Welcome to Aix En Provence!
Be moved in places imbued with Cezanne
Push open the door of Cezanne's studio and enter the artist's private world. Discover the house where he became a painter by exploring the garden and the family bastide at Jas de Bouffan. Admire some of his works in the space dedicated to him at the Musée Granet. At the Bibémus quarries, let Cezanne's eye work on yours as you gaze up at Sainte-Victoire.
Discover an Art Centre in an 18th-century jewel
In the heart of the Mazarin district, the Hôtel de Caumont-Centre d'Art invites you to immerse yourself in the intimate atmosphere of a private mansion. With its sober, elegant exterior and richly decorated interior, the former Hôtel de Caumont has undergone a major restoration programme to restore it to its former splendour. Each year, this exceptional site will host two temporary exhibitions dedicated to the great names in art. You'll also find a tearoom, a lounge bar and an attractive bookshop-boutique.
Calisson: let yourself be tempted
A blend of candied almonds and melons with a hint of orange blossom, the calisson is a concentrate of sunshine in itself. It is THE great speciality of Aix-en-Provence.
Push open the door of a confectionery or artisanal factory and discover the inimitable taste of this delicacy.
Treat yourself / Think gourmands! Like all the specialities of the Pays d'Aix, calissons are on sale in the Tourist Office shop.
Did you know? Tradition dictates that every year, the calisson is blessed. To attend, go to the Church of Saint Jean de Malte on the first Sunday in September.
Stroll around the old town
Aix-en-Provence is an invitation to travel back in time.
In the light of a privileged climate, Aix-en-Provence reveals its elegance through its lively streets and squares.
Here, history is the backdrop to a daily life that combines the pleasures of shopping with the nobility of its heritage, the pleasures of a terrace with architectural beauty, strolling through the city with its Baroque wonders. It is ranked 3rd in France for its Baroque architecture, after Paris and Versailles.
Each fountain has its secrets, each town house its stories. The bastides are adorned with parks and gardens as they were in centuries gone by.
So that our town can reveal all its secrets to you, set off to discover its history with one of our guides, accredited by the Ministry of Culture and Communication, or one of our street storytellers.
To whet your curiosity, here are just a few of the themes of the guided tours we offer: the splendour and decor of private mansions, Libertines and courtesans, and our must-see In the footsteps of Cézanne...
Take a break on the Cours Mirabeau
The former carriage court has become one of Aix-en-Provence's must-sees. A place of history and strolling, it is one of the city's busiest and liveliest spots.
At any time of day, it's the place to be: morning coffee on the terrace as you watch the city wake up, lunch in the shade of the plane trees, happy hour where the locals meet up after work to start the evening with the last rays of sunshine.
Visit one of France's finest museums
Around the bend in the rue d'Italie, just off the Cours Mirabeau, you'll find the Musée Granet. Located in the former Palais de Malte, it now houses collections from the 14th to the 20th centuries, works by Rembrandt, Ingres, Cézanne and Cézanne's donation to Giacometti.
The Musée Granet's modern art collection has been considerably enlarged by the deposit of the collection of Jean Planque, a Swiss painter and collector. The collection is housed in a former chapel near the museum, a recently restored jewel of 17th-century architecture in Aix-en-Provence. Some 300 paintings, drawings and sculptures are on display, ranging from Impressionist and post-impressionist works by Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Degas and Redon to major 20th-century artists such as Bonnard, Rouault, Picasso, Braque, Dufy, Laurens, Léger, Klee, Bissière, de Staël and Dubuffet.
Awaken your senses at the market
In Aix, there are as many markets as there are days of the week: fruit and vegetable markets, antique book markets, flower markets... They enliven the city with sounds and colours. They are places to meet people and discover new things, particularly our sun-drenched gastronomic heritage, in the many squares in the town centre and in the neighbourhoods.
See differently at the Fondation Vasarely
Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of optical art at the heart of the lumino-kinetic building designed by Victor Vasarely. Listed as a historic monument, this architectural centre in Aix-en-Provence is made up of sixteen hexagonal-based modules, interlocked in a gigantic construction game, featuring 44 monumental architectural integrations.
Combining the pleasures of strolling and window-shopping
Aix-en-Provence is a shopping destination for fashion, home decoration, luxury goods and delicacies.
The big names in fashion and elegance have chosen the pedestrianised streets.
Trendy brands are popping up everywhere, as are the cutting-edge multi-brand boutiques and designer shops for which Aix is so famous.
The latest shopping district, Les Allées, is home to some of the biggest names.
Aix also offers a wide choice of bookshops, stationery shops, galleries, decoration and souvenir shops (L'esprit des lieux, Souleiado, Les Olivades, L'Occitane, Place aux huiles...).
Renowned patisseries (Weibel, Béchard, Riederer Philippe Second...), delicatessens (Jacquèmes...) and famous calissonniers (Parli, Brémond, la chocolaterie de Puyricard) will delight even the most demanding gourmets.
