TOP 10 Things to do in Aix en Provence, France | Insider Travel Tips

If there’s one place that truly captures the heart of Provence and the Southern French lifestyle, it’s Aix en Provence! This vibrant city, rich in history and bathed in magical light, invites you to take a deep breath and simply savor the moment.
Ready to visit? Check out Anja & Aila’s top 10 things to do in Aix!
PS: Great day trip from Nice & the French Riviera or Marseille

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🌟 Destination: AIX-EN-PROVENCE 🌟
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/GDDNNEVA6ghoQ8ow6

Tourist Office:
Pick up free maps for self-guided tours (Cézanne, fountains, doors)

1 COURS MIRABEAU
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/AcAbetSXGtzerU2y5
Market Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (8 AM – 1 PM). There are markets EVERY morning in various squares in Aix.

2 LITTLE TOURIST TRAIN
“Train touristique électrique”
📍Start/Stop: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EZFfwbreK9ZZq79H9

Visitez Aix-en-Provence en petit train touristique électrique

Ticket: €10 (children 4-12 years: €5)

Little bus “La Diabline” (https://www.la-diabline.com/):
Electric bus in the city center, running on three circles, A, B + C. Ticket: €1.30 (pay on board)
Map: https://www.la-diabline.com/Plan_La_Diabline_Web.pdf

3 “LA DOUCEUR DE VIVRE”
Grab a drink at one of the many inviting squares and soak up the Mediterranean way of life:
📍Place de l’Hôtel de Ville
📍Place Richelme
📍Place des Augustins
📍Place des Cardeurs
📍Place des Trois Ormeaux
📍Place des Tanneurs

4 BAROQUE QUARTIER MAZARIN
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/B1iqE5QSeNYKM984A

5 MAGNIFICENT MANSIONS,
now home to museums (all 3) and cafés (Caumont + Gallifet):

Pavillon de Vendôme – https://www.aixenprovence.fr/Musee-du-Pavillon-de-Vendome
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/nR9MEeFQb9Eyu5fDA

Hôtel de Caumont – Centre d’Art – https://www.caumont-centredart.com/en
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q8bCdrSUU68QvuN36

Hôtel de Gallifet – https://www.hoteldegallifet.com/en
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/uhweerxdBgjsieve9

6 CRADLE OF CREATIVITY

Cézanne: https://www.cezanne-en-provence.com/en/prepare-your-visit/individual/visit-atelier-cezanne/
His Atelier (reopens in 2025)
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/aRNLhebFeyYp7rGh9
Bastide du Jas de Bouffan (family home – also currently closed for renovations)
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/nZc5is7mfZ6n3MGcA

Musée Granet – https://www.museegranet-aixenprovence.fr/en/homepage
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/cFXMfX7JXyDMs9AT6

Granet XXe
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/XMukyaaZFvxSiW7k7

7 CAMP DES MILLES – https://www.campdesmilles.org/home2.html
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/tGSyGiLY2gLVeWn36
Open daily, 10 AM – 7 PM
Take bus no.4 from city center towards “Pôle d’activités” (board at stop “Rotonde”, get off at stop “Camp des Milles”), one way: €1.30

8 WALKING THE FOUNTAINS
Free map for a self-guided tour at tourist office!
4 favorites:
La Rotonde
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/HCYq1t1Y7A3wFEsX7
Fontaine Moussue
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/jDsRC2xEQh91Lb9c8
Fontaine des Quatre Dauphins
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/mGLhXH1C3Tv5yVzf7
Fontaine d’Albertas
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/L1rbxVVgxiNn2ogR7

9 SHOPPING
Best: all over the old town
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/GPaQYE3qyjhRGzdKA

10 CALISSONS
You’ll find them everywhere… but we adore this place:
Pâtisserie Béchard
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/VpBcLu3AME1U3M7S7

BONUS: Brasserie LA ROTONDE – http://www.larotonde-aix.com/
📍https://maps.app.goo.gl/LXiCCLx8ktCkJfZ48

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00:00 Introduction
00:53 #1 Cours Mirabeau
02:18 #2 Tourist Train
03:42 #3 La douceur de vivre
04:59 #4 Quartier Mazarin
05:46 #5 Magnificent Mansions
07:38 #6 Cradle of Creativity
09:00 #7 Camp des Milles
10:41 #8 Walking the Fountains
12:39 # 9 + 10 Shopping and Sweets

if there’s one place that truly captures the heart of provance and the southern French lifestyle it’s exg on provance this vibrant City rich and history and bathed in magical light invites you to take a deep breath and simply Savor the moment ready to visit check out our top 10 things to do in X and stick around for bonus suggestion at the end of this video x is ideally located about 2 hours by car from knes just half an hour from Mar and an hour and 15 minutes from avenon it’s also easily accessible by train even from Paris which is only a 4 and 1/ half hour ride away but now let’s dive into our top 10 when you arrive at kurabo our number one you’re at the perfect starting point for any visit to Exon provance this is the Grand Boulevard that separates the old town from the Baro carer mazara which you’ll learn more about in just a moment one end of kurabo is graced by ex’s most famous Fountain lond which is lovely built by day and night 440 M down the boulevard the Fountain of King Renee marks the opposite end of this Grand thorough Fair which was built around 1650 the site of the former southern city wall its purpose back then was twofold for carriages to pass and for a stroll in the shade of elm trees or while admiring The Majestic Mansions lining the street quite an inovative concept at the time initially only cafes were allowed to open in this area the oldest Cafe that still existed was Leon from 1792 which unfortunately burned down a few years ago but is set to reopen in 2025 today the boulevard hosts a market for clo and textiles several mornings a week there are many other markets and different squares around the city every single morning by the way just across from the large fountain at the entrance to Kuru you’ll find the starting and end point of the little tourist train our second suggestion for you hop on next to the cesan Statue pop on your headphones select your preferred language and off you go in about 45 minutes you’ll see and hear about most of the key s sites to explore in X we’ve taken this little train in so many cities by now and we can’t recommend it enough it gives you a relaxed first look at the place and afterwards you can head out to explore whatever caught your eye an extra a cool feature of the train and X the glass roof makes sense especially when cruising through those narrow [Music] Lanes by the way X is super easy to explore on foot but if your legs need another break why not rent a segue or hop on one of those cute little Electric buses that cruise Through The Heart of the City on three different routs they pass by some of the nicest spots in town so give him a try exg on pance has perfected it our number three for you is to experience the southern French lifestyle often called reflecting the Region’s relaxed Sun soaked and leisurely way of living the warm climate is great year round so it’s no surprise that people head outdoors at every occasion enjoying fresh food and just life in general we’re constantly in awe of the sophistication in X from the stylish way the locals dress to the unmatched atmosphere that sets it apart from all the other cities we know inovance and even the French Riviera a big part of x’s unique Vibe comes from its student population which makes up a significant portion of the city the political science faculty for instance is located right across from the S cathedral in the old town just down the road you’ll come across the plel home to the town hall dating back to 1670 and an even older gem the Bell Tower built in 1510 so take a break and Savor the little pleasures of life at one of the many cafes and restaurants scattered around the Charming squares magnificent Mansions Monumental Gates and streets laid out in a checkerboard pattern this is what you’ll encounter in this District South of kabo our number four the Baro mazara built in the mid 17th century with a plastic CA at its heart became home to the parliamentarians and Grand bourjois of the era it’s definitely worth strolling through the quiet streets to by the architecture notice the little details in the few shop windows and enjoy the everpresent fountains we’ll be back to explore the Gran Museum in this district and one particular mansion in just a minute so our number five is all about said mansions that once belonged to noble families with a pavon de vom from 1665 likely being the most important among the many Barack aristocratic palaces in Exon provance built for his lover by the Duke of fondom it’s a delight to spend some time wandering through the beautifully symmetrical French garden which is open to the public the building now houses a small Museum showcasing provinal furniture and temporary exhibitions and we absolutely wanted to take you into the hotel de k s back in the masar District it’s one of the rare Urban residences in X that features a courtyard and a garden raminis of chat nestled within their Parks this design allowed the owners to highlight their aristocratic status and stand out from the other houses in the area today it’s listed as a historic Monument the Mansion underwent extensive renovations to restore it toward its Glory just a decade ago every year it now hosts two temporary art exhibitions along with regular concerts lectures and a film about X’s most famous painter szan if you want to peek inside for free you can there’s always the cafe on the ground floor with its beautiful Garden Terrace perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea and Cake Plus the impressive gift and Bookshop invites you to browse as you’ve get gathered by now the Fine Arts play a major role in Exon provance which brings us to our number six the city’s most famous sun is Paul szan the tourist office offers a self-guided walking tour centered around the post impressionist painter who was profoundly attached to his hometown and reveled in the unique light of prance as a young man szan took classes at the drawing School run by the local Art Museum today known as Muse Gran where we take you next here you can admire around 750 paintings and sculptures spending several centuries don’t miss one of suzan’s masterpieces bathers from around 1895 you’ll also see works by Masters such as Anga and rbrand alongside local provell painters and more recent artists like takti or Picasso your admission ticket to the Gran Museum also includes access to a second building the Gran vanm which showcases a collection of Modern Art housed in a 17th century Chapel this venue alone makes the exhibition absolutely worth seeing expect works by Picasso duu and many others along with temporary exhibitions our number seven is also connected to the world of artists and intellectuals but on a much darker level Ana and I were deeply moved by our visit to K and we absolutely wanted to share our experience with you from here more than 2,000 Jews men women and children were deported to aitz as our guide Leia tells us initially starting in September 1939 an subjects were imprisoned in this former brick Factory including artists and writers like the German Max an and Leon F vanga will have many traces on the walls during their time at L then from 1940 to 1942 it became an interment camp for undesir bles and finally within 2 months in 1942 more than 2,000 of the 10,000 people of 38 nationalities inter here were deported a 2-hour audio guided tour available in several languages takes you through the entire side including the three floors where the internees slept it’s the only large internment and deportation camp in France still intact and it’s been open to the public since 2012 after a 30y year long battle the museum not only serves as a reminder of a cruel period in history but also helps visitors to understand how human behavior can lead to genocide and how it can be prevented and resisted more effectively back to more cheerful topics with our number eight we’re taking you on a Stoll to discover the many beautiful fountains that Adorn the city the name X comes from its Latin name a sex given by the Romans who settled here for the Hot and Cold Spring scattered throughout the area today 27 public fountains remain in the Heart of the City and it’s definitely fun to check them out you can follow this self-guided walking tour that takes you to 22 of them and we’ll quickly show you the most important ones there’s loton of course standing proudly in the center of the roundabout at the start of kirabo it’s the largest fountain in X adorned with 12 lions and six swans straddled by cherubic py at top the fountain three allegorical statues represent three biggest cities of provance X Mar and ainon in the middle of kurabo you’ll come across the fascinating Mossy Fountain go ahead and dip your hands in the water it’s warm around 18° C year round this unique Fountain was built in 1667 the font do located on the Square that shares its name is a symbol for the city’s elegance and sophistication this Barack Masterpiece featuring four scale Dolphins was also built in 1667 locals take great pride in their font austan which sits in what might be A’s prettiest and most elegant Square plast Alberta with a distinct Parisian touch it was completed between 1742 and 1746 our number nine is all about a more mundane pleasure shopping we adore the variety of boutiques in the old town where you’ll find unique clothing far beyond the typical Brands seen everywhere else take your time window shopping and who knows you might just stumble upon your new favorite piece of course there are also plenty of opportunities to stock up on souvenirs to take home and an endless array of stores offering local culinary Specialties we’ll dive into those some more in our next suggestion if you’re on the hunt for more familiar fashion stores head over to the area near the tourist office if Sean represents X artistically our number 10 is its culinary highlight the famous cison these almond-shaped candies made from a paste of candied fruit and ground almonds topped with icing date back to the 15th or 16th century and can be found in patisseries and souvenir shops all over the city we suggest checking out bishar on kurabo not only do they produce the famous cison but they also offer incredible pastries and other sweet treats that are well worth a try and if your mouth is watering right now here’s our bonus we get another Gourmet tip Ana and I had dinner at this trendy brasser lond and yes you’re very much familiar with this name by now it’s not the most Original Restaurant X has to offer but it features great food elegant decor and plenty of tables so you can usually snag one without making a reservation a week in advance we started with a healthy cocktail as an appetizer accompanied by complimentary olives and then Ana opted for a poke ball with fresh tuna and an ARA of vegetables while I tried the less healthy but very tasty vegan burger served with a bucket full of fries a perfect ending to an exciting [Music] day here’s a quick overview of everything we’ve seen and done and we hope our video has inspired you with some ideas for your next trip to Exel [Music] provance for those of you who are new to our Channel Ana and I usually share our favorite spots on the French Riviera with the occasional trip to prove be sure to check out our dedicated playlist