday from 10 . 00 to 12 . 00 and from 14 . 30 to 18 . 00; entrance - 4 euros) . Be sure to find here the first Gothic church of Provence - the Church of Saint-Jean-de-Malte, belonging to the Order of Hospitallers . She is interesting with the restraint of style, a special shade of stone, an abundance of light in the interior, unique stained-glass windows of the middle of the 19th century and numerous picturesque canvases, among them the "Crucifixion" of Delacroix .Bell tower of 67 meters high is the highest point of the city .
Back on the Cours Mirabeau, pay attention to the creation of the French sculptor David d'Angers (Pierre-Jean David D'Angers, XIX century) - the statue of King René of Anjou with a bunch of grapes in his hand. At the other end of the boulevard, this sculptural dominant is counterbalanced by the fountain "Rotunda" by the architect Théophile de Tournadre.
On the south side of the central boulevard lies the Mazarin quarter, formed in the middle of the 17th century as a fashionable aristocratic residence area . @ In the Saint-Jean-de-Malte square in the house of the abbot, dating from 1671, you will find the Musée Granet, opened Wednesday to Monday, with 11 .00 to 18 . 00; entrance - 10 euros), which includes art and archeology exhibits, in particular items from the excavation of the ancient capital of ligres - Antremona . The museum bears the name of François Marius Granet, a French artist of the era of classicism and a native of Aix-en-Provence ), who handed over to the museum a large collection of canvases .
No less known Atelier Cézanne, 9, Avenue Paul Cézanne - former artist's workshop, storing creative tools, objects used for numerous still lifes, several finished canvases, and most importantly - the atmosphere that prevails in these walls during the life of the landscape painter . The Place d'Albertas is remarkable for its architectural ensemble created in 1735-1741 by order Chairman of the Court of Accounts Jean-Baptiste d'Albert . A miniature square with a fountain was formed by the facades of three mansions, partially adopting the dimension of the membership and decoration of the Italian palazzo .
The Fondation Vasarely Foundation, 1 avenue Marcel Pagnol is a unique architect Urban Complex Museum, designed in the late 1960s by a French architect, graphic artist and sculptor of Hungarian origin, Victor Vasarely. The exposition includes his numerous abstract-geometric experimental works - the results of searching modern architectural and graphic languages. (Open Tues.-v. from 10.00-13.00 / 14.00-18.00, full rate - 9 EUR, preferential - 6 EUR (for youth from 16 to 26 years and students) and 4 EUR (for children from 5 to 15 years). Vasarely Foundation
Another popular cultural center of Aix-en-Provence is impressive for its size, the complex-media library La Cité du livre. here, in the reconstructed space of the old match factory, it will be interesting to look lovers of modern literature and cinema. Here there are cinema shows, lectures, performances, temporary exhibitions, and in October - the traditional "Book Festival" (la Fête du livre), dedicated to th the literature of a country or a well-known contemporary authors. The center has found its resting place and the famous troupe Ballet Preljocaj.
Festivals of Aix-en-Provence
June historic capital of Provence meets the festival "Music in the streets» (Musique dans la rue), at this time its streets and squares are transformed into open concert platforms, where jazz, street opera, electronic music, folklore, rock and many other musical and vocal genres are played. There are more than 40 concerts open for all comers.
The most "loud" festival of the city is Le Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, a celebration of opera and stage art and classical music. The festival is held annually (since 1948) in June and July and is always full of outstanding names and productions. Halls and Aix scene, and great Greco-Roman amphitheater, including, accept guest performers from around the world: here sound of opera and musical theater plays, concerts are held, solo programs, conferences and master classes for young singers and musicians. Tickets cost from 30 to 350 EUR
Early July -. The "Baroque Aix» (Aix en Baroque), chamber concerts of baroque music, the November Ex takes festival of European short films. From October to December, "Pianistic Nights" ("Les Nuits Pianistiques") take place throughout Provence.
Around the city
In the vicinity of the city you can climb the picturesque mountain of Saint-Victoire (1010 m) - the favorite "muse" of Paul Cézanne , see the castle of the 14th century in Vauvenargues, which belonged to the counts of Provence, the archbishopric, and in 1958-1973 to Picasso (here is his grave). Between Cabasse and Carces is one of the largest Cistercian abbeys of Provence - a 12th-century Romanesque monument of the Thoronet monastery
Medieval Provencal village of the 11th century Entrecasteaux is remarkable for its beautifully preserved architectural and historical landscape, a fortification castle complex of 16-18 centuries and a regular park, broken by the famous French horticulturist Andre Le Nootre (1613-1700). The picturesque small town of Aup (Aups), which has preserved traces of fortifications, fountains and ancient dials of sundials on the facades of buildings, is considered the capital of the black truffle. Here is the Simon Segal Museum (1898-1969).
The nearby Var department will delight lovers of eco-tourism and outdoor activities: there is the impressive Les Gorges du Verdon canyon . A natural regional park stretching for 178,000 hectares is especially picturesque in October . You can drive along grandiose canyons and rapids by car or rent a catamaran or kayak on the "Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon" lake for a walk along the "bottom" of the gorge . @ You can also go rafting, canoeing, paragliding, cycling and hiking . Stay best in a tiny hamlet next door, famous for its faience, smoked sausages and stewed rabbit - Moustiers-Sainte-Marie .
In the village of Ferraciere (Ferrassières) is best to call in early July - during the local Lavender Festival, then you are lucky not only to watch how the lavender is collected and processed, but also to master the wisdom of obtaining lavender essence. Here you can also visit the Perfumery Museum, purchase various cosmetics based on lavender oil and cycle or walk around fragrant and picturesque lavender fields.
Photos of Aix-en-Provence (43)