| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
755km (469 miles) S of Paris; 80km (50 miles) SE of Avignon; 32km (20 miles) N of Marseille; 175km (109 miles) W of Nice The most charming center in all Provence, this faded university town was once a seat of aristocracy, its streets walked by counts and kings. Founded in 122 B.C. by a Roman general, Caius Sextius Calvinus, who named it Aquae Sextiae after himself, Aix (pronounced "ex") has been, in turn, a Roman military outpost, a civilian colony, the administrative capital of a later Roman Empire province, the seat of an archbishop, and the official residence of the medieval comtes de Provence. After the union of Provence with France, Aix remained until the Revolution a judicial and administrative headquarters. The celebrated son of this old capital city of Provence, Paul Cézanne immortalized the countryside nearby. Just as he painted it, Montagne Ste-Victoire looms over the town today, though a string of high-rises has now cropped up on the landscape. The Université d'Aix has been attracting international students since 1413. Today absinthe has given way to pastis in the many cafes scattered throughout the town. This city of some 150,000 is reasonably quiet in winter, but active and bustling when the summer hordes pour in. Summer brings frequent cultural events, ranging from opera to jazz, June through August. Increasingly, Aix is becoming a "bedroom community" for urbanites fleeing Marseille after 5pm.
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| History (Source: WCities) | Top | AIX HISTORICAL GUIDE Coveted for its privileged position between Spain and Italy, Aix, city of water, has continued to sparkle throughout the centuries. Its elegant way of life as well as its cultural treasures have survived despite the conflicts and the large-scale industrialization that threatened it. Spa town, University town, cultural town, judicial and economic center, all of these labels fit Aix-en-Provence today. At 370m above sea level, the fortified village of Entremont (known today as Oppidum d'Entremont , an archaeological site located 3kms north of Aix), was the capital town for a mixture of Celtic Salyens and native Ligurians in 123 BC. At this time it also commanded the intersection of Provence’s two principal roads: the Spain-Italy axis and the passage from the Mediterranean coast to the Alps. After the siege, capture and destruction of this Celtic-Ligurian town, the Roman proconsul, Caïus Sextius Calvinus, founded "Aquae Sextiae Salluviorum" in 122 BC, thus christened because of the abundance of hot and cold water springs in the region. Because of its privileged location between Italy and Spain, the city flourished both in urban development and as a spa town. City walls with colossal gates, theaters, amphitheaters and sumptuous villas were built. Having become the administrative capital of Narbonnaise Seconde around 275, (a small province in the Alpes-Maritimes), an invasion in 474 by Germanic barbarians dealt it a fatal blow. There
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| How To Get There (Source: WCities) | Top | By Air: The Aix-en-Provence Airport ( ++33 04 4214 1414/ http://www.marseille.aeroport.fr ) offers transportation to destinations throughout the world. The following airlines provide service to Aix-en-Provence: Air France ( +33 0 820 820 820/ http://www.airfrance.com/ ) Alitalia ( +33 0 820 315 315 / http://www.alitalia.fr ) British Airways ( +33 0 825 825 400/ http://www.british-airways.com/ ) Corsair ( +33 0 825 000 825/ http://www.corsair.fr ) Easy Jet ( +33 08 25 08 25 08 / http://www.easyjet.com ) Iberia Air ( +33 0 820 075 075/ http://www.iberia.com ) KLM ( +33 0 890 711 231/ http://www.klm.com ) Lufthansa ( +33 0 826 10 33 34/ http://www.lufthansa.com/ ) Tunis Air ( +33 0 820 044 044/ http://www.tunisair.com.tn/ ) By Taxi: Taxi and bus providers offer service to and from the airport. Taxi services are provided by Taxis Radio Aixois ( +33 04 42 27 71 11 ), Taxi Mirabeau ( +33 04 42 21 61 61 ), and Les Artisans Taxis ( +33 04 42 26 29 30 ). Some of the major car rental companies include: Avis ( + 33 05 56 34 38 22/ http://www.avis.fr ) Budget ( +33 05 56 47 84 22/ http://www.budget.fr ) Europcar ( +33 05 56 34 05 79/ http://www.europcar.fr ) Hertz ( +33 08 25 00 24 00/ http://www.hertz.fr ) By Train: There is train service available between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. Reservations can be made via SNCF ( http://www.sncf.com ).
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | A cultural treasure trove, Aix-en-Provence has a number of places dedicated to art and painting in particular. Cézanne, the painter and eulogist of the magnificent Sainte-Victoire Mountain, is one of the most frequently celebrated. The town’s natural beauty and its cultural heritage are also on display in numerous places including the cité du Roi René, whose opera targets an international audience. The nightlife, which attracts a large student population, is also rich and diverse: there are cinemas, theaters, music and dance shows and nightclubs. In Aix, sports are a very prized activity. There are also several amusement parks scattered around the town, offering other open-air activities. Fine Art In addition to the architectural treasures that make it one big open-air museum, Aix-en-Provence boasts numerous and varied spaces dedicated to painting and to the visual arts in general. Named after Aix-en-Provence's own François Marius Granet, a 19th-century painter who donated many works to the museum, the Musée Granet (Granet Museum) contains major French 16th-20th century paintings. Among the collection's most important works are eight Cézannes depicting the Sainte-Victoire (a nearby mountain) from different angles and in various lights. Tapestry connoisseurs will appreciate the Musée des Tapisseries (Tapestry Museum) located on the Place des Martyrs de la Résistance, on the first floor of the Archbishop's palace . Here a permanent collection of 17th- an
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