FR · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · 43.53°N 5.45°E

aix-en-provence

Fountains, morning markets and Cézanne's mountain beyond the old town.

Best time
April to June and September to October are comfortable for walking and the countryside. July brings an opera festival and summer heat; winter is quieter, though the mistral can bite.
How long
2 days
Getting there
Fly direct to Paris on Malaysia Airlines (about 13.5 hours), then a TGV from Gare de Lyon to Aix-en-Provence TGV (about 3 hours) and a shuttle bus into town (about 20 minutes). France is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
Save postcard
FR · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azuraix-en-provence43.53°N 5.45°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Fountains, morning markets and Cézanne's mountain beyond the old town.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingAix-en-ProvenceFR, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
KLaix-en-provence
≈ 10,269 km from KL, as the crow flies
Aix en Provence

Photo: carlos corzo · CC BY-SA 3.0

1 / 5

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Aix is a town of fountains, honey-coloured mansions and morning markets. Cézanne was born here, and Sainte-Victoire, the mountain he painted again and again, still sits on the horizon.

Makan

  1. CalissonsAix's famous sweet: almond and candied-melon paste under a thin white icing.Map ↗
  2. FougasseFlat, leaf-shaped Provençal bread; the plain and olive ones are the safe picks, as some have lardons.Map ↗
  3. AïoliStrong garlic mayonnaise; a grand aïoli is a feast of salt cod, vegetables and eggs.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Cours MirabeauThe broad, plane-shaded avenue of cafés and mossy fountains between the old town and the Mazarin quarter.Map ↗
  2. The morning marketsProduce stalls fill Place Richelme most mornings, with more spilling into the town hall square.Map ↗
  3. Quartier MazarinQuiet streets of 17th-century mansions around the Fountain of the Four Dolphins.Map ↗
  4. Terrain des PeintresA hillside garden facing Sainte-Victoire, on the spot where Cézanne set up his easel.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Aix TGV station is well outside town; the central Aix-en-Provence station is for slower regional trains.
  • Halal choice is much wider in Marseille, half an hour away. In Aix, Turkish and North African takeaways are the fallback.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.