Pasted below are some excerpts from a travel article that Todd is working on to give a sense of the town we are living in.
Aix-en-Provence
by Todd Bradlee
One of the French sayings that pretty much sums up life in Southern France is: “Ce n’est pas grave.” Translation: “It’s no big deal; No worries.” I have heard it everywhere from the parking lot when someone opened their car door into mine, to the line up in the grocery store when my friend had to run to the nearest ATM because her credit card malfunctioned. With their 35 hour work week and low-stress attitude towards life, the French have a unique lifestyle.
Just north of Marseille and the Mediterranean Sea, nestled in the heart of Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur (more commonly known as Provence), lies the mini-metropolis of Aix-en-Provence. Aix(pronounced ‘x’), could be described as a smaller, more intimate version of Paris. The birthplace of Paul Cezanne(1839-1906), Aix was the muse for this gifted painter. Very influential to the likes of Picasso, Cezanne breathed in the energy from his surroundings. His favorite subject, Mt. Sainte-Victoire, located 10 km east of town, was immortalized in his work.
Aix is a posh neighbor of Marseille, and in the summer the main street mirrors a fashion show with its beautiful people dressed in the latest styles. There are more places to drop a dime than you can imagine- designer boutiques with all of the top names in fashion line the main streets. I found myself inspired by the clothing on display and before I knew it I was trying on a heavily tapered white dress shirt with a 70’s cut collar and an Italian name stitched to it. Whatever type of shopping interests you, the downtown area has something high end to offer.
Downtown Aix is surrounded by a circular one-way road that encloses a tightly woven labyrinth of narrow streets and beautiful old buildings. Amongst these beautiful buildings are the stately Hotel de Ville, the ornate Cathedral St-Saveur, the towering Eglise St-Jean de Malte, and the myriad fountains and beautiful cobblestone plazas. With its ease of navigating on foot, crossing from one side to the other of this “inner circle” is a short 20 minute walk.
Showing off the surrounding bounty of Provence are the markets that happen every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings, starting around 9am and closing down at 1pm. Load up on fresh produce from many of the surrounding farms- here you will find everything from a wide selection of cheese, bread, olives, cured meats and seafood, to fresh spices, herbs, and flowers. You can also browse the rows of adjacent merchants selling clothing, jewelry, and various bits and bobs. The two main markets are located next to the Palais de Justice(Place des Precheurs) and the Hotel de Ville(Place Richelme). These two markets are less than five minutes from each other, both in downtown, and if you don’t have a basket you can buy one for ten euros.
During my first week in Aix, I got stuck on a one-way road behind a parked car in the middle of the street. Too far down this street to reasonably back out, I weighed my options. Aix’s streets range from narrow to “Do you think we will make it?,” so passing was out of the question. Looking around in vain for the potential driver of this vehicle, I turned off my ignition and got out onto the street to get a better look. A few prospects walked by, only to shake their head when I asked if this was their car. When I honked my horn, a half-naked guy appeared in the second story window across the street. Obviously fresh out of the shower with soaking-wet hair, he smiled and said he would be down in a few minutes. Closer to ten minutes later he appeared on the street, all smiles and happily clean. After all, “Ce n’est pas grave.” If the high stress of living in your neck of the woods has got you down, come see what Aix-en-Provence has to offer.
