The very word Provence stimulates my prefrontal cortex, which in turn creates a response causing my heart to beat faster and my eyes to twitch, just a bit. Provence is one of those dream locations that many of us dream about. Visions of vast fields of lavender, warm afternoons and delicious food fills our imaginations. That’s the emotional travel baggage I had when I first visited the southern French town Aix-en-Provence and while it doesn’t necessarily live up to those lofty expectations, it is a lovely place to experience a more laid back style of living.
Unless I missed it, there’s not one single attraction that brings tourists to town, instead the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The broad, leafy pedestrian zones, the countless and artistic fountains and the laid back vibe is what I remember most about being in Aix. Things moved at a slower, more Mediterranean pace and I saw more smiles than I did while touring through any other French city. I quickly succumbed to this lifestyle, and within hours found myself sipping a glass of cold, white wine at an outdoor cafe doing nothing more than watching the world walk by.
I didn’t spend a lot of time in Aix-en-Provence, which still saddens me a bit, but the dream of one day returning instantly puts a smile on my face. Here is a look at my walk through town and I think you’ll understand why I feel so drawn to this dreamy city.
Gorgeous pics of a gorgeous place!
It looks hot and sunny on those pics. With the everlasting winter that’s going on here, that’s all I need right now
Looks lovely! Have never been to Aix. These photos make me want to take a trip there soon!
It looks like the perfect place to enjoy a glass of white wine… or 3…
Thanks for the great photos from a beautiful city.
I lived there for 3 months many years ago, and your post really makes me want to going back.
/Henrik
Beautiful! I especially love the photo of the dog in the fountain. I was very near to Aix on a home exchange this summer, had I known you could swim in the fountains there, I might have done it! Actually, my urge to jump into the Trevi Fountain for a swim when I was in Rome during 100 degree weather in 2011 was very strong. The same goes for the fountains in Versaille in the summer of 2009! It’s actually a dream of mine to swim in beautiful fountains, especially at night. Wouldn’t it be amazing?