Aix en Provence- It's like a Holiday Inside a Painting

Aix en Provence is a fun and lively city. It is a place where you can make time slow down or a place where you can enjoy an air of sophistication. We have had a lot of fun today just exploring this amazing place on foot.

The Cathedrale Saint Sauver was built in the 12th century. Inside it appeared they were doing some restoration. There was evidence of excavations from most likely Roman times, and if you looked closely, there were pieces of frescos painted in some of the chapels. Sadly the plaster breaks away over time, but it's like looking at a puzzle sometimes and is fun to guess what might have been painted there. There might be a head or a hand peeking out.

The cobblestone streets wind through the old town and vary from one to another. Some have no commercial development and look the same as they probably did 200 years ago while others have fancy shops such as Rolex, but none of them present themselves with any form of glitz. Everything blends in well and is tastefully done.

The Belfy was built in 1510 and when it rings we can see the bell swinging. An astronomical clock was added in the 1600s. Everywhere you look in the town there are fountains and people just enjoying sitting beside them. There are fountains with stone dolphins, fountains covered with moss, and others that even have fish. There are no skyscrapers in the old town and many of the houses have ancient wooden shutters, iron rails over the window, and flower boxes bursting with blooms. It's all very pleasant.



Just around the corner from our hotel, Hotel Du Globe, there is a small museum in an old mansion. The nice thing about it is you can just enjoy the gardens for free. A lot of people were there reading, relaxing, having a picnic, ot writing postcards. Inthe fountain there were goldfish and bigger looking carp, but no turtles.

Dinner tonight was in a restaurant with an outside courtyard. We love how in the evenings here the streets suddenly come alive with cafes with candles on each table. The most lively ones are on Cours Miraeau where one cafe boasts that Picasso dined there. It's very appealing if you are willing to pay $12 for the same glacé (ice cream) that is sold on the atmospheric back streets for $4. On the other side of Cour Mireau they were having an evening craft fair with crafts ranging from lavender to jewelry. There was even a potter's wheel to try and beaded jewelry you can make. This is the perfect town in France. Aix en Provemce- it's like taking your holiday inside a painting!