Key Attractions of Aix-en-Provence

Le Cours Mirabeau

The city’s main thoroughfare (and the most famous one) is the Cours Mirabeau, a street lined with cafes, restaurants and elegant mansions, and shaded by several rows of century-old plane trees. Once a street for horse-drawn coaches, today the cours Mirabeau links the Mazarin district to the south with the old commercial town to the north. Sit down at one of the terraces and watch life go by while sipping a cappucino or a latte and listening to the sounds of water playing in the fountains nearby.

Le Musee Granet (Granet Museum)

François Marius Granet was a famous aixois painter (1775-1849) who bequeathed his personal collection to the city upon his death. Housed in a historic building, the museum, one of the best in the region, features major works by French painters from the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as paintings from Dutch, Flemish and Italian schools. Please note: the museum is currently closed for renovation and will reopen its doors in June 2006.

Atelier Cezanne (Cezanne Studio)

Many of the visitors to Aix-en-Provence will have an interest in the work of Cezanne, and here they will have an opportunity to discover several of the artist’s familiar objects (many featured in some of his paintings). The studio is equipped with an audio/video room where visitors can watch relevant films and CD-roms.

Musee du Viel Aix (Museum of Old Aix)

Hotel Estienne de Saint Jean is one of the finest hotels particuliers from the end of the 17th century. The finely carved door opens into a hall with a magnificent balustrade in wrought iron. The main living areas, which have preserved part of the original decor, house the Musee du Viel Aix. The museum contains memorials to Aix’s past, including furniture, costumes, paintings, china and local figurines.

Pavillon de Vendome (Vendome Pavilion)

Surrounded by an elaborate French garden, the Pavillon de Vendome gives visitors the opportunity to see a typical Aix mansion as it would have looked in the 18th century. Well preserved furniture, paintings and artefacts from the 17th and 18th centuries give a glimpse into the lives of the local aristocracy of the time.