Read all of JOY DODDS’ previous Mediterranean Musings – from Italy to Spain and France, and including gastronomic delights …
Heading east from Arles and the Camargue further into Provence lies magical Aix-en-Provence, known as “X”.
X-CEPTIONALLY ARTY PROVENCE
Provence glows with lavender fields, sunflowers, vineyards, olive trees and inspirational light, all of which have created a particularly artistically creative landscape. The region has been an inspiration for so many artists, authors and musicians including native-born Paul Cézanne, Frédéric Mistral, Darius Milhaud and Marcel Pagnol, who depicted Provencal life so superbly in his novel “Jean de Florette”, subsequently filmed with Gérard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil. Mistral led the 19th-century revival of Occitan (Provençal) language and literature, sharing the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1904. Other painters who sought inspirational Provencal light included Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh. Emile Zola was another Aixois.
The beautiful well-preserved and oh-so-cultured Provencal university town of Aix is wonderful to explore, each winding lane within the old city walls revealing another visual treasure. The heart of Aix is plane tree- and fountain-filled Cours Mirabeau, a grand boulevard laid out in the late 1600s, built to replace the old city walls. It is lined with striking 17th and 18th century Italian Baroque houses, mostly painted Provençal yellow, as well as fountains spouting warm spring water, plane trees and vibrant cafes and restaurants.
In fact, Aix is often referred to as the City of a Thousand Fountains, including the 17th century Fountain of the Four Dolphins in the styliah Quartier Mazarin and a 19th century fountain depicting “good king” Rene holding the Muscat grapes he introduced to Provence in the 15th century. Aix is also known for its architecture featuring intricate doors and bell towers, the latter made of wrought iron to withstand the strong Mistral winds.
An important centre in Roman Gaul, excavations in Aix have revealed an ancient settlement near modern thermal baths built in the 18th century on the site of the old Roman spa springs, Thermes Sextius, in the northwest corner of the town, along Bvd Jean Jaurès.
Its magnificent cathedral incorporates architecture from the 5th to 18th centuries seamlessly. This masterpiece includes a stunning 5th century sarcophagus, a cloister and Flemish tapestries. Stunning Gregorian chants are performed there on Sundays. The University of Aix-Marseille attracts thousands of overseas students, adding to the cultural fabric.
The city oozes art, learning and culture and has done so for centuries, since it became the capital of the region ruled by the Counts of Provence. One, King Rene, not only brought muscatel grapes to Provence – he invited Flemish and other European painters to his court.
Its most famous son, artist Paul Cézanne, painted in and around the city, including many depictions of nearby Mont Sainte-Victoire. His studio, or atelier, remained untouched after his death and can be visited. The Petit Musée de Paul Cézanne inside the Galerie du Festival is another must-see and more works can be viewed in Musée Granet, housed in a former priory of the Knights of Malta, along with other works from Flemish, French and Dutch painters.
Paul Cezanne
During summer, Aix stages a magnificent calendar of operatic and musical events, as well as ballet, performed in glorious venues such as the Cathedral St-Sauveur and old theatres. Festival Provençal d’Aix and du Pays d’Aix, as well as the Aix Jazz Festival, attract thousands. When Marseille and nearby Aix-en-Provence became the 2013 European Capital of Culture, the city unveiled major new cultural infrastructure including the Darius Milhaud Conservatory. Live music is performed on balmy summer evenings in Place St-Honoré and bands perform regularly around Place de l’Hotel de Ville.
Aix is an ultra-chic city of fashion with smart boutiques located along rue Marius Reinaud near the Palais de Justice. Aix is also Provence’s market town, where all the glorious fruit and vegetables, olives and cheeses, are sold on Place Richelme. The Grand Truffle and Food Market is held in Rognes.
Not far from Aix-en- Provence are some of France’s most beautiful villages. Martiques is known as “the Venice of Provence”, its houses built along the canals and its narrow streets filled with shops and markets. Pertuis to the north was once fortified with vaulted arches and features more old fountains. The tourism office is located in a 12th-century donjon. It stages a grand Friday-morning market. Vauvenargues is Picasso’s final resting place near its imposing 16th-century chateau while Peyrolles-en-Provence is a fortified medieval village with its 12th century Chapelle du St-Sèpulcre. Today its is a now a prosperous farming and wine-growing town.
Equally impressive is the charming village of Ansouis in mountainous Luberon, perched on the Plateau de Valensole and dominated by a magnificent medieval castle. This and nearby Gordes present the classic landscape of Provence with lavender and wheat fields. Classified as one of the most beautiful villages of France, Gordes has a medieval castle and narrow cobbled streets. Lourmarin nestles among vineyards, almond and olive trees while Rognes to the is famous for its truffles and gastronomy market staged before Christmas.
Other points of interest include Roquefavour which has the world’s highest stone aqueduct, built in the style of the three-tier stone Roman Pont du Gard aqueduct as part of the Canal de Marseille, about 13 km from Aix. The former 12th-century Cistercian monastery, Silvacane Abbey, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, northwest of Aix-en-Provence is one of the famous “three sisters of Provence” Cistercian abbeys.
And what of the gastronomy of Aix? Provencal fare is based upon its typical staples – tomatoes, olives, fruit, truffles as well as meat and seafood from the Mediterranean – and these define and dominate the simple flavoursome cuisine.
The local sweet speciality is the calisson, a diamond-shaped iced marzipan wafer in the shape of a small boat. Made and sold in Aix-en-Provence since the 17th century, the annual blessing of the local specialty is held in the Church of Saint Jean de Malte in September and attracts large crowds.
And of course Provençal wines are of world repute, including the famous Côte du Rhône white and red wines and magical rosé. Lesser known is pastis, the local Provençal drink with an aniseed flavour. Locals swear there is no better way to beat the Mediterranean summer heat than passing time in cafés, in the shade of stately old plane trees, an icy glass of pastis in-hand! While pastis resembles other Mediterranean staples, Greek ouzo and Turkish arak, proud Aixois swear by their local spirit, as well as their wines, cuisine and creative art, literature and music.
