I fell in love with the city of Aix-en-Provence at first sight. I don't know if it was the historic buildings, the gastronomic celebration on every corner, or maybe the happy atmosphere (despite the rain and cold) – but the visit was simply delightful.
I originally planned to use it solely as a base for sightseeing in Provence, but after one day I realized that there is so much to discover in this city that I must dedicate at least two or three days to it. After experiencing Aix-en-Provence and enjoying it, it is time to share with you all my experiences and recommend the most worthwhile attractions and tours.
We will begin with a review of the attractions in Aix-en-Provence that I visited, continue with recommendations for guided tours that will help you discover Aix and its secrets, and end with recommendations for tours outside the city (“regular” tours, lavender tours, and wine tasting tours).
Attractions in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence contains quite a few attractions of different types. Since I only got to be there for a few days, I obviously didn't have time to experience them all, but at least I got to visit all the places that interested me the most.
Museums in Aix-en-Provence
There are several interesting museums in Aix-en-Provence, and what they all have in common is that they are "bite museums", that is, relatively small museums that can be seen in a few hours without getting "art poisoning" (unlike the Louvre, for example).
Here are the museums I liked the most:
Granet Museum
This is the city's main museum, divided between two buildings. In the main building, which is located in a hospital of the Knights of Malta, you can find a series of works of art created between the 14th and 19th centuries (including some by Cézanne, the most famous painter of the city of Aix-en-Provence). In the second building, located a few minutes walk away, you will find a collection of 20th century art, most of which was donated by a Swiss art collector. I really enjoyed visiting the museum (especially the works of 19th century French painters who were Cézanne's contemporaries) and I definitely recommend it highly.
For more information about the museum
Hotel de Caumont
This is a magnificent city mansion (Hotel Particulier) that began construction in 1715 by the architect Robert de Cotte for the Marquis de Cabannes. Beyond the architectural beauty, which will remind you of the palaces of the Marais district , you will also find temporary exhibitions, a film about Cézanne, and a small but elegant café. I fell in love with the place at first sight, and I highly recommend you visit it, although the ticket price is a bit expensive in my opinion.
For more information about the museum
Pavillon Vendôme
A charming little palace with a cute park located right on the edge of the old town of Aix. The place has a fascinating history, which you can read about in the article Pavillon Vendôme: The Royal Bastard, the Lover, and the Magnificent Villa . The place hosts changing exhibitions and it is highly recommended to come here to enjoy the special architecture and gardens.
For more information about the museum
Historical Museum of Aix (Musee du Vieil Aix)
A very small but cute museum, located in a 17th-century house and containing a small collection of items and paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. What I liked most there were the miniatures depicting scenes from the history of Aix in general and France in particular (for example: a ball at the Hôtel de Sauvage attended by all the who's who of the days of Louis XV).
The Tapestry Museum of the Archbishop's Palace of Aix
The museum is housed in a magnificent 17th-century palace of the Archbishop of Aix-en-Provence. It houses impressive tapestries, sculptures, and works of art. It is definitely worth a visit.
Aix-en-Provence Cathedral
There are quite a few beautiful churches in Aix, but if you have to choose just one, it is the Aix Cathedral, named after the Savior (Saint Saveur). The cathedral was built between the 12th and 19th centuries and contains quite a few beautiful pieces, the most important of which is the triptych (a picture made of three different images) of the Burning Bush. This triptych, painted in the 15th century, depicts René II, Count of Provence, and his wife, praying on each side of the picture, with the Burning Bush in the middle. The work is usually closed to the public in order to preserve it, but if you did not get to see the triptych open, you can take comfort in the fact that its “doors” are also beautiful and you can see a copy on a poster not far from the painting itself.
Markets in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence is known for its impressive markets (especially the food markets) and it is highly recommended to visit at least one of them during your trip. Here are the main markets:
Fruit and vegetable market
This cute market takes place every day on Place Richelme and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays it grows and spreads into the squares Prêcheurs and Verdun. Here is a video that allows you to understand what it is all about:
Clothing market
Here you can find quite a few clothes but also antiques, and it takes place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays on Cour Mirabeau, the chic main street of historic Aix-en-Provence.
The flower market
A colorful market that takes place almost every day in the town square, which is worth a visit in its own right.
Guided tours within Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence is a city with a lot of history and lots of charming places waiting to be discovered. The best way to do this is with the help of guides who know every corner of this charming city. So here are my recommendations:
Wow Provence
One of the best things that came out of my blog was meeting Israelis who moved to France, fell in love with its culture, and decided to share the vast knowledge they had gained with the Israeli audience through travel. After meeting the lovely Yona Mitrani-Mazor in Bordeaux, I was lucky enough to meet Nurit Gaon, who has written for me before , in Aix-en-Provence.
Nurit moved to Aix-en-Provence with her partner and their three children about 3.5 years ago. She fell in love with the history and cuisine of Aix, and after studying the city's spicy history in depth, she decided to launch a line of tours in Aix and its surroundings through the website Wow Provence.
I had the pleasure of joining one of Nurit’s tours in Aix and fell in love with her from the first moment. Her tour contains exactly what I love: spicy history and food 😀. We visited Pauline Bonaparte’s house (if Aix-en-Provence is known as “the city of a thousand fountains,” then Pauline could be called “the woman with a thousand lovers”), the Pavillon Vendôme, and a host of other delightful places. At the same time, Nurit made sure that we didn’t stay hungry for even a single moment and never stopped treating us to Clisson cookies, wonderful eclairs, delicious nougat, and more.
Nurit not only has extensive knowledge, but also the ability to touch people and convey the knowledge with pleasantness and humor. Therefore, it is no wonder that the two and a half hours of the trip flew by at the speed of light and I was left with a desire for more. In short: I highly recommend her trips.
Local tourist office tours
If you are looking for very specific tours such as “A Tour in the Footsteps of Emile Zola ”, you are welcome to contact the local tourist office and book one or more of their tours. Please note that if you have purchased the City Pass , you can get some of the tours for free or at a discount.
For information about the tours of the local tourist office
Day trips outside Aix-en-Provence
If you wanted to get out of Aix-en-Provence to visit the charming villages around it, and you don't really feel like renting a car, you can check out these guided tours. Their prices range from 70-110 euros per person. This may not seem cheap, but when you consider that in return you get transportation from the center of Aix and back, close guidance and sometimes wine and food tastings, these prices are really reasonable.
One-day tour between villages and markets
Take a day to experience the villages of Provence surrounded by a spectacular carpet of colorful fields with ancient stone houses leading to the village center for a bustling market rich in local produce. The scents of freshly picked vegetables and fruits and local bread baked in the village bakery, wine from local wineries mingle in cheerful and uplifting French.
The tour will take in three villages and combine historical sites, amazing scenery, markets that have everything from food, flowers, local produce, and an antiques market. Don't miss the opportunity to experience the villages that look like scenes from French movies.
For more information and to book a tour
Tour of the villages of the Luberon region
If you want to experience an amazing journey through time, the Luberon region is perfect for you. Villages preserved from the Middle Ages are built on a hillside overlooking purple fields of lavender. Inside the villages, narrow stone alleys, you can almost hear the rattle of carriages passing through, and in the central square, local markets, small restaurants and cafes.
The tour will take you through three villages in the Luberon region, each of which gives you a glimpse into a different period and a different style, all amidst stunning landscapes, castles, churches and shops with the scent of yesteryear. All that's left for you to do is look for Jeanne de Floret, who passes by the café in the village.
For more information and to book a tour
Half-day trip to the Camargue region
Get your cameras ready, we're going on a tour of the wild nature of the Camargue region.
Wild horses in herds, storks in the river, rare birds above the waterline and rich, colorful, authentic and rare nature found not far from the capital of the region, “Sainte-Marie de la Mar”, to which many legends have been associated. If you arrive on a warm day, you can swim in the ocean or photograph the fishing boats moored on the shore waiting for the tide.
A tour that is a combination of a natural park, an ancient city, a small, authentic village, and blue sea to the horizon.
For more information and to book a tour
Lavender Tours in Provence
Lavender tour in the morning
Purple fields of lavender and sunflowers will give you a wonderful welcome as you tour medieval villages built on a cliff overlooking a deep blue lake that looks like a dream. Lavender, sunflowers, olive trees have been used throughout history as ingredients to make high-quality cosmetics. You will also visit a local manufacturer and you can purchase essential oils and a variety of fun products.
For more information and to book a tour
Wine Tasting Tours in Provence
Winery and Wine Tour – Châteauneuf du Pape
How does a small city in the south of France become the center of Europe over 400 years? You will find the answer in every alley, every street, by the river, on the familiar bridge, in the amazing Palace of the Popes located in the heart of the city. Everywhere in the city you will discover the pearl of the south of France that fate destined for greatness.
The wine tour departs from Avignon to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape winery. Along the way, you will stop at the castle that became the Pope's summer residence and from there you will continue on the wine tour, where you will learn about the different grape varieties, have wine tastings and be able to see the winery's impressive cellars.
For more information and to book a tour
Provence Wine Tasting Tour
Every wine you taste in France has the unique taste and smell of the region from which it comes, and every winery located inside a castle has the smell, taste, and aroma of a special story that the castle adds to it.
The picturesque village of Lebron, on the border of which the castle is located, is a wonderful backdrop for a tour of the castle and winery by a local guide who will tell you about wine production now and in the past, and of course you can taste the selection on site with the huge advantage - you don't need to worry about someone driving.
For more information and to book a tour
Wine Tasting Tour in the Footsteps of Cezanne
What was Cézanne's favorite wine? And why did he choose to paint the wonderful landscape of the vineyards in Saint-Victor? After touring two wineries in Saint-Victor and passing by the famous vineyards of Provence, you will get all the answers.
A local guide will tell you about wine production and also some of the stories and myths about Cezanne. After the tasting, you will never look at his paintings the same way again.
For more information and to book a tour
Wine tasting in the Luberon villages
How can you refuse a tour of medal-winning family wineries in villages considered the most beautiful in France?
The wineries you will visit have existed for centuries, often by the same family. On the tour, you will learn about the winemaking process, flavored with the story of the family, which also preserves the tools used by previous generations in winemaking.
Every wine lover knows that the secret ingredient in the bottle is the special story of the family winery where it is produced.
For more information and to book a tour
Looking for what else to do in Provence?
If all these options weren't enough for you or if you would like to compare prices between the different activities, then here are some recommended websites that sell tours and entrances to attractions in Provence in general and Aix in particular.
More on the subject
Your Aix-en-Provence is wonderful! We just returned from a dream vacation there and throughout its region. I will also post recommendations soon, some of which we will share with you, like the wonderful Grana Museum…