The pretty town of Aix-en-Provence, located in the south of France, has always been a popular destination with visitors to the region, and tourists still flock to the historic city today. Aix-en-Provence is not only well known for its historic buildings, wide boulevards and public parks, but is also famous as the home of the French artist Paul Cezanne, and there are many monuments and buildings dedicated to his memory and his works in the town. In fact, the tourist office even organises Cezanne tours, so that art lovers can walk in his footsteps through the streets of Aix-en-Provence.
The town of Aix dates from Roman times, though little remains of the original settlement. A posh new spa resort, called the Sextius baths, has been built on the site of the Roman baths, and part of the ancient structure is still visible in the entrance to the new hydrotherapy pools. Most of the architecture in Aix dates from later centuries, such as the ruins of the medieval fortifications or the wide boulevards and public gardens of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Cours Mirabeau is the main thoroughfare, lined with trees and pavement cafes that are an ideal spot for people watching in the Provencal sun.
Wandering the streets of Aix is one of the best ways to explore the sights, including the many fountains that decorate the city's streets, parks and even traffic roundabouts! Some of the best examples include the three large fountains down the central reservation of the Cours Mirabeau and the 17th century Fountain of the Four Dolphins, designed by the artist Jean-Claude Rambot. Many of the fountains can also be found within the public parks, such as the Parc Rambot, named after the artist, and the Parc Georges Vilers. Many of these are planted gardens, with flowerbeds and walkways, while others offer more open spaces for children to let off some steam after all that sightseeing.
Many of the attractions in Aix-en-Provence revolve around one of the town's most famous sons, the artist Paul Cezanne. Both in the city and in the surrounding area you can visit many of the houses where he and his family lived, and where the artist painted many of his most celebrated works of art. Fans of the painter can visit his final studio in Aix-en-Provence, which has been restored to how it would have looked when the painter lived and worked there, while the Jas de Bouffan estate on the outskirts of the town is also now open to the public. Once the Cezanne family home, the artist grew up here and painted many of his early works directly onto the building's walls!
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